During the Space Age and the Cold War, researchers examined fusion-powered propulsion systems with the goal of reaching another star system within a human lifetime.
Many of the concepts proposed at that time remain under consideration today, awaiting future advances that would make them feasible.
The core idea is to harness the energy released by nuclear fusion to propel spacecraft to the speeds needed for interstellar travel.
To date, the required breakthroughs in fusion technology have not yet been achieved, leaving these ideas in the realm of future possibility.