Expert Calls for "Manhattan Project" to Accelerate Antimatter Space Propulsion

Casey Handmer, a prominent voice in space technology discussions, has publicly urged for a rapid acceleration in the development of antimatter production. Handmer advocates for antimatter as the "most compact form of energy storage for high performance space propulsion applications," a vision he detailed in a recent blog post. This call aims to revolutionize deep-space travel by overcoming the limitations of current rocket technologies.

Handmer's proposal, outlined in his November 2025 blog post titled "Antimatter Development Program," envisions an initiative akin to the historical Manhattan Project. He emphasizes that while chemical propulsion is standard today, it cannot achieve the speeds necessary for efficient interplanetary travel, stating, "Starship is terrific but it’s not capable of flying to a nearby star at 30% of the speed of light and then landing." Antimatter's power stems from its near 100% mass-to-energy conversion efficiency, far surpassing nuclear fission or fusion.

Currently, antimatter production is highly inefficient, yielding only nanograms annually through particle accelerators. Handmer believes significant improvements are possible, citing recent advances that increased efficiency eightfold. He proposes that with dedicated effort, efficiency could reach over 0.01%, making high-performance missions to Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn feasible within existing spaceflight budgets.

Beyond production, secure storage of antimatter poses a major challenge. Handmer suggests an electrostatic containment system for cryogenically cooled antihydrogen ice, a concept he believes can be tested with conventional hydrogen for less than a million dollars. This method would allow for robust storage of milligram quantities, crucial for practical application.

For propulsion, Handmer discusses antimatter thermal engines and more advanced antimatter-catalyzed fission fragment propulsion. The latter, by using antiprotons to induce fission in uranium, could achieve significantly higher exhaust velocities and thrust, potentially enabling tens, hundreds, or even thousands of kilometers per second of delta-v. Such breakthroughs could drastically reduce travel times across the solar system, making human exploration more viable.