The Advanced Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) has set a new record, with the superconducting fusion device also known as Korean artificial sun blasting away with an ion temperature of 100 million degrees (Celcius) for 20 seconds.
The test was conducted on November 24, 2020 by the KSTAR Research Center of the Korea Fusion Energy Institute (KFE) announcing that it was working in a joint research program between Seoul National University (SNU) and Columbia University in the United States.
This is the first big thing, since no other fusion device could sustain more than 100 million degrees or higher for more than 10 seconds – they have broken the world record to ended by 2020, but they were unable to hold it long. KTAR was able to break the 20 second mark by improving the performance of the Internal Transport Barrier (ITB) method.
Si-Woo Yoon, director of the KSTAR research center, explained: “The technologies required for long-range action of 100 million- plasma are the key to realizing fusion energy, and the success of KSTAR in maintaining the high-temperature plasma for 20 seconds will be an important turning point in the race to acquire the technologies for the long-range high-performance plasma operation, an essential part of the future commercial nuclear fusion reactor“.
You can read more about KSTAR artificial sun here.
