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Mikhail Metzel / AP file
Millionaire spaceflier Dennis Tito flashes a thumbs-up sign during final preparations for his 2001 flight to the International Space Station. Now Tito is reportedly contemplating a mission to Mars.
By Alan Boyle,
Science Editor, NBC News
Dennis Tito, the millionaire investment whiz who became the first paying passenger to visit the International Space Station in 2001, has worked out a plan to send two astronauts to Mars and back without stopping. However, the privately backed 501-day flight would have to be launched in 2018 — or wait until the 2030s.
Details about the Red Planet flyby are trickling out in advance of a Washington news conference next week.
First word of the venture came out in a media advisory passed along by the SpaceRef website on Wednesday. The advisory from the Texas-based Griffin Communications Group describes a "Mission for America" that would capitalize on a favorable orbital opportunity to launch a round-trip mission to Mars in January 2018.
The advisory includes an invitation to attend a news conference at 1 p.m. ET Feb. 27 at the National Press Club in Washington, issued by the Inspiration Mars Foundation, which is described as a "newly founded nonprofit organization led by American space traveler and entrepreneur Dennis Tito."
Tito, a former rocket engineer, made his fortune as the founder of Wilshire Associates, a multibillion-dollar investment firm based in California. He made history in 2001 when he paid a reported $20 million for a ride aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the space station. At the time, the eight-day round trip was highly controversial and required changes in the policies governing space station operations. Since then, six other high-net-worth individuals have taken similar flights with little or no controversy. The current published price for such flights is upwards of $40 million.
In the nearly 12 years since his flight, Tito has taken a relatively low public profile in the private-sector spaceflight industry. Meanwhile, other millionaires and billionaires, ranging from SpaceX's Elon Musk to Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, have been in the vanguard.
Little is known about the Inspiration Mars Foundation, and the name doesn't turn up in databases for tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. The Internet domain names "InspirationMars.com" and "InspirationMars.org" were registered anonymously last October. But other than that, the only information that could be gleaned about Inspiration Mars comes from the media advisory, which says it's "committed to accelerating America's human exploration of space as a critical catalyst for future growth, national prosperity, new knowledge and global leadership."
"This 'Mission for America' will generate new knowledge, experience and momentum for the next great era of space exploration," the advisory said. "It is intended to encourage all Americans to believe again, in doing the hard things that make our nation great, while inspiring youth through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and motivation."
In addition to Tito, the speakers listed for next week's news briefing include Taber McCallum and Jane Poynter, who are veterans of the Biosphere 2 life-containment experiment and the top executives at Paragon Space Development Corp., which develops life-support systems for spacecraft. Jonathan Clark, a former NASA flight surgeon who now serves as an adviser for several space ventures, is also due to appear. Veteran TV journalist Miles O'Brien, who was once in line to take a trip to the space station, is to serve as moderator.
Update for 10:58 a.m. ET Feb. 21: The media advisory doesn't describe the specifics of the proposed mission, but spaceflight consultant Jeff Foust, publisher of the online NewSpace Journal, has come across information that sheds lots of additional light on Tito's plans. It turns out that Tito is due to give a presentation at the IEEE Aerospace Conference in Montana next month. He and his co-authors discuss the project in a paper prepared for the presentation. Here's a quick rundown of what Foust found:
The mission would involve a flyby of Mars with a free return back to Earth, without stopping. That type of low-energy trajectory requires a special set of orbital circumstances: The presentation says those circumstances exist for the 2018 opportunity but won't repeat until 2031. Two astronauts living in spartan conditions could make the 501-day trip in a modified SpaceX Dragon capsule, launched by SpaceX's yet-to-be-flown Falcon Heavy rocket.
Be sure to read Foust's full item on NewSpace Journal.
The plan seems to be just on the edge of doability. Among the questions that come up: Would the Dragon have adequate radiation shielding for the long-duration, deep-space trip? Can the crew cope with long-term isolation in close quarters, as well as the health effects of an extended zero-G trip? Can the Falcon Heavy truly be ready for a Mars trip in time for the 2018 opportunity? And who's going to pay for all this? Although there's no price tag attached to the plan, doing the mission seems likely to require billions of dollars. Tito may be rich, but is he that rich?
