Orano Med has laid the foundations for its Advanced Thorium Extraction Facility plant Haute-Vienne, western France. This facility is the world's first industrial plant dedicated to the production of thorium-228, a precursor of lead-212, for radioligand therapies. Therefore, there is an industrial Pb-212 production technology which also produces Radium-224 during the long process.
Radium-224 can be used as an additive in a liquid hydrogen and oxygen rocket. To initiate alpha decay of the Radium-224, I propose to use Tritium or Deuterium as hydrogen source. The heat, pressure and Beta decays inside the combustion chamber may initiate an Alpha decay of Radium which yields energy, Helium (alpha particle) and Radon-220 gases. Therefore, higher temperature and pressure is created inside the combustion chamber compared to standard hydrogen oxygen reaction. Additionally, Helium and higher massed Radon-220 gas is released to enhance the thrust. No solid residue inside the combustion chamber after radioactive decay of Radium. All materials entering the combustion chamber is emitted as hot gases from the nozzle. This would yield a very high specific impulse that is required for the second stage of a rocket to transfer load to GEO, Moon or the planets. Additionally, the alpha decay is initiated by the combustion of hydrogen and oxygen and is not a chain reaction. Therefore, the rocket engine can be started and stopped many times which is a requirement for long space travel.
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