A big scoop, I think you're overcompensating for something.
How about we just keep it all small?
1m2 collecting intake. That's a measly 2x1013 atoms per second.
All you have to do is impart enough kinetic energy onto each of these protons and let Newton's third law do the rest.
You also get Einstein working for you with relativistic mass.
So take one proton and spit it out the exhaust at 0.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 9999999999999999999 the speed of light.
Give that Proton a relativistic momentum of 0.0000001gms-1 (1 microgram metres per second) Doesn't sound like very much does it?
Multiply that by the 2x1013 atoms per second. 1x10-6ms-1 gives us 10,000kgms-2.
A little 1 tonne pocket rocket is going to pull you back in the seat a 1G.
How you generate that much power in a small spacecraft is the question.
A few million times more energy than the LHC currently uses.
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