Foundering in the backwash

rj40 · Post by **rj40** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 2:28 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTyYM-dU ... re=related

Whether the Polywell concept works or not, I hope the US doesn’t end up foundering in the “backwash” of fusion energy research and development (see ~5:20-5:30 into this video).

MSimon · Post by **MSimon** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 3:38 am

The US Fusion program is quite robust. We have a foot in every concept that is being actively pursued in the world.

rj40 · Post by **rj40** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:41 am

MSimon, where would you rank US Fusion research in the world? First? Third?
Also, is it multiple small projects looking at different ways of getting net power? Is it a few big ones that everyone is contributing to? Is it...?

MSimon · Post by **MSimon** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:30 am

From what I can tell we have the top two (probably more) rated plasma physics universities in the world.

1. U. Wisconsin
2. U Illinois - Champaign

We are pursuing more lines of research than any other nation.

Most of our projects are in the $2 to $10 million a year range. There are lots of them.

All of them are looking for a way to make net power.

What we are not doing is putting all our eggs in one basket (ITER/Europe).

Roger · Post by **Roger** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 4:29 pm

MSimon wrote:From what I can tell we have the top two (probably more) rated plasma physics universities in the world.

1. U. Wisconsin
2. U Illinois - Champaign

Maybe Princeton ?

Do we count MIT & its Bitter lab ?

I was recently contacted by the IT guy from MIT about polywell.... If their web site guy knows about polywell, I guess someone at MIT does too...

MSimon · Post by **MSimon** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 6:57 am

Roger wrote:
MSimon wrote:From what I can tell we have the top two (probably more) rated plasma physics universities in the world.

1. U. Wisconsin
2. U Illinois - Champaign

Maybe Princeton ?

Do we count MIT & its Bitter lab ?

I was recently contacted by the IT guy from MIT about polywell.... If their web site guy knows about polywell, I guess someone at MIT does too...

The places you quote are in the tank for Tok.

The MIT IEC gang is/was in their rocket dept because the plasma guys would have nothing to do with it. I'm not sure if they are still in the game with the graduation of Dietrich and McGuire.

However, they all are turning out plasma guys. They will need re-education.