Update for 1:05 p.m. ET Feb. 21: Griffin Communications has confirmed the substance of the media advisory but released no additional information. The logistics for next week's briefing at the National Press Club are still being worked out. It's not yet known whether the proceedings will be webcast.
Update for 6:18 p.m. ET Feb. 21: A few more tidbits have trickled out: Even though the IEEE paper focuses on the SpaceX Dragon and Falcon Heavy, that doesn't mean SpaceX's participation in the project is a sure thing. The astronauts could ride on any of a range of space vehicles. One thing is for sure, however: Tito, who is now 72 years old, will not be making the spaceflight himself.
Although the IEEE paper casts the "Mission for America" as a private-sector effort, NASA would play a supporting role in technology development. A source who has been told about Tito's plans said the 2018 effort was not meant to provide competition for NASA's exploration effort, but instead provide support. NASA is working on a long-range program to send astronauts to a near-Earth asteroid in the mid-2020s, and to Mars and its moons in the mid-2030s.
The source was not authorized to speak publicly about Tito's plans, and thus spoke with NBC News on condition of anonymity.
More about Mars ambitions:
- SpaceX founder wants to send hordes to Mars
- How a TV show could create a Mars colony
- Counting down to a mission to Mars
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
This story was originally published on Thu Feb 21, 2013 3:32 AM EST
Leave a Comment:
I definitely could & would choose something different to do with the money. I can't even stand a long plane ride so that 501 day trip to mars is something else.
I remeber when going to the moon, gave the country this sense of pride!!!
Killing the Apollo missons was the worst thing to happen, next to jimmy carter, back in the 70's.
Crazy, 1969 the USA puts men on the moon, today we can't even put one in space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When we went to the moon, it wasn't on a shoe-string budget. These "space corporations" are trying the, old and failed, NASA policy of "cheaper and smarter". Sure, we've had the technologies to visit Mars since the late 1970's. And, yes, advancements have made it cheaper. However, going with a budget of millions instead of billions, means we are taking unnecessary risks! Slow down, Mars will still be there.
God...what folks with excess cash will do for their own bloated egos. GEESH!
We've spent 30 years shoving money "to the top". Now, we expect a return on our gifts! (And not just gold-plated toilets!)
He will be creating jobs, Lots of jobs and many high paying jobs...I'll take people with bloated egos like his anyday
It has been almost 50 years since LBJ started his great society and all we have to show for it are more poverty and more poor people, Rich people do not make poor people poor, If there were no rich people there would be more poor people and they would be even poorer because the government would not have anyone to tax to pay for those poor people.
i'll go with you, bro... as long as we can bring some beers.
Russians don't fly without their weekly vodka shots!
count me in.
wait... any russian beauties coming? Vikka! hmu!!!
He should take all his money and a bunch of the Republican radicals with him into space. . . .
If you get rid of all the rich people who will the government tax to pay your welfare!
The same ones they're taxing now - the rest of us. The rich have so many write offs that they pay a small percentage of what the rest of us do. I worked with stock brokers years ago that complained when they didn't have enough loopholes and actually had to pay tax.
The top 1% are paying over 37% of all federal income taxes, The top 5% are paying over 57% of all federal income taxes and the top 10% are paying 70% of all federal income taxes, The lower 47% pay less that 2% of federal income taxes and many actually get back money they did not pay in.
Of course you will now say that the poor also pay other taxes and I will counter that the rich also pay these other taxes and actually paye a greater amount because everything the buy or own that is taxed costs more or is worth more thus they pay more.
Sorry thats just the way it is
Yea right,write offs! I get SS and my income form a 401KLast year I paid $32,000 in federal taxes.roughly 35% of my adjusted gross.!Write offs!Most of you a holes on this thread would prefer the governemnt took all my money.Go ahead.I'd be better off broke living on welfare using my obama fone,subsizied rent and utiltiyies,free housing,free bus passes,whatever!
Hey everybody! Let's lie about the debunked Obamaphone and free gifts because we're still mad our sh**ty candidate couldn't lie his tax-dodging *ss into office!
:)
@Dangerous Mind:
Not to defend Mitt, but how did he dodge taxes? Did he break a law that I am not familiar with? If so, why isn't he in jail? Please explain where you are coming from on this subject...
