Fusion-Closer than you think?

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/compact-fusion.html
Lockheed Martin claims within 5 years.
http://www.technologyreview.com/new...in-really-have-a-breakthrough-fusion-machine/
Others are skeptical.

Fusion powered airplanes. Fusion by the truckload. Still, where's my jet pack?

 

Still, where's my jet pack?

I want a small one for a bass boat or ski boat.:-D

Would be nice if we ever get that far. It would be a major change to use seawater as a source instead of emptying all undersea caverns of oil. I wonder how the seabed doesn't cave in on itself?:confused

Not in my lifetime but could be in grandkids lifetime.

 

So, it is more better to burn the saltwater? What are the fish gonna swim in if we use all the salt water? :-D

 

Kelly Johnson and the "Skunk Works" were always cutting edge and developed a lot of "firsts".

Lairgacy Legends - Clarence 'Kelly' Johnson

 

Heck Fred, with all this global warming from burning all this oil the sea water is rising so much we have to burn it! Else your Louisianna and this here Florida are gonna be cut in half. No drill baby drill! I say burn baby burn! Water that is.

 

What global warming? Thought it was "man made climate change" these days.

 

Since there have been ice ages in the past, and the planet warmed back up, how do you determine what the "proper" temperature of the earth is?

 

I don't think we do or can determine that. But I'm sure somebody will tell us they can.

 

Then how can you say global warming or cooling is not normal? Mother Earth might see us as parasites, and prefer the dinos. :-D

http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/briefs/hansen_07/

 

Strange stuff indeed.
I live 20 miles from the National Ignition Facility and know a few people who work there. Unless the NIF is WAY behind Lockheed, a small fusion reactor in 5 years is a pipe dream. Sustaining a reaction is 5 years off, power producing still further and small size is on the distant horizon.

 

Bold words indeed. It's not like they're some fly by night operation either.

 

Lockheed is not all that respectable IMHO.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_Worker_Identification_Credential
Lockheed botched it up to the tune of 70M USD and is still raking it in with no end in sight. Simple things like each card is issued as a one time document, unlike any other identification I know of. Your first and subsequent cards are the same process, there are no renewals.
The number of applicants that get refused is extremely small, we get workers with TWIC cards that are not functionally literate. How are these people supposed to read security and hazard signs, many of which are fairly complex. The TWIC card is supposed to assure us they do not need escort.

 

Haven't you seen Spiderman 2 (the better one, with Toby McGuire )?

All you need to do to create sustained fusion is fire a bunch of high-powered lasers into one point in the air and BOOM, there you go! A mini sun :cool

Lockheed needs to track down Doctor Octopus.