The first plasma pulse for almost 18 months took place inside of the JET tokamak in early May.
The machine—the largest and most powerful tokamak in operation today—has been undergoing a revamp to act as a testbed for ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ technologies and plasma operating scenarios. JET is now equipped with an ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ-like beryllium and tungsten wall to study material-plasma interactions, additional heating power, and the ability to handle tritium. Experiments with tritium at JET—the first since the 1990s—will act as an important "dress rehearsal" in preparation for fusion operation at ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ.
Although not a full fusion plasma, achieving the 1.2 mega amp pulse is a key part of completing the JET restart and getting ready for further commissioning of the machine. The first experiments are expected to take place this year.
Read the full article on the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy's .
