ITER Test Blanket Modules Enter Key Phase of Preliminary Design Review
The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Test Blanket Module (TBM) project is advancing a key technology validation effort in the field of fusion energy. The Test Blanket Modules address the breeding blanket requirements of future fusion power plants, aiming to validate tritium breeding concepts under reactor operating conditions, providing a technical foundation for fusion fuel cycle self-sufficiency. Group photo at the European TBM Preliminary Design Review meeting held at ITER Headquarters. F4E-ITER Organization In a fusion reaction, deuterium and tritium fuse and release high-energy neutrons. When high-energy neutrons enter a lithium-containing blanket, they can interact with lithium to produce new tritium, which then re-enters the fuel cycle. Due to the scarcity of natural tritium resources, the breeding blanket is...
2026-08-07
American Fusion Adds Six New Patent Applications for Texatron Fusion Technology
On August 6, American Fusion announced that it has filed six new patent applications in the United States covering multiple technical aspects of its proprietary Texatron Fusion Engine platform. This brings the company's total number of patent applications filed in the U.S. to 82. American Fusion stated that these applications continue its strategy of building an intellectual property portfolio around the Texatron platform, covering reactor architecture, plasma confinement, electromagnetic systems, fuel delivery, reactor control, power management, and related engineering technologies supporting the continued development and future commercialization of the Texatron Fusion Engine. The company's Chief Legal Officer, Michael G....
2026-08-07
UK's MAST Upgrade sets plasma pressure record in fifth experimental campaign
The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has completed the fifth experimental campaign of its flagship fusion experiment, MAST Upgrade. The campaign, conducted between 2025 and 2026 at the Culham Campus in Oxfordshire, UK, produced over 1,100 plasma pulses and achieved the device's highest-ever plasma pressure while overcoming plasma instability issues. In fusion devices, hydrogen isotopes must be heated, compressed, and confined under extremely high temperatures and pressures. The higher the plasma density and temperature, the stronger the fusion reaction, and high-pressure plasmas are also closer to the operating conditions required for future commercial fusion power plants. UKAEA stated that this...
2026-08-07
TAE Technologies and Black Moon Energy Sign Helium-3 Supply Cooperation Agreement
On August 5, local time, fusion energy company TAE Technologies announced a cooperation agreement with Black Moon Energy Corporation (BMEC). The two parties will collaborate on helium-3 (He-3) fuel supply solutions and commercial development needed for the future commercialization of fusion energy. Under the agreement, Black Moon Energy will supply helium-3 fuel to TAE Technologies. TAE Technologies CEO Michl Binderbauer stated that the agreement helps accelerate the company's energy goals through alternative fuel supply solutions. The company noted that its fusion technology pathway offers high flexibility in fuel cycle selection, allowing it to choose more cost-competitive fuel cycles based on long-term fuel market changes.
2026-08-06
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Licenses Cryogenic Fuel Pellet Technology to Type One Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has licensed a suite of cryogenic fuel pellet injection technologies to Type One Energy to advance fuel supply capabilities needed for high-performance fusion plasma operations. The two parties signed the licensing agreement on August 5 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The license covers four ORNL inventions, primarily related to the design and operation of cryogenic fuel pellet injection systems. The technology forms solid hydrogen isotope fuel pellets at cryogenic temperatures near absolute zero and injects them into fusion plasma at high speeds. Compared with methods such as gas injection, pellet injection is more effective at delivering fuel deeper into the plasma...
2026-08-06
UC Santa Barbara and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Collaborate to Accelerate Fusion Plasma Simulations with AI
The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) are launching a new collaboration to bring artificial intelligence into extreme plasma simulations, accelerating critical computations in nuclear fusion and high-energy-density physics research. Neel Sankaran (left), a doctoral student of UCSB Professor Haewon Jeong, poses with LLNL scientist Min Sang Cho (right). The project is led by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC Santa Barbara...
