Postby ladajo » Thu Mar 25, 2010 6:07 pm
WB6 (Completed, Positive(ish)) - Eureka Build by Dr. Bussard to encorporate "we've got it! ideas". Smoked during final desperation testing runs after money was turned off. "I swear, it made neutrons, see!"
Dr. Bussard passes away while marketing for funding.
WB7 (Completed, Positive(ish))- Funding provided to duplicate WB6 results <after lots of crazy grass roots interneters shook the trees>. "Did we really get it?" Answer was "we got something, but...". The but looks like it fell out as "Nub Heating" (duh moment), and "I still can't tell if there is a Wiffleball". Ohh look! Neutrons again...<how many remains secret, but can be assummed same or more as less would have been a round in the head>.
WB7.1 (Completed, Positive(ish))- Let's take a look at that Nub Heating thing as a loss mechanism. Oh yeah and, use the tools at hand, to see if we have Wiffleball or what. Answer seems to have been, Ohh, the Nubs are Heating but we have an idea, and nope, we are still not clear with electron actual distributions and densities, but it looks what what we think it should, and while we are at it, Ion distros and densities are not fully vetted with the gear we have. But it seems to look like what it should, more or less(ish). ie: Is that really a wiffleball? Well it is certainly something...and ooh look! Neutrons again! Ummm, lets see 1, 2, 3, 7, 11, ...sshhhhssh!
WB8 (Inprogress, Design glimpses look promising, results due with-in the year (Mar11) Assumed testing to start within the next few months.) - Ok, lets get rid of these nub things, and go with wall mounts, here is a pretty picture of what that can look like. We can also explore coil cooling, improved higher volume vacuum system, and longer runs maybe, cause wall mounts certainly do make all that easier. While we are at it, we can up the power supplies and magnetics, to get a clearer picture on the math, is it right, is it mostly right, or is it wrong? To do that we will add some nifty cool diagnostics and analysis kit. This is the "Are we on crack tester", results to follow.
WB8.1 (Optional based on WB8 Results, Currently planning for accomplishment) - Coming into this we have not seen anything that says we are on crack. And, given that, if things go hopefully well, as indicators are so far(ish), we can even give a try for PB&J. tesing and results over 2011.
WB9 - (Navy Demo design 100MW) - Show us what this thing might look like, so we can figure out how much it would cost(ish).
WBD - EMC2 Civilian Demo design
To summarize:
Confinement = Yes, three times.
Electron Losses = Yes, but maybe not so bad, three times, and counting.
Plasma = Yes, three times, and counting.
Neutrons = Yes, three times, and counting.
And the root of all evil in ours minds: "But how many (fill in the blank)?"
The above sums up my take on where the program is at, based on compilations of ambiguous(ish) statements over the last few years.
And hat tip to Dr. Nebel for recognition of misconceptions. I am sure he aimed that comment at us.
Dr. Nebel, please clarify more.