jormungandr wrote:Laser launched spaceships spring to mind. If I recall right the Lightcraft people were trying to push a 1kg mass 30km into the atmosphere with a 1 megwatt laser. Such a system could easily use gigawatts of power, though if heat is a problem 10 smaller, 100 megawatt reactors would be the way to go.
I prefer Ablative Laser Propulsion myself.
Useful in space, Isp of upto 5000 seconds. Lightcraft depend on the Earth's atmosphere for working reaction mass.
With the number of posts by RNebel lately. Can it be assumed that he is mostly done with everything except waiting for the peer review committee to issue it's report?
I wish Dr. Bussard never conceived of the WB-"100" designation. It implies that some hypothetical polywell of some specific size will produce 100 MW; which is an untested WAG. I realize Dr. Nebel wants to test with a full size machine, but I hope he doesn't go into this with any implication whatsoever that the machine is supposed to break even much less produce 100 MW.
I really hope Dr. Nebel can convince the powers that be that a large machine, with an open architecture is the best way to go, but I hope he calls it something else, and *not* WB-100.
Helius wrote:I wish Dr. Bussard never conceived of the WB-"100" designation. It implies that some hypothetical polywell of some specific size will produce 100 MW; which is an untested WAG. I realize Dr. Nebel wants to test with a full size machine, but I hope he doesn't go into this with any implication whatsoever that the machine is supposed to break even much less produce 100 MW.
I really hope Dr. Nebel can convince the powers that be that a large machine, with an open architecture is the best way to go, but I hope he calls it something else, and *not* WB-100.
WB-100 was my idea. Interesting to see how it has caught on. Dr. Nebel will call it whatever he wants. I used it just as short hand for Dr. B's proposed full scale test reactor design.
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.
Ah, thanks for parting my fog. That's an absolutely appropriate foreword looking designation for hopeful observers, such as myself. It caught such hold that I though it may have come from the researchers. Not the case, got it.
I'm not even getting hints from my usual sources. The drums are silent.
It strikes me that no one with what sound like inside sources has said anything about what is going inside the wb7 project since this message. Indeed this seems like the last on topic message in this thread by anybody who might have real info. Is this case of being asked to be silent?
Just wondering...
What is the difference between ignorance and apathy? I don't know and I don't care.
I'm not even getting hints from my usual sources. The drums are silent.
It strikes me that no one with what sound like inside sources has said anything about what is going inside the wb7 project since this message. Indeed this seems like the last on topic message in this thread by anybody who might have real info. Is this case of being asked to be silent?
Just wondering...
I know a little and have been asked to keep it confidential.
However, even if I told you all I know it wouldn't amount to much and it wouldn't answer any serious questions. Like what are the exact results. When will they be announced.
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.
i can imagine the US Navy taking a while to fully digest the findings (whatever state those are in at present); even longer to decide what to tell the general public of it. they might need to choose their words carefully, 'nuanced' if you will
MSimon wrote:However, even if I told you all I know it wouldn't amount to much and it wouldn't answer any serious questions. Like what are the exact results. When will they be announced.
Just fact that you are still posting and maintaining this site suggests that the news wasn't awful. Two questions: 1, Did the good doctor extend his sabbatical and 2, are we waiting for news about the test or about new funding?
Honestly, if you don't feel comfortable about answering, time will answer for you. I appreciate what you have done with the site and have no interest in putting you in an unpleasant position. I wish that the climate on the internet allowed for respectful treatment for the people who provide the content. On the other hand, I have been wishing that since my arpanet days.
What is the difference between ignorance and apathy? I don't know and I don't care.
I would second that to thank all or the overwhelming majority of the people posting to this site for providing the information and discourse that has occurred here.
pfrit, I think at this point that we can all assume that the news is good.
But as they say "The Devil is in the Details", and it takes a while to work out what those details are.
