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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Fusion Science and Technology
August 2026
Latest News
Second round of Launch Pad selections includes eight newcomers
The National Reactor Innovation Center at Idaho National Laboratory has announced 13 project selections across 12 companies for the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, a Department of Energy–led program that integrates reactor and fuel facility authorization, testing, and deployment support for private nuclear developers.
The Launch Pad emerged from the Reactor Pilot Program and Fuel Line Pilot Program.
According to INL, projects selected include reactor development and nuclear fuel cycle advancements, including fabrication, enrichment, and conversion technologies.
Colin Baus, Hugh Boniface, Ian Castillo, Amir Dashliborun, Christian Day, Takashi Ino, Minoru Jimma, Daiki Kikuchi, Mitch King, Satoshi Konishi, Yoshifumi Kume, Suneui Lee, Nobuo Maki, Yoshinao Matsunaga, John McGrady, Kyosuke Namba, Louis Neumann, Yuhei Nozoe, Richard Pearson, Donald Ryland, Jonas Schwenzer, Stephen Strickwerda, Sam Suppiah, Tim Teichmann, Bibake Uppal, Todd Whitehorne, Tomoya Yokoi
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 82 | Number 1 | January-February 2026 | Pages 357-372
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2025.2481362
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
UNITY-2 (UNique Integrated Testing facilitY) is a facility designed to replicate the architecture of the deuterium-tritium fuel cycle of a fusion pilot plant (FFP) on a smaller scale. The facility will operate continuously at a steady-state flow rate of 2.3 Pa m3 s−1 using gas puffing, and will allow for the injection of fuel pellets for shorter periods with up to 27.5 Pa m3 s−1. UNITY-2 will demonstrate a fully integrated deuterium-tritium fuel cycle using a license for up to 30 g of tritium at Chalk River Laboratories, therefore reducing the risk of producing a FFP on a decadal timeframe. Its novelty, relative to past and planned fuel cycle experimental demonstrations, lies in the continuous and fully integrated operation, an inner fuel cycle that includes a direct internal recycling loop, an inner and outer loop, and a breeder cycle based on lithium lead coolant. UNITY-2 has a full suite of detritiation systems to demonstrate as low as reasonably achievable releases. Following the successful integrated operation, the technology readiness will reach a maturity to be applied to FFPs.