The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] Skunk Works® team is working on a new compact fusion reactor (CFR) that can be developed and deployed in as little as ten years. Currently, there are several patents pending that cover their approach.
While fusion itself is not new, the Skunk Works has built on more than 60 years of fusion research and investment to develop an approach that offers a significant reduction in size compared to mainstream efforts.
“Our compact fusion concept combines several alternative magnetic confinement approaches, taking the best parts of each, and offers a 90 percent size reduction over previous concepts,” said Tom McGuire, compact fusion lead for the Skunk Works’ Revolutionary Technology Programs. “The smaller size will allow us to design, build and test the CFR in less than a year.”
After completing several of these design-build-test cycles, the team anticipates being able to produce a prototype in five years. As they gain confidence and progress technically with each experiment, they will also be searching for partners to help further the technology.Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin Pursuing Compact Nuclear Fusion Reactor Concept
2 comments:
You were fast posting this, was about to comment :)
Sounds good but it still is in early design stage, not even a prototype. Also the concepts are not new and there are other projects that have a similar approach.
Unfortunately even if it was successful and it worked civil application still is maybe 2 decades from now, and as always, "the devil is in the details" (effective EROI). All that if they don't hit any wall on research after prototyping and potential problems. As always "fusion 50 years from now"?
They are seeking investors, so here "philanthropists" billionares you have an opportunity to advance the cause of humanity. We will have to see how to work on the fossil(oil in reality)-driven economy meanwhile.
btw tom you posted a long commentary below but it's a mess to read.
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