There have been hundreds (maybe thousands?) of independently operating research groups at Universities and government labs, working since the 1950's all of them

There have been hundreds (maybe thousands?) of independently operating research groups at Universities and government labs, working since the 1950's all of them studying fusion. None of them has come as close to attaining controlled self-sustained fusion as the NIF. That is the entire point of large grand projects, they do what small groups aren't capable of. Simply because the NIF hasn't yet attained self-sustained controlled fusion doesn't mean its a failure. What do you think is reasonable price tag for the development of an entirely new form of clean energy?