Lockheed Martin says It'll have a fusion reactor In 10 years

[Woah_G!]

American defense contractor Lockheed Martin has issued a statement declaring it has made a technological breakthrough in developing a power source based on nuclear fusion. It's hoping to have a prototype ready in five years — and a small, functional unit ready by 2024.

 

source

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

 

Additionally, the European Commission also recently announced a $1 billion initiative to develop nuclear fusion as an energy source by 2020.

[Descriptor]

My nuclear engineering phd roommate called a big old load of shenanigans on this.

For starters, their claim that shrinking it down makes it easier is weird, since the hard part has already been how to shrink it down.

Plus, they totally gloss over their "heat exchanger" since getting heat from these things is apparently a lot harder to do than you might think.

Until they actually release some patent info, it sounds like the whole thing is a bit optimistic.

 

Plus, we've always been 10 years away from a fusion reactor since like 60 years ago, so you know...

[Vapymid]

If it wasn't LockMart doing the announcement, I'd have dismissed it as another of those LENR scams.

 

It will be a real game-changer if it turns out to be real. However, even with such a major corporation there's still a non-zero probability that it may not be serious...

 

Anyway, interesting times - NASA claims success in testing a Casimir Effect rocket engine, LockMart's upbeat about working (let alone portable) fusion reactor. Space exploration will explode if these prove to be genuine. I'll drink to that.

 

Regards

[ShakyOregon]

Oh man I hope they are not bull shitting us.