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Fusion Reactor Project Largest After ISS

Posted by timothy on from the put-it-in-france dept.

Maktoo writes "All proper geeks know Fusion is the Way of the Future. Dec 16th is the date set for selection of the site of the new International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter). A collaboration between the EU, Japan, the U.S., Canada, China, South Korea and Russia, 'ITER would be the world's largest international cooperative research and development project after the International Space Station.' Their goal over the next decade? '[T]o produce 500 megawatts of fusion power for 500 seconds or longer during each individual fusion experiment and in doing so demonstrate essential technologies for a commercial reactor.'"

4 of 65 comments (clear)

  1. Finally! by NegativeK · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's good to see the US back on big-science again. After the Super-Collider in Texas fell through.. What was it, half the budget spent, and they dropped a project that could open up amazing new areas in particle physics?
    Then there's JET, which America pulled out of.. From what I understand, most of the new grounds in fusion research occured there.
    Oh, and who can forget - the moon. We dropped that like a bad habit. When it comes to big science, this country seems to have the attention span of a goldfish. Sure, we'll make great strides, but then we'll just.. Drop it if it doesn't push votes for the politicians anymore. Argh.

    Let's just hope that we stick to this project.

    --
    This statement is false.
  2. missing countries by theMerovingian · · Score: 1, Interesting


    A collaboration between the EU, Japan, the U.S., Canada, China, South Korea and Russia

    What about Iran and North Korea? Surely they have nuclear experience to bring to the table...

    --
    "If you think you have things under control, you're not going fast enough." --Mario Andretti
  3. Re:Great Scott! by neocon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.

    If someone else screws your girlfriend so much that you don't get to, you stay a virgin. If brave US soldiers go fight terrorists overseas so you don't have to fight them here, you get to live in peace.

    Any questions?

  4. Vortex Plasma Containment by plainvanilla · · Score: 2, Interesting

    There is a theoretical physicist in the UK supporting himself as a tutor while working on getting a plasma to contain itself with the electric/magnetic fields that arise from it's own vortex. He's experiencing some technical difficulties at this time jump-starting the vortex, but hey, if it was easy everyone would do it. So far, he has managed to create a tornado in a petri dish No, I am not making this up. Take a look: http://www.peter-thomson.co.uk/tornado/fusion/Intr oduction_to_the_charge_sheath_vortex.html