[Herra Tohtori]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lockheed-claims-breakthrough-on-fusion-energy/

Lockheed Martin Corp said on Wednesday it had made a technological breakthrough in developing a power source based on nuclear fusion, and the first reactors, small enough to fit on the back of a truck, could be ready in a decade.

what

[AdmiralRalwood]

what

[qazwsx]

what

[Mikes]

This related? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlYClniDFkM

[NeonShivan]

what

C-C-COMBO BREAKER!

In all seriousness, if proven true, Lockheed Martin just solved all the world's energy problems. At least for the US and its allies >.>

[Herra Tohtori]

This related? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlYClniDFkM

Yes, and predictably the headline propagated through the articlesphere is exactly as sensationalist as it seems.

 

[Black Wolf]

I've been waiting for new info on this since they presented it in that Google Solve for X video a couple of years back. Complete game change I'd they pull it off. Very, very exciting.

[Mongoose]

Given the history of this particular endeavor, I'm (extremely) cautiously optimistic.  Still I might as well show the video to my students tomorrow.

[Dragon]

This is strange. Maybe they're talking heavy ion fusion? That'd be (slightly) more plausible. Still, it's hard to believe. 100MW and can fit in the back of a truck? I want one of those (pity we sold our truck, but we can still borrow it back for a while...). I'm skeptical, but this is Scientific American, and Lockheed. Neither is exactly known for making ludicrous claims without means to back them up. If Lockheed really does have such a reactor and can produce it at an affordable price, then I suppose the future is upon us. Oh, and I wonder what else Skunk Works is hiding. Probably something way more exciting than alien flying saucers...

Also, I'll be really interested in physics behind that thing. Plasma is a finicky thing, containing it in such a small unit is no small feat. Heavy ion fusion (which this in all likelihood runs on) might be easier to contain, but that's still a great achievement.

[Herra Tohtori]

No way are they going to make a heavy ion fusion reactor the size of a truck.

For one, you need a particle accelerator of some substantial power...

[Black Wolf]

This is a high beta deuterium reactor, not a HIF system. They're different beasts entirely, as I understand.

[Herra Tohtori]

Really wonder how they're going to deal with the neutron flux. It is such an inconvenience when your clean reactor is eventually irradiated enough to become radioactive waste itself.

[Flipside]

Yay! Mr Fusion!

Someone had to perpetuate the Back to the Future thing....

[karajorma]

U.S. submarines and aircraft carriers run on nuclear power, but they have large fusion reactors on board that have to be replaced on a regular cycle.

I don't know if I'd trust a science report from anyone who made that mistake.

[Klaustrophobia]

i didn't see anything in either the video or the article that indicated they actually had anything other than a hopeful development cycle and a general branch of fusion to pursue.

[Luis Dias]

What.

[Dragon]

This is a high beta deuterium reactor, not a HIF system. They're different beasts entirely, as I understand.

Deuterium? Well, there goes the "no nuclear waste" promise... I suppose it's still good, though, if it's really as small and powerful as they say, then you could use a battery of them to replace a standard nuclear reactor at a fraction of the size. High neutron flux would prohibit it's use in "portable" applications and (probably) in private houses, though I would expect marine applications if it's cheap enough. It also sounds like something you'd like to put on a spacecraft and launch into space, shooting neutrons into space shouldn't be too harmful, and it this size it can't be very heavy. 100MW could run some mighty efficient and powerful ion engines.

Of course, that's all if it really works. Neutron activation can and will ruin it's components after a while, but that's hardly the biggest problem with building such a reactor.

[jr2]

Just getting any sort of feasible fusion working is I'm sure a step in the right direction, hopefully this leads to other breakthroughs. 

[AtomicClucker]

While I support endeavors that will fit a Fusion reactor to levels of awesome to make more awesome.

I'm worried that it's from Lockheed Martin (no conspiracies, just genuine budget concerns).

The total cost and budgetary fun are yet to begin.

[Dragon]

Well, I do expect the dev costs to balloon, but it's business as usual. As long as they don't can the whole thing, I'd say that every American should be glad their money goes to something this revolutionary. Fighter projects are cool and all, but ultimately of little use to most people.