Polywell update from May - sounds like things are going really well!

[FogerRox]

3. State of the current contract

WB-8 is a DD machine (60cm wide magnets, 8T), WB-8.1 will use proton Boron fuel.

SO EMC2 ran about 500 test shots with DD in WB-8, diagnostics analysis showed an anomaly on the perimeter, near the E-guns.

EMC2 got more money, IIRC 2 yr contract to build new e-guns and install, then run diagnostics. I assume if the new e-guns eliminate the anomaly, then EMC2 should then see another contract to configure WB-8 into the P-b11 form, which will be called WB-8.1.

That gets us to 2014, if all is good, EMC2 should get a contract to build a net power device for P-B11 (WB-9), about 3 meter wide magnets. If Wb-9 shows P-b11 net power.... some real serious engineering has to happen, the Vacume Helium scavenger systems, the electro static grids to decelerate the Alphas will be possibly the 2 biggest hurdles at that point.... AN actual prototype might take 3-5 years.

By that time (2017-2020) ITER will still be partially built (should be cancelled anyway, right now) And commercial production can begin.

3 meter magnetic cores can be mass produced at a single location and shipped by rail and truck to location, fabricating an approximately 4-5 meter cube shaped vacume chamber is another issue. But nothing the nuclear fission plant contractors havent dealt with before.