For the first time, scientists in South Korea have managed to sustain a nuclear fusion reaction at temperatures beyond 100 million°C for 30 seconds.
"We usually say that fusion energy is a dream energy source – it is almost limitless, with low emission of greenhouse gases and no high-level radioactive waste – [but the latest breakthrough] means fusion is not a dream."
- Yoo Suk-jae, President of the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy
A team from Seoul National University and the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy performed the experiment at the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research.
By the end of 2022, the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy aims to maintain plasma temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees for 50 seconds.
By 2026, the institute seeks to reach a final target of 300 seconds, which is the minimum time frame to demonstrate steady-state operations.
Last year, China was able to maintain a reaction for almost 17 minutes at a slightly lower temperature of 70 million°C.