With regard to the $40 million being paid for trips to the space station. Its nice to know that the billions of dollars we spend each year to support it are put to such good use.
It's not your money! He earned it and he may do with it as he pleases.He is also employing any number of people around him! Not you,i'm sure.If you could just break that habit of never brushing your teech,only showering on even months and farting in mix company,you too might get a job someday.Tell your mom I said hello and that she was great last might.Did you get a chance to hear her hum the Star Spandled Banner,over and over and over?
Mas,
It's ironic because these space forums are the only place I find myself agreeing with many far-righties that normally I argue with.
I agree, it's his money. He's smart, hard working and he earned it. I'm fully behind him and others like Elon Musk and the wealthy behind other ambitious endeavours like Planetary Resources. They're pushing the boundaries and expanding humanity's ability with their wealth. They're doing much much more for us as a race than 99% of the wealthy who are simply satisfied with pulling math tricks in the imaginary realm of the market, or with shipping jobs over to China for another bonus to be spent on a McMansion or elite super-car.
However, trying to tie this into stupid liberal-hating politics filled with dumb disproven insults and rhetoric is just lame.
Grow up and stop insulting half of your country because Fox tells you to.
I've argued with that Pine Barrens guy on several political articles. But I agree with him here. I wish there were more ambitious wealthy people like Tito. We'd probably be on the road to defeating cancer, settling other worlds, and living scientifically extended lives.
Too bad most are greedy corporate shills only concerned with increasing the bottom line no matter the public consequences.
However,
LOL....what an idiot! You can tell he's a nut by his photo!!
Actually, he looks like the kind of man who would chase after Moby Dick in a rowboat, with a harpoon and a jar of tartar sauce.
I would love to see this happen in my life time. At the age of 36, I just very well may see it happen. But my concern is.... This is a 501 day trip to Mars.... Thats a 1002 days round trip, not counting how many days he plans on staying on this planet. It's just hard to believe that a person can be away from Earth for nearly 3 years. There would have to be plenty of adjustments since life and technology will continue to go forward, while he's on the Red Planet digging up dirt.
It would be cool though if he was able to dig up oil, gold or some other type of precious material that we could use here. I know some stores advertise Australian or Swarovski Crystals. I wonder what the markup would be for crystals would be from another planet?
One last thought. If the manned trip to Mars is both male and female and a relationship is formed on that planet and result in a child being born, would that child have American Citizenship? Or would it become an illegal alien? Funny, but a real question... if anyone could answer that.
So much to remember.The introduction of TV into the msketplace,from prop driven planes to jets,ice box to refrigerators,window fans to air conditioning.Planes to rockets ,rockets to missles,coast to coast air travel to space travel.Travel to the moon.Unmaned space exploration of our universe.Does everyone remember the big occation about three months ago when a space sattilite ,which began its' voyage in 1965,actually left out solar system to parts unknown.It has a solid gold record on which the sounds of earth are listed on and a turntable to play it on.Can you imagine that.How obsolete is a turn table or record these days!The advances in medicine and science.DNA! Heart,lungs,liver transplants! repairative inutero surgery,robotic surgery,nana surgery and theropy.Too many thing to list.I am constantly amazed at myself just for living long enough to see all these wonderful things happening.There is truly a gracious god!Thank you god!
An american born outside of America to parents woh are both American is considered an American and has dual citizenship in whatever country he/she might be born.
What if the two individuals,man and woman were homosexual with great repulsions for each other and a war took place on earth and everyone was killed.Do you think they could hold off their complete distaste for each other to try to procreate and same out species.I'd go with extinction! My bet!They could name them anything they might want ,like Thor for a little girl and Sheila for the boy!Within 5 generations there would be a social worker,a psychiatrist and a plumber!
I seen a video posted yesterday by MSN of an african tribesman stealing meat from a lions take down. Too lazy to hunt on his own. You nay sayers about this adventure are in that catagory.
What is the short term end game after Mars?100 light years to nearest planet.That's a lot of hamburger to haul aorund for 200 light years.
