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NIF project status
Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 2:30 pm
by jcoady
Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 3:44 pm
by Ivy Matt
I was wondering when they were finally going to publish their April status update. I wonder if the timing of the update has anything to do with this:
A NIF Facility Maintenance and Reconfiguration period began on April 25 and was scheduled to continue until May 15. The NIF team's goal is to upgrade NIF's peak power to 500 trillion watts in preparation for this summer's experiments.
Does this mean NIF is now fully armed and operational?
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 12:56 pm
by Ivy Matt
May status update is now
online. Maintenance and configuration was completed on May 18. NIF is operational again, presumably now with the ability to operate at 500 trillion watts.
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:58 pm
by DeltaV
So, burger grilling is 'Go!'.
Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:20 pm
by DeltaV
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:35 am
by Skipjack
doesnt it have to be covered in gold?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:58 pm
by DeltaV
Only if you are simulating nuclear warhead detonation.
If you're just grillin' burgers, not needed.
Did I mention the covert funding from McDonalds? They don't normally do thick burgers, because of the required cook time. 5e14 W will speed things up.
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:39 pm
by Robthebob
come on now, dont be mean.
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:08 pm
by DeltaV
Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 2:16 pm
by Ivy Matt
Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:41 pm
by Robthebob
man delta v, arent you a meanie.
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:29 pm
by DeltaV
Robthebob wrote:man delta v, arent you a meanie.
I'd be more mellow if the NIFmeisters would allocate 0.01% of their budget to (potentially) practical fusion schemes like Polywell.
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 7:07 pm
by Robthebob
we work with what we've given. Indeed beam compression is not very practical, but from the limited exposure I have of the scheme, it seems like beam compression is closer to getting there than toroidal magnetic confinement.
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 8:30 pm
by DeltaV
While I admire the technological achievement of NIF, I have to prioritize, given the limited time remaining for the US on its current path.
How much further along would Polywell be now if just 1/10000 of NIF's ~$5,000,000,000 cost had been allocated to EMC2 while Bussard was still alive?
About $500,000, or 3 scientist-years, in 'now' $. 10 scientist-years in 'then' $.
The "Eureka!" moment (rounding and separation of magrid coil casings) might have occurred years sooner, and we might by now be debating the finer points of WB-D design and commenting on a Navy shakedown cruise of a prototype Polywell-powered ship.
There isn't much time left for chump-change funding. Money brings speed, if given to the right people.
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 12:23 pm
by JLawson
DeltaV wrote:There isn't much time left for chump-change funding. Money brings speed, if given to the right people.
The trouble is how the right people are selected. You can go with the guy who's well-connected and knows how to work politicians, or you can go with the guy who was brilliant back in the day but had all sorts of crazy Sci-Fi ideas.
When it comes to politicians doling out the bucks for Buck Rogers, who's gonna see the dough?
