Burning Plasmas

The ultimate goal of the fusion program is to generate net fusion power in a safe and cost effective manner. In the US, as well as in the international program, the next logical step in the program is argued to be a burning plasma experiment that can address many of the physics and technical issues associated with self sustainment. In the US there have been a series of workshops sponsored by the University Fusion Association (UFA) to discuss burning plasma issue and the means to address them. The most recent one, Burning Plasma Science Workshop II, was held May 1-3, 2001. There is also a Next Step Options (NSO) program to evaluate potential major next steps in magnetic fusion. In July 2002 there will be a two-week study at Snowmass, Colorado to discuss burning plasma options for the US that include the FIRE and ITER designs in the links below, as well as the Italian IGNITOR project.

FIRE

The Fusion Ignition Research Experiment (FIRE) is the first option to be considered under the NSO program. FIRE is being designed to explore and understand the science of self-heated magnetically confined fusion plasmas in a terrestial laboratory.

ITER

Scientists and engineers from Europe, Japan, and Russia are working in an unprecedented international collaboration on the next major step for the development of fusion - ITER (which means "the way" in Latin). ITER's mission is to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy for peaceful purposes. To do this, ITER will demonstrate extended energy production, demonstrate essential fusion energy technologies in an integrated system, and perform integrated testing of key elements required to use fusion as a practical energy source.