Fusion Breakthrough?

[Minimalist]

Or just more bullshit?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/articl...on-energy/

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - 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.

A major breakthrough if real.

[Anomalocaris]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[Minimalist]

I'm kind of in the same boat, Chuck. I remember the "cold fusion" scam of some years ago.

Still, it would be a major advance if true.

[Aoi Magi]

So we are gonna have better, portable nukes within the decade? Great

[Surgenator]

7x10 ft ??? That seems too good to be true.

[vorlon13]

I've seen some of the early hype for fission based electricity and the phrase "too cheap to meter" was used frequently.

Still, Lockheed/Martin carries a little more gravitas than some guy in his garage claiming perpetual motion.

I remember being at work when cold-fusion was hot news, and till the bad news was apparent, it looked like a fantastic development.

Polywater and N-rays were a couple of other sputters.

[Minimalist]

Still, Lockheed/Martin carries a little more gravitas than some guy in his garage claiming perpetual motion.

Yeah because corporations never lie.

[DramaQueen]

I don't trust people who'll own this

[vorlon13]

The Av Week article seems most detailed of what's out now. Lockheed is claiming a factor of 10 improvement over a break even tokamak device.

(the numbers in the article were more optimistic for some reason)

That they seem to have some actual theoretical science (beyond wishful thinking) that implies a significant improvement over an existing device of known characteristics is encouraging, the 'however' is that in my view they are premature by 5 years and 1 day in making their announcement.

[Alex K]

Of course I hope that it's real, but there is so much BS in that article that I have my doubts. For example

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

Everything is wrong in this sentence.