18. Does anti-matter have any use in nuclear rocket design? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

Anti-matter is the most energetic material known to physics, with a specific energy of 187 mega-joules per microgram. It looks like ordinary matter except that all of the quantum numbers are reversed, including electric charge. When an anti-matter particle contacts a particle of ordinary matter both disintegrate into gamma rays and pions, which also disintegrate into gamma rays. Some nuclear accelerators, such as the Fermi Lab, produce small research quantities of anti-matter. This material is difficult to store and currently requires about 2,000 times more energy to make than can be obtained from it. Its best use may be to stimulate fission or fusion in some nuclear rocket design. Some small scale experiments are being performed for storing various types of anti-matter: anti-protons, positrons (anti-electrons), positronium (an artificial atom consisting of an electron and a positron), and anti-hydrogen. No method for storing anti-neutrons has been developed, although they have been produced and detected.

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Answer provided by John W. Cole

Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer

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