Quote:
Originally Posted by metromizer
We should acheive ignition (ICF) within in the lab within 24 months. It should make a pretty big splash in the news...
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All 192 beams fired simultaniously in the wee hours of the morning on Thursday 2/26/09, over 80 kiloJoules of 351nm light to target chamber center.
The above means something to laser jocks and physicers, but in a nutshell, it's akin to building an engine from scratch that
should work, doing an engine transplant in your car, getting everything plumbed and wired, then getting it started up with all cylinders hitting when they should! Next, we take it out for a spin around the block to see what leaks, rattles loose, needs tweaking. So far, all is well.
The BBC show Horizon filmed and put together an interesting 10 minute segment on the National Ignition Facility that I just saw. i don't have the link handy but if this kind of thing interests you, is is well worth watching if you can find it on the BBC site.
If this country put a first hybrid power plant as a priority, we'd be generatng fussion electricy in 20 years.