Dr Bussard now advocates a different design. For the last 11 years he has been working under US Navy contracts, building small test devices.
WB4 in 2003.
WB6 in 2005.
At the end of 2005, the Navy did not renew his contract. Since then Dr Bussard has given many lectures including the (famous in fusion circles) google tech talk of 2006. Video here:DR Bussard was awarded the International Academy of Science Outstanding technology of the Year, award for 2006.
Why is this important? World oil production peaked in May of 2005. Dr Bussard says for 200 million he can build a proof of concept reactor by about 2011. The ITER reactor in Europe will be finished by 2013, and the concept may be ready for power generation by 2025. The ITER is slated to cost 13.3 billion. More importantly $3 million keeps Dr. Bussard working.
When the father of modern fusion tells you the Tokamak wont work, he bears listening to. Funny thing about fusion, it occurs naturally in a sphere (the SUN), just like Dr Bussards design. The ITER reactor will try to create fusion in a donut or torus, which doesn't happen in nature.
Heres an overview of Bussards recent work with some really cool pictures.
Dr. Bussard will be utilizing a non profit organization to continue his research. Please pass this link around.
4 comments:
If I recall Dr. Bussard's lecture correctly, the chief obstacle will probably be overcoming the political will towards maintaining the status quo. I can see a lot of resistance against the development of nuclear fusion until almost the last second, and then only as a result of a crisis.
i think x. dell pretty much hit the nail on the head... no way BIGOIL(or US govt) gonna back this up. China on the other hand...
You guys have to look into it a litl` deeper... you won`t believe how much this technology gonna change the world we live in...
article at
http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/07/05/07/ward.htm
IEC polywell fusion founder website at
http://www.EMC2fusion.org
video at flollowing URL ... make sure to pay good attention after the first 55 minutes!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1996321846673788606
listen to the May 08/2006 interview with Tim Ligon, and Dr. Bussard himself... scroll to the bottom of the page(URL below) in the program archives to the May 08/2006 interview.
nasa spaceflight forum
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=5367&start=1
another forum
http://powerandcontrol.blogspot.com/2007/04/good-news-fusion-project-funded.html
ISDC2007(international space development conference) at
http://isdc.nss.org/2007/theme.html
Dr. Bussard`s Luna/mars colonization made possible by fusion propulsion
http://www.askmar.com/Fusion_files/QED%20Space%20Transportation.pdf
More information on Dr. Bussard
http://www.askmar.com/Fusion.html
Scrollto the bottom of the page in the following link, to the May 8 presentation with Tom Ligon/Bussard.
http://www.thespaceshow.com
Looks like you hang at the same places I do. specially the nasa space forum.
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