Russian science is well advanced. They can create nuclear fusion with far less radioactive beta particle by products. They have been working in this area for some time.


China is also going all out on research as well. That was obviously their plan for some time. As they are graduating very large masses of engineers currently. Far larger than their historical average.


As far as I am aware the Russian nuclear powered cruise missile is a first. It has indefinite range. Russia may be able to build the first nuclear powered aircraft engines for commercial planes.


So will a slow fusion battery emerge at some point? Possibly. It has to be fusion as the decay method is too slow. Plus very low to no radioactive emissions are required.