Fusion Reactor
Fusion reactor is a common, if somewhat old fashioned power plant technology. A fusion reaction is the opposite of fission, since the reaction releases energy by fusing light nuclei such as hydrogen isotopes together. (The process is similar to that which powers the stars.) As such, the fuel requirements are decidedly simpler than in fission reactors, as hydrogen is the most common element in the Universe and can be refined relatively easily. Effective energy-producing fusions require that gas from a combination of isotopes of hydrogen - deuterium and tritium - is heated to very high temperatures and confined for at least one second. One way to achieve these conditions is to use magnetic confinement.
Today, most fusion reactors work as secondary or "jump-start" power plants aboard starships and installations. Miniature fusion plants also exist for use in fighters and other smaller craft.
