In a major international fusion project—ITER, which brings together more than 30 countries—engineers have completed the assembly of the most powerful magnet in history. The magnet will be the core of the facility, designed to hold plasma at temperatures of millions of degrees, recreating processes occurring inside stars. The central solenoid, developed and tested in the United States, is already ready for installation in France.
The ITER magnet is described as powerful enough to lift an aircraft carrier weighing 100,000 tons. It is needed to create an extremely strong magnetic field: the field confines the reaction inside a kind of “invisible cage,” preventing it from destroying the installation’s walls. This approach is presented as a key step toward generating clean, safe energy without carbon dioxide emissions.
Thermonuclear fusion energy is expected to become a near-endless, environmentally friendly and safe source of electricity for the world. The start of the reactor is expected in 2033. In addition to the milestone itself—the assembly of a сверхмощного magnet—it is noted that, despite disagreements between countries, participants continue constructive cooperation.
Source: Reuters
