Signal China completes world's largest 582-tonne fusion magnet

Summary

The Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences completed the construction and testing of a 582-tonne superconducting fusion magnet, described as the largest in the world. The magnet has a D-shaped structure measuring 21 meters long and 12 meters wide. It serves as a core component for confining and controlling ultra-high-temperature plasma in next-generation fusion reactors, sometimes called artificial suns. The completion is regarded as a major engineering milestone toward the goal of commercial clean fusion power around 2030. Its scale as the world's largest such magnet is also being highlighted as a demonstration of superconducting magnet manufacturing capability. The magnet is intended for use in the institute's ongoing fusion reactor program.