Nuclear fusion, as opposed to fission, has been the holy grail of power engineers for decades. No one has figured out a way to peacefully harness the energy of fusion, but engineers and physicists keep trying, including a few at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. Aviation Week now reports the company is making headway with a 'compact fusion reactor' based on superconducting coils. In the most simplistic of terms, the coils generate the magnetic field needed to contain the plasma. Because of the reactor's compact size, and because of the benefits of fusion power, the Skunk Work scientists envision the possibility of fusion powered interplanetary spacecraft
http://aviationweek.com/technology/skunk-works-reveals-compact-fusion-reactor-details