That was a Chicagostani going after dinner.There was no lion unless you are talking about the guy across the street with the aK
Sad little delusional mas098,
Living in his imaginary little Fox world filled with misconceptions about reality. It must be comforting to live in that false realm. So many refuse to be pulled out of it into the modern world with the rest of the human race.
The power of God is the power of His love,as on the Cross of Jesus Christ,the
power of money is in the love of money,and the love of money is the root of all
evil says,1Timothy6:10.No one chooses to be poor.When you have plenty of money
you have the power to influence people,and the power to just about live anywhere
you want,while the lack of money,poverty makes you more vulnerable,especially in
wars--that's why Jesus says he came to preach his Gospel to the poor.And Jesus
says in his Revelation,chapter 13,that the mark of the beast 666, is buying and
selling,making money,loving it,and loving the power it gives you.And with wealth
you're not as vulnerable in wars,so as Revelation 13:4,says,who is able to make
war with him? the beast 666.So the mark of the beast 666,the antichrist,is
loving money,and making war.And the Military Industrial Complex is war for
profit.So Jesus says he fulfills all the prophets,and the prophet Isaiah,and
Isaiah2:4,God ends all wars,beating swords to plowshares,and man practicing war
no more.
When man reaches the point of no more wars,there will be no more mankind!
Marked as "No Value".
This thread is about space and not your fundamentalist religious ranting.
This is where nasa wasted money sending men to the moon. there were two theories about how we should work. One was go the the moon. However, once there the space program would shut down.
The second theory was to build a space station, in a high orbit, cutting the time to travel to mars down, and large enough, to support a moon mission and later a mars mission.
If the latter had been done we would probably have a colony on the moon now and a mission to mars in the near future.
I would hope that he makes it however, there are too many options for failure. Money does not buy you air in space.
When the world quits spending money on wars, maybe, we could spend money on space. but with the US broke, china being the next world colonial power, we have a long way to go.
With the liberals still out to break the bank its doubtful anything will happen soon. War in space should be next.
Don't count America out too soon.The wishing libturds out there need to hold their fingers in a twist a little longer before we all have to learn conversationalist chinese.Remember the 1980's when Japan was going to overtake the USA and become the largest economic power on earth?Well,the japanese got their head handed to them and they have never recovered.I think China is going to have a difficult time becoming and maintaining any power structure in the near future.She has a lot of company near the top including the emerging markets of India and southeasr Asia.LOng way to go for any coronation.
You two are clueless. We're still cleaning up elephant crap from the last administration. Where Bush took a historical record of a surplus and turned it into the largest deficit in history while waging two wars a huge medicare expansion, and a trillion dollar tax break for the wealthy. All without paying for it and handing the bill to Obama.
Republican administrations have created 72% of the debt. You angry little delusional haters can't disprove facts so don't even try. Just continue with your hateful 3rd grade name calling. It's letting the rest of the country see exactly who you are.
Oh and Bush ended the shuttle program. But go ahead and try to pin that on Obama as well.
@Dangerous Mind-
Please enlighten me as to this historical record of a surplus.
While I will admit that President Bush created $4trillion in deficit spending, he did that in the span of eight years...
President Obama created an additional $4trillion in deficit spending, but he did that in the span of only four years.
Other than that, where can I look up and see the percentage value of 72% of the debt that you claim was accomplish by Republican administration? I don't want to disprove it, I just want to see it for my own eyes.
No 3rd grade name calling, just help me see where you are coming from...Thanks.
Oh and yes, I know that Bush ended the shuttle program. But Obama ended the Constellation program before it started, delayed making a recommendation for NASA's new path to the stars, and essentially is still building the Constellation (Aries V) only instead he is calling it the Space Launch System; HOW VANILLA AND HOW ORIGINAL.
Go for it!
Wade Hobbs
Author, Question Answered (2012)
What is this entirely irrational need for glory really about?Maybe if he was bringing a Caterpillar with him and 20-30 back loaders and ships to bring home some rare dirt but to just be the first man on the moon?So what.Where do we go from there.We are like trapped rats in a cage.Our cage isn't of wire but is of air and food.If we get to Mars in the next 25 years,good.What's after that.It tske a lot of fuel to keep a human alive and to also supply water and air to him over a period of a few years.The nearest planet to us is about 100 light years away.To those of you who think "light years" has to do with a diet,you probably should find another thread to read.