2026-08-05
U.S. Team Proposes New In-Situ Cleaning Method for Porous Tungsten Walls in Fusion Devices
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, and Pennsylvania State University have proposed an in-situ cleaning method for fusion system wall materials, which uses heating combined with neon plasma to remove contaminants from the surface of porous tungsten materials after components are installed and sealed within a vacuum chamber. The research findings have been published in *Nuclear Materials and Energy*. Image credit: Kyle Palmer / PPPL Communications Department. Fusion system walls must withstand extreme temperatures. Liquid lithium is considered a promising wall protection material, which can be retained within porous tungsten wall tile structures much like water absorbed by a sponge. However, this...
2026-08-05
First H-mode plasma with ELMs achieved on WEST
Recently, the C13 experimental campaign on the French tungsten tokamak WEST achieved a major breakthrough, successfully producing H-mode plasmas with Edge Localized Modes (ELMs). This is a key step in preparing for plasma scenarios relevant to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and future fusion power plants. Over the past nearly three months, scientists, engineers, and technicians from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) at Cadarache, together with international collaborators, conducted the C13 experimental campaign. This campaign aimed to address a series of key scientific and technical challenges in magnetic confinement fusion, covering the behavior of plasma-facing components and advanced plasma scenarios. The experiments focused on...
2026-08-04
American Fusion Inc Appoints Nuclear Diagnostics Expert as Strategic Advisor in Preparation for Texatron Testing
American Fusion Inc announced on August 3 that it has appointed Dr. Noah D'Amico as a strategic advisor to the company. The company stated that this move will strengthen its scientific, engineering, and advanced diagnostics team configuration, and support the next phase of its Texatron Fusion Engine testing program at Texas Tech University. After joining American Fusion Inc, Dr. D'Amico will continue his roles at Texas Tech University and BlankSlate Innovation, serving as Chief Operating Officer of BlankSlate Innov...
2026-08-04
Syntec Optics Secures Fusion Energy Orders, AI Data Center-Related Orders Exceed $4 Million
Syntec Optics Holdings, a U.S. custom manufacturer of high-precision optics and photonics, announced on August 3 that it has recently secured a new batch of fusion energy-related orders, with order volume reaching 7 times the amount of similar orders at the end of last year. According to the company, this round of renewed orders involves special optical components for fusion reactors. These components will serve compact high-performance fusion reactors, helping related equipment conduct observation and control in extreme high-temperature environments. Fusion reactor operating environments feature extremely high temperatures, imposing stringent requirements on the precision, stability, and reliability of optical devices. Syntec Optics stated that since entering...
2026-08-04
Progress and Cost Performance Management of the ITER Project Enhancement
The ITER Organization reported on July 29 that, regarding the construction progress and cost control of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the project team has established a more detailed monthly tracking mechanism, and regularly reports key performance indicators, updated estimates at completion, and milestone trend analyses to the ITER Council. The ITER project is large in scale with complex interfaces; management efforts involve not only overall schedule and budget but also continuous assessment of thousands of activities including design, manufacturing, component installation, commissioning, and operational readiness. For tasks on the critical path, even delays of a few weeks can have cascading effects on multiple construction work packages. To identify...
2026-08-03
Fuse Signs Five-Year Cooperative R&D Agreement with Nevada National Security Sites
U.S. fusion energy company Fuse Energy Technologies Corporation (Fuse) announced on August 2 that it has signed a five-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Mission Support and Test Services (MSTS) at the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS). MSTS manages and operates NNSS. The agreement establishes a long-term collaboration framework between Fuse and NNSS. The initial research projects will focus on next-generation fusion technology validation, tritium-related capability enhancement, increasing neutron yield from pulsed fusion generators, and U.S. domestic...
