not an expert here either, but that seems to be the case from what i've read. unlike fission, you need constant input of material (and in the case of sustaining

not an expert here either, but that seems to be the case from what i've read. unlike fission, you need constant input of material (and in the case of sustaining a reaction on earth, energy to keep the reactor stable). from the article: Once the reaction is initiated by a laser shot, the heat produced by the atomic fusion will help to keep the core hot. But unlike a fission reaction that takes place in nuclear power stations and atomic bombs, the fusion reaction is not self perpetuating. It requires a constant input of material or else it quickly fizzles out, making the reaction far safer. And unlike what you might have seen in a recent Batman movie, the chamber cannot be transformed into a nuclear bomb.