Congress Affirms NIF's Mission is Centered on Fusion Energy and Science Research

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) engages Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, in a colloquy affirming Congress's intent that inertial fusion energy and science research--as well as stockpile stewardship--will continue to be vigorously pursued at Lawrence Livermore's National Ignition Facility (NIF).

Following the colloquy, Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN), ranking member on the Subcommittee, underscores the importance of continuing fusion research at NIF and commends Zoe for her strong support of the United States pursuit of fusion energy development.

This occurred on the floor of the House of Representatives during a May 31, 2012, debate of the H.R. 5325, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2013.

A transcript of Rep, Lofgren's remarks:

"I would like to enter into a colloquy with the distinguished chairman of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee.

Mr. Chairman, since the need for a National Ignition Facility was first established in the 1990's, the project had a mandate of supporting nuclear weapons science expertise required for stewardship of our nation's stockpile and the development of fusion power.

Basic science research has always been a central mission of NIF. In the 1997 Facility Use Plan for NIF, the Statement of Mission projected that the uses of the facility falls into five major areas: (1) ignition physics, (2) weapons physics, (3) weapons effects, (4) inertial fusion energy, and (5) basic science and technology.

I want to affirm with you that the mission of NIF has not changed and that inertial fusion energy and basic science research, as well as stockpile stewardship, will continue to be vigorously pursued at NIF."

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[Mathview]

The National Ignition Facility or NIF at Livermore is a unique scientific facility, in that NIF has the capability to generate extreme states of matter. Very high pressures, temperatures and densities. The behaviour of matter under these conditions is of great interest to theoretical solid/liquid state physics which predicts some bizarre stuff like Metallic Hydrogen. NIF also validates modeling codes; simulates nuclear weapons. It's more than just Fusion Energy Research, it's pure science too.

[importfilta]

So how much longer till they get nuclear fusion? I saw that they hold a record this month but really HOW MUCH LONGER until they shoot a drop of water and see if it works?