How much is he worth?
Need to check with ancestery.com to see if we are related and make sure I'm in his will if I am.
Good way to get rid of these wealthy Repubs, send them to Mars. One way ticket of course.
But how will you get your freebies, you moron. You should be kissing his butt at the welfare office.
This is HOW the RICH SPEND on themselves. Make it that ONLY the very FEW are allowed this type of extravegance. I hope they HIRE 1000 upon 1000 upon 10000 workers and jobs for people who are struggeling?
Then again HOW MANY RICH TOP SPENDERS? I am sure it is far from ALL of the RICH FOLKS?
Good idea make it happen!!! If it is ALL PRIVATELY FUNDED BY THE RICH !! Lets see if they will create the JOBS people really need? And not get bailouts and payouts that are FREE from the Taxpayers by way of CRONNISM !!!!
What a selfish, self-absorbed waste of resources.
In my humble opinion, help cure some of the ills here on Earth.
He will be directly employing hundreds if not housands of people and will be indirectly employing thousands more because of the materials neeed to build such a project, All of these people that are employed will be making money and paying taxes and they will be buying things from other people and the chain reaction will help our economy, This is how it works, Sorry if you think that he should just give his money to the government but all the government does is spend other peoples money, It does not make money. If you have an ill maybe you should be a little more like this guy and go out and try to do something about it instead of thinking someone else should do it for you
This guy will do anything to avoid Obama taxes!!!
What a great idea!
Now if he can just convince the rest of the undeserving, thieving, super rich to go with him
The important thing to remember is that this money is going to scientists, engineers, & technicians. You know, educated people. This creates a demand for better education. Somone will supply that demand at an affordable cost. That's how the law of supply & demand, or "free market" is supposed to work.
As for the investment aspect, consider that the surface of Mars is almost exactly the same size as the land surface of Earth. It'll take a few centuries, but terraforming is within our technical capabilities. So, take out your calculator & figure the real estate value of every acre of land on Earth. Is that number big enough you?
500 days in zero G? I don't think so. But if Tito can scoop ups some promising looking soil & return it to Earth, we may finally be able to determine whether on not Mars has life. If not, bring in the developers.
My point is this - money is not, not, not packed into rockets & shot into space. It goes to the well educated, to those with the skills to work with exotic materials, to the inventive, & to all those who extract & harvest the raw resources.
Now for the gymnastics portion of our program as someone bends & twists logic to explain why better schools & more jobs, for Americans are bad things.
And those educated people will take the money they earn and use it to purchase items from slightly less educated people and so on, Yes the money will start with the educated people first but it will spread out, Even those educated people will need people to lift and haul, To make raw supplies and to complete support tasks.
I do not think that better schools are a bad thing but I do think that since we spend more money on basic education than any other country and yet have a lower grade when it comes to education that money is not the problem,
What is to be devoutly hoped is that the educated will spend their money sensibly, & not buy that unmitigated crap currently flooding the market. Did you demand any of that junk? I sure didn't, & neither did anyone I know (except for a couple of mentally challenged types).
The free market is not nearly as free as we'd like.
I was never forced to purchase anything I did not want or need..well until Obamacare came along...Now I have to purchase a set amount of coverage based upon the premise that I might at some time in my life require medical attention that I will not pay for, Since I have always paid my bills I find that offensive and since the government that is mandating this can not even pay the interest on their obligations without borrowing more money I find it insulting.
If I live to a ripe old age and never require any medical attention or if I suddenly drop dead will I get a refund?
We now have a government that is forcing us to purchase a product that we may not need. And don't get me wrong, I have health insurance and I pay for it myself but when I was younger I did not have it because I did not need it, This whole notion that all must contribute to the greater good is bull crap. It is just the governments way of adding more controls to our lives.
Nice gymnastics, I give you an 8.5
TURN THE GREED, into HAPPINESS with MONEY from the FOLKS out of work, to use THE RESOURCE to put them all back to work and happy.
But given the rich are GREEDY, they will resource cronnism and use TAXPAYERS funding if they can get away with it??????
I HOPE IT IS 100% ALL DONE FROM THE PRIVATE SIDE !!!!!! Not a DIME or PENNY from TAXPAYERS or GRANTS or TAX FREE GOODIES and LOOPHOLES. ALL done HONESTLY and pay their TAXES etc.
