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Fusion Energy

When these happened

16 dated records from 1951 to 2040. Each is drawn as wide as its date is certain — a band is a band because nobody knows the year, not because the drawing is imprecise.

197520002025Spitzer proposes the stellarator; Project Matterhorn begins at Princeton — 1951JET's DTE1 campaign sets the first deuterium-tritium fusion power record — 1997ITER adopts the 2016 reference baseline — 2016NIF exceeds the Lawson criterion for ignition — 2021-08-08JET's DTE2 campaign releases 59 MJ in a single pulse — 2021-12NIF achieves target gain greater than unity for the first time — 2022-12-05NIF repeats target gain and raises the yield to 3.88 MJ — 2023-07-30JET sets the single-pulse fusion energy record of 69.26 MJ — 2023-10-03JET ceases plasma operations after 105,842 pulses — 2023-12ITER presents an updated project baseline to the ITER Council — 2024-06-19NIF achieves ignition for the sixth time — 2024-11-18EAST sustains a high-confinement plasma for 1,066 seconds — 2025-01-20NIF reaches 8.6 MJ yield and a target gain of 4.13 — 2025-04-07Wendelstein 7-X sets a triple product record for long-duration plasmas — 2025-05-22Commonwealth Fusion Systems' declared target for net energy gain at SPARC — 2027ITER's declared target date for the start of deuterium-tritium operation — 2039
16 shown · 16 dated · 0 cannot be placed on an axis · Approximate or contested. Draw a band and do not sharpen its edges.
In order16
  1. 1951Spitzer proposes the stellarator; Project Matterhorn begins at Princeton

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  2. 1997JET's DTE1 campaign sets the first deuterium-tritium fusion power record

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  3. 2016ITER adopts the 2016 reference baseline

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  4. 2021-08-08NIF exceeds the Lawson criterion for ignition

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  5. 2021-12JET's DTE2 campaign releases 59 MJ in a single pulse

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  6. 2022-12-05NIF achieves target gain greater than unity for the first time

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  7. 2023-07-30NIF repeats target gain and raises the yield to 3.88 MJ

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  8. 2023-10-03JET sets the single-pulse fusion energy record of 69.26 MJ

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  9. 2023-12JET ceases plasma operations after 105,842 pulses

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  10. 2024-06-19ITER presents an updated project baseline to the ITER Council

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  11. 2024-11-18NIF achieves ignition for the sixth time

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  12. 2025-01-20EAST sustains a high-confinement plasma for 1,066 seconds

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  13. 2025-04-07NIF reaches 8.6 MJ yield and a target gain of 4.13

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  14. 2025-05-22Wendelstein 7-X sets a triple product record for long-duration plasmas

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  15. 2027Commonwealth Fusion Systems' declared target for net energy gain at SPARCa declared target, not a prediction

    A programme target or declared plan. NEVER a prediction.

  16. 2039ITER's declared target date for the start of deuterium-tritium operationa declared target, not a prediction

    A programme target or declared plan. NEVER a prediction.