Society for Popular Astronomy

NASA researchers demonstrate the ability to fuse atoms inside room-temperature metals.

"But researchers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center have now demonstrated a method of inducing nuclear fusion without building a massive stellarator or tokamak. In fact, all they needed was a bit of metal, some hydrogen, and an electron accelerator.The team believes that their method, called lattice confinement fusion, could be a potential new power source for deep space missions."

from:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/en ... t-included

(This is not "drive" power but a possible source of internal power )

Brian
I'm not really into space-flight. Do I take the last line (in brackets) of your post, to mean that Lattice Confinement Fusion can only be used for energy needed inside a spacecraft such as that needed just operate the spacecraft ?
Best of luck from Cliff

Hello Cliff.

Yes you are correct in that the "claim" for this method of energy production is that it could potentially provide the internal power requirements of a spacecraft (life-support, computing, navigation etc.).

Power for a main drive is not claimed, but neither has a working internal power unit been produced as yet .

We still have a long wait for a warp drive

best regards,

Very Interesting Chaps. Perhaps lattice confinement modules could be implanted in pigs to enable them to achieve powered flight in the not too near future. Unkind thoughts, Bob.

Hi Bob,
I take it from your scepticism that you remember the "cold fusion" (fiasco?) of the last century?

regards,