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Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
M. Tobin, V. Karpenko, R. Kauffman, A. Anderson, G. Simonson, H. Kruger, J. Davis, T. Hoover
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 30 | Number 3 | December 1996 | Pages 452-456
National Ignition Facility | doi.org/10.13182/FST96-A11962982
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The NIF is being configured so as to ‘not preclude’ the conduct of radiation sciences experiments that will contribute to evaluating the readiness of military systems and components to withstand radiation environments. The range of possible experimental environments and the flexibility to introduce various types of experimental packages suggests synergism with experiments related to Inertial Fusion Energy development on the NIF. The design status of NIF features to support radiation sciences experiments is described, and a relationship to their applicability to IFE experimentation on NIF is discussed.