Guest:  Stephanie Thomas who is the VP of Princeton Satellite Systems (PSS); Topics:  The PSS fusion research and Direct Fusion Propulsion, hybrid propulsion, different fusion systems, government and private sector fusion R&D, commercial fusion timeline estimate, fusion for space propulsion & more.

Please direct all comments and questions regarding specific Space Show programs & guest(s) to the Space Show blog which is part of archived program on our website, www.thespaceshow.com.  Comments and questions should be relevant to the specific Space Show program. Written Transcripts of Space Show programs are a violation of our copyright and are not permitted without prior written consent, even if for your own use. We do not permit the commercial use of Space Show programs or any part thereof, nor do we permit editing, YouTube clips, or clips placed on other private channels & websites. Space Show programs can be quoted, but the quote must be cited or referenced using the proper citation format. Contact The Space Show for further information. In addition, please remember that your Amazon purchases can help support The Space Show/OGLF. See www.onegiantleapfoundation.org/amazon.htm.

We welcomed back to the program Stephanie Thomas for fusion industry news updates, the same for Princeton Satellite Systems (PSS), government fusion R&D and commercial options and alternatives undergoing fusion R&D and her company has lots of competition.  As with previous Space Show programs, the best way to provide a short summary of the major topics discussed on the show is to direct your attention to the tags which will be repeated here:

Tags:  Stephanie Thomas, Princeton Satellite Systems (PSS), government fusion research, commercial fusion research, Princeton Satellite Systems (PSS) R&D, commercial timeline estimates, Princeton Field-Reversed Configuration (PFRC), Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, increasing magnetic fields, PFRC-3, different ways to use fusion energy, multiple fusion systems for R&D, space fusion systems, Direct Fusion Propulsion with PFRC, fusion fuels,  fusion vs. SSP, PFRC-2, fusion and desalinization, HE3 for space fusion, Deuterium-Deuterium (D-D) fusion reaction, Deuterium-Tritium (D-T) fusion, antimatter, high temperatures and magnetic confinement fields, plasma issues and concerns, target fusion, the pulse nozzle system, fusion for the Titan aircraft, PSS lab, scramjets, air transportation, high school science fair fusion projects, computational powers and triggers, NASA fusion news. 

Additional topics were mentioned or brought up by callers and those sending in emails so do listen to the entire program.  Note that our guest talked extensively about PSS research, products and systems.  The best way to understand what Stephanie was describing would be to check out the PSS website because it has videos, references, diagrams and images, all designed to explain their hardware and research and to make it easier for interested parties outside the fusion industry to better understand their focus (see www.psatellite.com). Stephanie did mention many other fusion companies and their research focus during this company.  For those of you interested in their work, check out their websites for specific additional information.

Topics that stood out for me included the brief discussion comparing fusion to SSP with the underlying question being would fusion, when it becomes commercially available, nix SSP across the board. Don't miss how our guest responded to this question and the "somewhat" comparison of the potential fusion industry to the potential SSP industry.  Note that fusion can also be used for propulsion and multiple space and planetary/star missions.  SSP back to Earth is for a terrestrial application so making a comparison between the few really should be made regarding potential fusion for the terrestrial grid and the same for SSP.  Let us know your thoughts on this by posting on our blog.

My attention was caught when Stephanie talked about government R&D for fusion, their announcement a few months ago saying they had gotten to break even which was actually incorrect (our guest addressed that issue) as compared to the private sector fusion R&D going on with multiple variations and paths to fusion and real money being invested in their concepts and work.  I don't remember the first fusion show ever done on The Space Show, but it might have been with Focus Fusion and Eric Lerner around 2006.  Looking back, the private sector fusion R&D industry has really come alive in the more recent years with as mentioned above and in discussion with our guest, it has come alive with investment dollars.  To me, following fusion has been one of the more exciting subjects and work that TSS has paid attention to over our show 22+ year history.  It is also worth noting how NASA is now in on the game with the commercial fusion R&D work.  That was clearly not the case in and around 2006.

Please post your comments/questions on the blog for this 84-minute Space Show program with Ms. Thomas.  Stephanie can be reached through me here at The Space Show as well as through her company, Princeton Satellite Systems (www.psatellite.com).