[from occupied ga]

Actually the slower neutrons are more likely to be captured and cause transmutations. This is why fission reactors have a "moderator" graphite or water. Also this explains some of the criticality accidents in the early days of fission research.

a proportionately higher percentage of the transmutations that do occur create isotopes with shorter half-lives (I believe this follows from #2

I'm not sure of the physics behind this. Are you saying that less energetic neutrons produce shorter half lived isotopes?

I was referring to the confinement material being subject to mechanical and chemical degradation by the neutrons an addition to transmutation

As a side note, one of the big issues with fusion reactors is that the neutron bombardment of the superconducting magnets transfers heat and/or destroys the crystalline structure required for superconductivity (

I read this too. Like you I have no idea how Lockheed is going to address this problem.

This isn't anything new. Mirror fusion designs have been around in theory for at least 30 years, but this is the first I've read of anyone actually doing anything with them. I wish them good luck.

[pierrem15]

I wasn't sure of some of the basic physics, just that I know neutrons of different speeds (MeV) produce different effects, and the transmutation effects are dependent upon the surrounding material.

I still can't see how the neutron flux for a fusion design producing an equivalent release of energy can produce a neutron flux as high as a fission reaction.

I hope it works also, although I've seen the professor from the Washington State fusion project questioning a lot of the physics behind the Lockheed design, but I also note that some of his criticisms seem very dependent on the materials used, and if there's any group experienced with the creation of exotic engineered materials, it's the Skunk Works.