2026-08-03
QST completes first gyrotron 170 GHz microwave output test at ITER site
The National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) of Japan announced on July 31 that it has completed the integration and operational testing of the first gyrotron system at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) site in southern France, successfully producing 170 GHz microwave output. This system is used for ITER plasma generation and heating, and is one of the key devices for ITER's plan to commence operations in 2034. The core equipment of this test is the gyrotron, a high-power microwave source. Gyrotron operation requires the coordinated work of peripheral equipment such as power supplies, superconducting coils, and cooling systems. QST previously completed performance testing of eight ITER gyrotron systems at the gyrotron test facility of the Naka Fusion Institute in Japan, and transported components including gyrotrons, superconducting coils, and quasi-optical matching units to the ITER site. Over the past three years, QST has advanced system installation, commissioning, and operational preparation at the site.
2026-07-31
South Korean University Team Files Patent for Fusion Reactor Optimization Design Method
Professor Hong Bong-geun of the Department of Quantum System Engineering at the College of Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, South Korea, has recently filed a patent for a fusion reactor optimization design method. This method can determine device dimensions and key component structures while enabling customized performance design for fusion reactors based on different applications such as power generation, thermal energy utilization, and transmutation neutron sources. According to reports, this design technology targets the early-stage R&D phase of fusion devices and can be used to rapidly assess the technical and economic feasibility of proposals, thereby reducing trial-and-error, shortening development cycles, and lowering development costs, providing design support for fusion energy commercialization...
2026-07-31
Germany's Hesse to Build National Laser Fusion Center, Plans Commercial Laser Fusion Power Plant at Biblis
The German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Aerospace (BMFTR) announced on July 29 that Hesse will become the site of Germany's National Laser Fusion Center. The center is one of three national fusion capability centers established under Germany's Fusion 2040 program and the High-Tech Agenda, aiming to promote the coordinated development of fusion research, industry, and infrastructure. According to the arrangement, Focused Energy will play a core role in the construction of the center. The project is located at the site of the former Biblis nuclear power plant in Hesse, where Focused Energy plans to build a laser fusion industrialization park and promote the construction of what it claims will be the world's first commercial laser fusion power plant. Germany's...
2026-07-30
Germany to Establish Fusion Technology Research Center at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
The German federal government is advancing the layout for the country's first fusion reactor. According to a decision announced on July 29, 2026, by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), one of three newly established fusion research centers will be located at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), focusing on fuel cycles, new materials, and engineering technology research for fusion power plants. In line with Germany's Fusion Action Plan, the new research centers will integrate the efforts of scientific institutions and industry to concentrate on solving key technical challenges before the application of fusion energy. The center at KIT will leverage the institute's expertise in fusion fuel cycles, high-performance materials, and core reactor components to advance related achievements...
2026-07-30
Tokamak Energy's ST40 device new gyrotron completes site acceptance test
Tokamak Energy disclosed on July 29 that the new gyrotron planned for its high-field spherical tokamak device ST40 has completed site acceptance testing. The equipment, which will serve as the core component of the radio frequency heating system, has undergone key performance verification before installation on ST40. During this test, the gyrotron achieved stable 1 MW power operation at both 104 GHz and 137 GHz frequencies, with pulse lengths up to 2 seconds. The test content included repeatability, modulation capability, power control, and mode purity, and the results demonstrated that the equipment can meet the requirements for sustained performance output in relevant fusion experiments. The gyrotron was built by Kyoto Fusioneering...
2026-07-30
U.S. Fusion Energy Company CFS Completes $1 Billion Equity Financing
U.S. fusion energy startup Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) announced on July 30 that it has completed $1 billion in new equity financing. The company stated that this is one of the largest single-round financings globally for a fusion energy company since its $1.8 billion Series B round in 2021. To date, CFS has raised a total of $4 billion, accounting for nearly 30% of the cumulative global fusion industry financing. Headquartered in Devens, Massachusetts, CFS was founded in 2018. The company is primarily advancing the SPARC fusion demonstration device and the ARC commercial fusion power plant project. Fusion reactions release energy by combining light atoms such as hydrogen under extremely high temperatures and pressures, and are considered a potential low-carbon energy pathway. However, fusion reactors are still in the experimental and engineering validation stage, with related technologies facing challenges such as material resistance to neutron bombardment and improving reaction efficiency.
