A Fusion Development Facility Based on the Spherical Torus

Abstract

The Fusion community could soon have available an opportunity to significantly advance fusion development, an opportunity afforded by the potential of the spherical torus as a plasma confinement system. That opportunity is, in a single device at an affordable price and at a suitable site, to move sequentially through the major fusion objectives of advanced confinement physics, burning plasma and DT physics, blanket and other fusion nuclear technology development, tritium self-sufficiency, and, perhaps at the end with an upside performance outcome, a chance at net electric breakeven. Meeting this set of objectives would dramatically advance the development of fusion.