Here’s an update on the nuclear fusion propulsion system that John Slough and his team at the University of Washington’s Plasma Dynamics Lab is developing: Scientists Testing Nuclear Fusion-Powered Rocket Engine – The Daily Fusion.

See also the descriptions of the project funded by the  NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program:

• The Fusion Driven Rocket: Nuclear Propulsion through Direct Conversion of Fusion Energy
• Nuclear Propulsion Through Direct Conversion of Fusion Energy
• Phase I Final Report (PDF)

The overall FDR [Fusion Driven Rocket] system ranges from relative high TRL [Technical Readiness Level] components (such as the FRC [Field Reverse Configuration] formation system) down to very low TRL components (such as the fusion compression chamber). The lower TRL components have been the focus of the NIAC phase I effort and will be developed to higher TRL throughout the phase II of this project. A Concept Validation Experiment will be conducted during the phase II effort with the possibility of demonstrating fusion gain if successful. It is expected at this point that NASA will have a strong interest in fully developing this system, and integrating it into their future space flight planning. With adequate resources a subscale ground demonstration could be realized as soon as 2017 and an in-space demonstration mission as early as 2023.