Space/Science » in reply to Long, long wait

Am I frustrated? Yes...

R.L. — 3/12/2006 5:13:25 AM (archived)

My frustration with the current paradigm is the sluggishness of fusion research - ITER c. 2015 then a demo reactor c. 2048 or some such ridiculous date. ITER will be a fantastic achievement and the parallel Fusion Materials Research Facility will teach us a lot,

There is a LOT to learn and learning it is VERY difficult and expensive... I hope those time lines are moved up- but it won't be easy... look at this picture of the current largest fusion experiment, JET, carefully- for scale, find the humans in the picture:

ITER will be bigger- this is not small science...

What other power effort is so laborious???

What other power source has so much to offer humanity? It took the Manhattan Project to gain the power of the atom- This will take more...

NO matter what the cost ultimately is- it will be worth it...

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The whole thread (31 posts)

• Fusion a waste of effort - Adam - 3/9/2006 9:26:10 PM
  • It is beginning to look that way, but the story is far from over. - David F Mayer - 3/10/2006 4:59:57 PM
    • You know, if you wanted to learn something ... - R.L. - 3/11/2006 8:16:10 AM
      • If you did not misread or misinterpret what I wrote, you would not be so silly. - David F Mayer - 3/17/2006 4:33:18 PM
    • You are lying again, David... - R.L. - 3/11/2006 4:28:00 AM
      • I was referring to "Engineering breakeven" - David F Mayer - 3/17/2006 4:27:17 PM
        • "but so far no fusion reactor has ever come anywhere near an energy break-even point " - R.L. - 3/18/2006 3:18:49 AM
          • I meant "net" breakeven point -- Producing as much electricity as consumed. (n/t) - DFM - 3/19/2006 2:43:48 AM
  • There is more than the Tokamak... - R.L. - 3/10/2006 4:56:31 AM
    • We have been hearing the same optimistic crap for decades. - David F Mayer - 3/17/2006 4:36:38 PM
    • R.L.'s got a point. - Tom Brosz - 3/11/2006 5:56:06 AM
    • And the alternatives are??? - Adam - 3/10/2006 8:57:05 AM
      • Opinion of a non expert.... - R.L. - 3/12/2006 10:26:32 AM
        • Agreed, but... - Adam - 3/13/2006 9:50:42 AM
      • We have gotten close to breakeven - R.L. - 3/11/2006 4:48:14 AM
        • Long, long wait - Adam - 3/12/2006 4:44:58 AM
          • Am I frustrated? Yes... - R.L. - 3/12/2006 5:13:25 AM
            • I agree, but... - Adam - 3/12/2006 5:53:01 AM
              • It is about thinking in the long term... - R.L. - 3/12/2006 7:32:30 AM
                • Solar's limitations - Adam - 3/13/2006 3:50:19 AM
                  • Fine... - R.L. - 3/13/2006 3:59:29 AM
                    • Agreed - Adam - 3/13/2006 9:18:33 AM
  • The only known working fusion reactor in this solar system can be tapped - SDF - 3/10/2006 3:18:06 AM
    • You left out what is potentially the biggest. - David F Mayer - 3/10/2006 5:06:33 PM
      • Yes, forgot OTEC, SPS and solar chimneys (Updated list) - SDF - 3/10/2006 5:47:46 PM
        • Cross "Solar Power Satellite" from your list. - David F Mayer - 3/10/2006 8:20:22 PM
          • That's why I listed it as a future solar technology, speculative (n/t) - SDF - 3/11/2006 1:56:02 PM
          • re: Cross "Solar Power Satellite" from your list. - ARCHER - 3/11/2006 3:02:27 AM
          • Killjoy (n/t) - Adam - 3/11/2006 2:21:42 AM
        • Solar chimneys are cool. - Lee - 3/10/2006 6:29:00 PM
    • Sandia's Z Machine Exceeds Two Billion Degrees Kelvin - ljk - 3/10/2006 3:58:14 AM