YEA RIGHT lets see if it really does happen in a moral and ethical way?????????? Make AMERICA PROUD and change the GREED MENTALITY !!!!
Capitalism is just legalized greed. Consequently capitalists are second only to communists in their hatred of the free market. You know, where we, the people, you & me, decide what we're going to demand & how we're going to supply that demand. Of course in a free market prices tend to fall, which is unacceptable to the capitlist (see inflation).
Sounds like democracy.
Better greed than Need!
Musician, It all boils down to "when you run the business you get to decide what you are going to sell", Until then pick your store and shop wisely, There is no great conspiracy to keep people poor...Poor people do not spend a lot of money, People who have money make more money and spend money and buy things. Businesses like people who have money because they spend it on products.
I remember my first trip to mars… you space-nuts need to calm the f down, there isn't even anything interesting to do there and the whole time I argued with my friends saying that we should bail and hit up vegas or something while we still have the time off rather than wasting more days in that wasteland. the only reason you think it's cool is because you've never been there before but once it happens it's no longer something you thnik that much about or that even appeals to you anymore (just like sex) so look at this rationally and realize that there's no reason to rush going there and wait instead until your sense of excitement in life has died away like mine did and then do this mars thing becuase you can't physically do any of the things you always dreamed about anyway so it's not like you're scarificing time spent doing cooler and more worthwhile things. why do you thnik that this rich goon waited until he was like eighty to put this togehter? becuase at this point why the f not it's not like he's going to be climbing any mountains here on earth anymore after all.
I really like Mars bars but I think they are scraping off to much of the planets surface to make these bars and it is having an adverse affect on the planets stability, Thats what happened to the moon, It used to be covered in cheese but too many people got the free cheese from the government and there is nothing left but craters.
Stop celestial mining now!
well I think that you're missing most of the main points in your logic litpb but your conclusion is still alright so yeah I'll go along with you in thhat. The main thing though isn't the mining issues which do disguist me as much as you but it's that we're forgetting about how wonderful our own planet is and trying to jump up there and people are dying before their time and getting divorced and stuff becuase they're so obsessed with the space and not looking around enough and working towards bettering their own immediate surroundings which is technically easier to do in the first place.
Lasers are a great (and safe) way to super heat throw mass (in an impulse way), by allowing enough time in between pulses to allow your exhaust nozzle to radiantly cool down. They have a UV laser which is approx. 50% efficient right now. There are also efficent ways to recover the waste heat from these lasers. I personally know one way to recover the waste heat which is over 70% efficient, because it uses no moving parts and relies upon the deep cold of space as the cold sink in the process. You could even recover the waste heat from the exhaust nozzle by using this efficient recovery process which was developed back in the 1960s. - RC
BTW, that time in between laser pulses is a great time to recharge your nano capacitor bank for the next propulsion impulse. - RC
Doped water would make a great propulsion fuel using this approach. You would add the doping to the water at the last moment, and this water could even be the byproduct of an onboard hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell. - RC
I would connect all of these laser powered engines (mounted in straight lines) to several large crankshafts in order to dampen and prolong their inertial effect upon the forward spacecraft, and even use this crankshaft to recover some of the energy generated by these laser powered engines for the next laser impulses. (It kind of reminds you of your car engine (doesn't it?), which also happens to be an impulse engine, and the ride can be made just as smooth for these space occupants, too.) - RC
(Now imagine making this fuel using deuterium and tritium instead of ordinary hydrogen. (He3 would be an even better choice than tritium, but you would have to store it in cryo form.)) - RC
(Lithium 6 deuteride pellets would also work nicely. For that matter, even lithium 6 hydride pellets made with ordinary hydrogen would also work nicely, too. Even borane fuel pellets would work using this scheme.) - RC
It's like you are in your own little world...
I was going to say that the best way to do this is by compressing these thermonuclear fuel pellets with laser energy first, before hitting them with burst of accelerated fuel nuclei in very rapid succession. In some ways that is also similar to your car engine, where you compress your fuel mixture before igniting it with an additional energy source, in order to gain the best reaction efficiency. - RC