http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/15/us-lockheed-fusion-idUSKCN0I41EM20141015Quote
(Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp said on Wednesday it had made a technological breakthrough in developing a power source based on nuclear fusion, and the first reactors, small enough to fit on theback of a truck, could be ready for use in a decade.
Tom McGuire, who heads the project, said he and a small team had been working on fusion energy at Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works for about four years, but were now going public to find potential partners in industry and government for their work.
Initial work demonstrated the feasibility of building a 100-megawatt reactor measuring seven feet by 10 feet, which could fit on the back of a large truck, and is about 10 times smaller than current reactors, McGuire told reporters.
In a statement, the company, the Pentagon's largest supplier, said it would build and test a compact fusion reactor in less than a year, and build a prototype in five years.
In recent years, Lockheed has gotten increasingly involved in a variety of alternate energy projects, including several ocean energy projects, as it looks to offset a decline in U.S. and European military spending.
It's often said the Military-Industrial Complex is detrimental to society. They tie up funding and money in capacities such as over-production (M1 Abrams production is a good example). But it's important to remember the defense industry plays an important role in developing technology. Fusion advances have been stagnant for 60 years, but if we are to believe Lockheed Martin, they believe viable fusion reactors will be ready by the mid-2020s.
Fusion is the future of energy production. It's the next big step in humanities advancement. State run efforts have been slow. We should encourage military usage of emerging technologies to motivate large companies like Lockheed to keep doing this.