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Update #19: World's First Amateur Bussard Fusion Reactor
1 year, 4 months and 22 days ago we came together to fund the open source Bussard fusion reactor.
Today the open source Bussard fusion reactor is operational!!!
Together we built the world's first amateur Bussard fusion reactor!!!
Details of first operation:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2011/08/02/sydney-experiment-we-have-electron-confinement/
History of this project:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/category/sydney-experiment/
This is just the start. Now we will run experiments and publish data.
This is a huge day for open source science!
Update #18: Approaching First Light
The copper coil Bussard Reactor is approaching first light!
Look at the progress:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/11/12/electron-gun-mounted/
I hope to strike a plasma with this setup in the next week or so!
Update #17: SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNET PERSISTENT SWITCH
Big win today!!!
We just got the superconducting magnet to run in a persistent state:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/10/21/persistent-superconducting-magnet-success/
I've been working towards this for a year!
Update #16: Press
Unless you just returned from a two week camping trip, you already know this.... but for the record... this project just received INSANE PRESS:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/07/06/press-2/
Hello world!
Update #15: Neutron Club
Great news!
This project has been added to the official list of independent researchers to achieve nuclear fusion:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/06/09/neutron-club/
Update #14: Project Update
Hello backers!
Recent progress:
Added a new photo stream. As soon as I take a picture it's live on the photo stream:
http://picasaweb.google.com/102602129941374127392
We have labview up and running. Big step forward for actual research:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/04/25/labview-2/
We have performed a full functional test of the the coil power supply:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/05/08/coil-power-supply-10-cap-test/
The electron gun is operational:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/03/27/electron-gun-2/
And the coils are complete:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/02/25/coils-formed/
Next step is to buy the hardware for the langmuir probe.
One problem we've encountered is voltage spikes from the sparking plasma blowing out our data acquisition hardware. I now have protection diodes on hand to suppress transient voltages:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/05/04/transient-voltage-suppression/
Rewards: Some of you have received rewards and some have not. I'm working through the list. All rewards will be sent. Please reach out to me if you have any questions.
Moving forward slow but steady.
-famulus
Update #13: Rewards
I will start mailing out rewards today. I will contact you each individually as I send them (or don't send them if you did not provide an address).
Thank you for your patience.
In other news we got a copy of LabView:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/2010/04/08/labview/
Here are some photos of the rewards in progress:
Update #12: Electron Gun
Got the electron gun running today.
A bunch of other updates today at http://prometheusfusionperfection.com
Update #11: The Beginning
I expect the kickstarter funds to become available in the next week. Then the real fun begins.
I'll post major milestones on this kickerstarter page, daily progress can be tracked at the blog:
http://prometheusfusionperfection.com/
And updates by the minute at:
http://twitter.com/famulusfusion
I'll be sending out rewards over the next two weeks.
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Chris Stiles on March 11, 2010
Congratulations! I'm glad to see this go forward. As a non-science geek, I've found a strange satisfaction in funding and vicariously living through the garage science you're doing. Good luck with the reactor!
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Update #9: Kickstarter Podcast
Yancey Strickler at Kickstarter just did a podcast exploring our project and specifically the recent encounter with an investor:
http://blog.kickstarter.com/post/439187165/kickstarter-podcast-4-building-the-open-source
Update #8: Close Encounter with an Investor
This kickerstarter fundraiser caught the attention of an angel Investor.
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Heiner Wolf on February 25, 2010
I always wonder, why the coil formers have to be so solid. Is this just practical or do they have to keep the wire in shape under mechanical stress?
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Famulus on February 27, 2010
The coil formers must keep their shape under mechanical stress. However I image that will be negligible for this experiment.
Also, in a polywell like the WB6, the coil formers have a metal shell which is brought to a high positive potential to help attract electrons into the center. In this experiment we rely on an electron gun to supply that energy.
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Update #5: Coil Formers Assembled
Made progress assembling the coil formers:
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on March 15, 2010.
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Funding credit on the blog.
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Laser cut Prometheus Fusion Perfection stencil.
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Spent copper conflat gasket used in a working Fusor reactor.
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Laser engraved copper conflat gasket. "Funded the Open Source Bussard Reactor"
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3D printed object (see http://www.thingiverse.com/tag:makerbot for choices)
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Max Steiner original cinder block necklace.
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Fusor grid necklace from jewelry designer Max Steiner. http://www.maxsteinerdesign.com/about.html
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Stainless steel model of the prototype superconducting magrid.
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Spend a day in the lab with the Prometheus Fusion team. Get a chance to operate a Fusor! (Travel and Boarding not included)
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Factory refurbished Glassman -10,000 volt 2 milli-amp power supply. This power supply is in perfect working condition and is suitable for use in a Fusor. Must be 18 or older for this item.
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Working 60 Watt Burning Laser with high power laser safety glasses. Must be 18 or older for this item.
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Entrepreneur. Ruby on Rails developer. Open source hardware hacker. Coder. Creative.
Thanks for your dedication and determination. I think it is terrific that you have come so far and that victory is at hand.