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ModsAreBought t1_j0zxp12 wrote

Reply to comment by BlueSkyToday in Nuclear fusion breakthrough: What does it mean for space exploration? by Gari_305

They started a self perpetuating reaction using 200 MJ. That's a one off expense. The next gain of 1 MJ continues after that. You can recoup the startup cost over time.

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BlueSkyToday t1_j0zyzbq wrote

It's not self perpetuating. You need to thwack each pellet with a laser pulse.

The laser pulse creates an X-ray cascade from the jacket of the pellet. The X-ray pressure is what compresses the fuel.

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