Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Building the World's Most Powerful Laser

Posted by samzenpus on from the lazlo-would-not-approve dept.

Bill writes "Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories is attempting to create the world's largest laser. The NIF's goal is to focus the laser on a pea-sized hydrogen pellet and result in fusion ignition."

6 of 354 comments (clear)

  1. military research, again by cats-paw · · Score: 4, Insightful

    From TFA

    The NIF laser "is essential to assessing the potential performance of nuclear weapons," says Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman.

    Naturally I'm depressed that "civilian" research does not get the money which it needs to help solve many pressing problems, but on the other hand if this facility removes the need for live nuclear tests that would be a good thing.

    How long this self-imposed testband will last if China or India decide they need to start testing weapons using live tests ?

    --
    Absolute statements are never true
    1. Re:military research, again by AKAImBatman · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This is actually nothing new. The NIF is something that is reported on about once a year, just to keep people interested in the Fusion project that will happen Real Soon Now(TM).

      These lasers are definitely cool, but not what one would traditionally think of. Each laser charges up to one terrajoule of energy, then outputs one terrawatt for one second. The theory is that if the pulse is timed correctly, there will be enough pressure from all sides to force fusion. Unfortunately, we won't know if it's actually going to work until the end of the decade.

      As for military uses, the military doesn't really need a laser this powerful. A gigawatt laser would do the job just as effectively, would charge much faster, and wouldn't strain the reactors in a combat situation. I'd provide more info if I could, but the Navy currently has the next generation ships listed as having "directed energy weapons". The only such weapon they've confirmed (for suitably shakey definitions of "confirmed") is the Rail Gun, which may allow destroyers to perform Battleship style land bombardments.

      --
      Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
  2. Re:Can't we use this in other ways? by Some_Llama · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Or in war: melting holes in enemy tanks. A lot more uses for that super-strong laser than fusion."

    Laser typically aren't feasible for use in combat, how would you power such a thing?

    Building a mobile unit that could sustain enough power output to burn a hole in 16 inches of Tank armor would be analogous to the pencil and pen story of NASA... just use a bazooka.

  3. Re:Can't we use this in other ways? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Are you fucking retarded? "Hey, lets not use this to solve Earth's upcoming power crisis, lets use it to blow shit up!"

    FUCK YEAH!

    Dipshit.

  4. On a more serious note... by Palal · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Some of the people who are working on this have told me that eventually, if it works, it will be converted to a power plant. However, no funding exists for research for such use at this point. A few of the biggest tasks include cooling the environment around the laser (lasers tend to heat things up), as well as focusing the laser on the pea-sized target. From what they're saying, "we're at least twenty years away from having this working..."

    --
    -Palal
  5. Re:Companion Cloning/Bio-Engineering Project? by WaterBreath · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Let me be the first to say that if they pull off this laser plan, the reward should be to surround them with a million women screaming and throwing tiny pickles at them.