The animation describes the concept of launching a nuclear fusion reactor into orbit in sections for final assembly in space. The concept uses live footage of Pulsar’s existing hall effect plasma thrusters (HET) and hybrid rocket engines tested at RAF Westcott in March 2022. Pulsar is also developing LOX / Methane rocket motors to support this concept.
The space firm has already built the most powerful electric propulsion engine in Europe.
Nuclear fusion-powered rockets might be nearer than you think. UK rocket company Pulsar Fusion has been awarded funding from the UK Space Agency to help it develop “integrated nuclear fission-based power systems for electric propulsion”, a press statement shared with IE via email reveals.
They will collaborate with the Universities of Cambridge and Southampton, as well as Nuclear AMRC to make their vision of green rocket technology, in the form of fusion propulsion, a reality. Fusion / YouTube.
Interesting Engineering sighted ‘Spot the Dog’ with construction group Balfour Beatty. Naturally, we had a chat with one of their technicians.
‘Spot the dog,’ Balfour Beatty’s first robotic employee, was sighted by Interesting Engineering (IE) at the ‘Brooklands Science Summer School event’ yesterday (Nov. 29).
Spot delivers CAT designs for derelict buildings and nuclear power plants.
Google, Chevron and a Japanese investment company have invested in TAE Technologies, a nuclear fusion startup, which has raised $1.2 billion so far.
Work, conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and featured in Nature Physics, shows that ions behave differently in fusion reactions than previously expected. Credit: John Jett and Jake Long/LLNL
Ions behave differently in fusion reactions than previously expected, according to new findings by scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). This discovery provides crucial insights for the future design of a laser–fusion energy source.
The findings, entitled “Evidence for suprathermal ion distribution in burning plasmas,” were featured in a new paper published in the November 14 issue of Nature Physics.
The rover is expected to be larger than the two China-operated rovers on the Moon earlier. Wu claimed that nuclear energy could also be used to power the hopper, a machine intended to lift off from the lunar surface numerous times and bounce in and out of a crater’s constantly shadowed section in search of water.
Nuclear energy will support the station’s communications facilities to maintain communication with Earth and power the station’s communications systems. It will also stay connected to the Earth and relay signals between the Earth, Mars, and deep space. China has also announced its desire to explore deep space.
“China was the first country to propose building such a research station at the lunar South Pole,” Wu said. At the latitude of about 89 degrees south, he said there could be 180 consecutive days of light to sustain extended operations for both instruments and astronauts.
Someone else posted about this, but this is from LLNL. I love what they do, and Twitter reminded me of the many Photonics shares I have. This is cool, and Ill post more links.
November 7, 2022
A record high-laser-energy NIF target shot on Sept. 19 produced about 1.2 million joules of fusion energy yield. Compared with the groundbreaking 1.35-megajoule (MJ) experiment of Aug. 8, 2021, this experiment used higher laser energy and a modified experimental design.
The NIF and Photon Science Directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory conducts cutting-edge research in the fields of laser inertial confinement fusion, high energy density physics, and advanced photonics for the advancement of national security, energy security, discovery science, and national competitiveness.
According to state media, Chinese scientists are now in a position to supply critical parts for the planned International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project.
According to the south china morning post.
According to the SCMP, Chinese scientists have successfully built and tested the first panel of the so-called ultra-heat-resistant part for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the world’s largest fusion reactor.
WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters) — The United States and Russia are expected to meet soon and discuss resuming inspections under the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty that have been paused since before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a daily press briefing, Price said the bilateral consultative commission (BCC), the mechanism for implementation of the last remaining arms control agreement between the world’s two largest nuclear powers, will meet “in the near future.”
Russia in August suspended cooperation with inspections under the treaty, blaming travel restrictions imposed by Washington and its allies over Moscow’s February invasion of Ukraine, but said it was still committed to complying with the provisions of the treaty.