2026-07-30
Princeton University and PPPL Launch Collaborative Graduate Program in Plasma Science and Technology
The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facility, and Princeton University recently launched the Collaborative Research Program in Plasma Science and Technology (CRPST). This two-year program, which began on July 1, 2026, aims to establish a more formal joint mentorship mechanism and expand opportunities for Princeton University graduate students in engineering, physics, and related disciplines to participate in research at PPPL. Under the program, selected students will be jointly mentored by a PPPL scientist and a Princeton University faculty member. Students will work at PPPL at least one day per week, participate in relevant research groups, and use laboratory facilities to advance their projects...
2026-07-30
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Meets ITER Organization Director-General
Starting at 4:50 p.m. on July 29, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi met with Pietro Barabaschi, Director-General of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Organization, who was visiting Japan. The meeting lasted approximately 15 minutes. (Photo source: Japan Cabinet Public Affairs Office) Hayashi welcomed Barabaschi's visit to Japan. He stated that fusion energy has been listed as one of the 17 strategic areas in Japan's growth strategy. Japan looks forward to progress in the ITER project and believes it will play a significant role in advancing the realization of fusion energy and enhancing energy security. Hayashi...
2026-07-30
American Fusion Company Launches Texatron Test Program at Texas Tech University
American Fusion Company announced on July 29 that, after completing preliminary laboratory preparations and verifying the remote ignition system, the company has launched the Texatron test program at Texas Tech University. The company is the developer of proprietary technologies related to the Texatron fusion engine. According to the company, a total of seven members of the American Fusion engineering and scientific team conducted a one-day preparation session at the research facilities of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas Tech University. The activities included laboratory environment setup, inspection of instrumentation and supporting systems, system interface verification, and preparation for Texatron platform operation...
2026-07-30
IAEA Launches New Project to Advance Research Network on Small and Medium-Sized Fusion Devices
The International Atomic Energy Agency recently launched a new Coordinated Research Project, aiming to further strengthen the global network of small and medium-sized fusion devices, supporting multinational coordinated experiments, diagnostic technology development, and personnel training, providing a platform for cultivating the next generation of fusion researchers. The Tokamak TT-1 device at the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT) has long participated in the IAEA Coordinated Research Project on the network of small and medium-sized fusion devices, contributing to international cooperation, research, and capacity building. (Photo: JP Cayol/IAEA) This project builds upon a previous five-year collaborative research program. The previous project was named Small and Medium-Sized Magnetic Confinement...
2026-07-30
Reading Ranking
- 1 American Fusion Adds Six New Patent Applications for Texatron Fusion Technology
- 2 UK's MAST Upgrade sets plasma pressure record in fifth experimental campaign
- 3 ITER Test Blanket Modules Enter Key Phase of Preliminary Design Review
- 4 QST completes first gyrotron 170 GHz microwave output test at ITER site
- 5 UC Santa Barbara and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Collaborate to Accelerate Fusion Plasma Simulations with AI
- 6 Oak Ridge National Laboratory Licenses Cryogenic Fuel Pellet Technology to Type One Energy
- 7 IAEA Launches New Project to Advance Research Network on Small and Medium-Sized Fusion Devices
- 8 Masayoshi Son: Nuclear Fusion Could Become Key to Powering Future AI Data Centers
- 9 Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Meets ITER Organization Director-General
- 10 First H-mode plasma with ELMs achieved on WEST
- 11 Fuse Signs Five-Year Cooperative R&D Agreement with Nevada National Security Sites
- 12 Europe Completes Manufacturing of JT-60SA Pellet Centrifuge Accelerator
- 13 TAE Technologies and Black Moon Energy Sign Helium-3 Supply Cooperation Agreement
- 14 DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and REV Advance Shared Fusion Test Platform Construction
- 15 Tokamak Energy's ST40 device new gyrotron completes site acceptance test