NASA & multi-grid IEC

[303]

Found the following while browsing around absent mindedly, apologies if they are already known

http://www.nasa.gov/spacetech/strg/2013 ... inBFdK-pdw


Also StarDriver multiple beam concept :

http://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/DPP13/Session/NP8.81

[mattman]

Hello,

These links are very different.

1. Andrew Chap is likely Ray Sedwick graduate student. Dr. Sedwick hosted the 2012 IEC conference at the University of Maryland. He has been trying to get interest in IEC for years, and has managed to scratch out a space at NASA for his graduate student. This work does not have powerful backers.

2. Your second link is an ICF link, specifically folks at the LLE. They do have powerful backers. They are a well established, well funded, well staffed and publish often. With NIF failing to get ignition, the ICF community is coming up with ways to stay funded. This is likely their latest push. Form fast ignition, shock Ignition, Magnetic/Laser hybrid approaches and now this StarDriver. This seems to be a new solid state laser design, which lowers laser-plasma instabilities. However, I would bet, that this system is less efficient than the gas laser systems developed at NRL.

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You need efficient lasers for ICF power. For example, at the LLE they put ~ 40 million kilojoules of electrical energy to make ~30 kilojoules of laser energy to make ~1 kilojoule of fusion energy. Ignition is when laser energy and fusion energy are equal. This is because it is a fusion chain reaction. From there, you will need efficient lasers and an increase in output to hope for laser fusion power. It is a definite stretch.