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Z Machine Advances Fusion Race

Posted by kdawson on from the collaborating-with-Siberians dept.

Sandia Labs has announced a new milestone in Linear Transformer Driver technology that aims to solve one of the biggest obstacles to practical fusion reactors. Getting the current needed to "spark" a burst of fusion is doable; getting a constant series of sparks going to create a continuous chain of fusion bursts has never been achieved. The LTD, which allows the Sandia Z machine to fire once every 10.2 seconds, makes it look achievable. The press release (which has been picked up in a few places, but with no further analysis) says that practical fusion power could now be 20 years off.

4 of 220 comments (clear)

  1. Only 20 years away! by pepax · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Isn't that the way it has been for the past 50 years?

    1. Re:Only 20 years away! by qwijibo · · Score: 0, Redundant

      And the way it will be for the next 100. Haven't you noticed that the people saying it is only 20 years out are in fields that need a lot of funding and don't produce results? Hint: in 20 years, they'll be retired.

  2. Fusion race advanced by 30 year old game tech? by Orion_ · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Am I the only one that read the article title and thought they were referring to Infocom?

  3. Probably a little redundant... by Wilson_6500 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Fusion power has _always_ been 20 years off. This isn't some 1984 groupthink bullcrap: it really is just always 20 years out of our reach by general consensus.