First plasma at Japan's largest tokamak, public-private partnerships, UK & US partner for fusion

Fusion News: November 15, 2023

Dr. Leigh Ann Kesler, a nuclear engineer and fusion consultant specializing in science communication, gives an update on the global development of fusion energy. Links to all the stories mentioned are given below. 1. First plasma fired up at world’s largest fusion reactor: https://www.science.org/content/article/first-plasma-fired-world-s-largest-fusion-reactor 2. Fusion Diary: the spherical tokamak story: https://asiatimes.com/2023/11/fusion-diary-the-spherical-tokamak-story/ 3. Focused Energy Partners with LLNL on a Target Design for Inertial Fusion Energy: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231107594701/en/Focused-Energy-Partners-with-LLNL-on-a-Target-Design-for-Inertial-Fusion-Energy 4. Petition calls on UK to save JET fusion experiment from closure: https://physicsworld.com/a/petition-calls-on-uk-to-save-jet-fusion-experiment-from-closure/#:~:text=More%20than%20750%20people%20have,fusion%20reactor%20in%20early%202024. 5. Joint Statement Between DOE and the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Concerning a Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Fusion: https://www.energy.gov/articles/joint-statement-between-doe-and-uk-department-energy-security-and-net-zero-concerning#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20Department%20of%20Energy,and%20commercialization%20of%20fusion%20energy. Bonuses: 1. Nuclear fusion, new drugs, better batteries: how AI will transform science: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/audio/2023/nov/02/nuclear-fusion-new-drugs-better-batteries-how-ai-will-transform-science-podcast 2. Pursuing fusion power: https://knowablemagazine.org/article/physical-world/2023/the-challenge-of-fusion-power 3. China completes ITER magnet support components: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/China-completes-ITER-magnet-support-components