latest NIf results..500 MJ of laser energy used to deliver 1.9 MJ of energy to target with 2.5 MJ fusion energy out
COP<1.002? that's why the hype is needed.
It IS scientific progress .. they were examining the power in and out of a single pellet. The fact that only a small proportion of total laser energy reached that target is a separate matter of optical engineering.
Not holding my breath for commercialization.
And still wondering how they plan to handle the neutrons. (In Tokamaks they hope to capture their energy and prevent system damage.)