In the DoE "Activity in Space Fission Reactor" and other current NASA
and DoE pdfs, mention is being made nowadays of the new "free piston"
zero friction (gas bearing) 3 kWe free-piston Stirling
engine/alternator, of which several variations are now in testing
following a competitive prototyping stage -
... these are to be driven by various heat sources, which can be use in
space. Presumably one of the heat sources is nuclear but what are the
others...?
One of the leading companies is called "STC, Inc"
After snooping around, it appears that STC is not the maker of golf
carts or software but instead a subsidiary of Infinia
http://www.infiniacorp.com/main.htm
OK nothing unusual so far, other than it looks like the 800 pound
gorilla NASA is finally getting onto the Stirling bandwagon in a big way.
Anyway, the curious thing is that this very same prototype (an image of
it) also appears and mysteriously! without explanation on the updated
BLP tech update from last mont ... on page page 100 of 134 ...so you
might want to take my word for it unless you have a fast connection.
www.blacklightpower.com/presentations/Techtheoryintro062007.pdf
NASA went quiet on hydrinos after the BLP Rocket - (the Marchese report)
which drew fire and tons of bad press, despite a sucessful test, from
that genius Bob Park and other assorted gadfly skeptics - ergo - many
observers assumed that NASA had dropped BLP like the Podkletnov
antigravity hot-potato. Maybe not.
Don't ask, don't tell. BLP is now a high tech closet-case ;-)
Jones
