Marvel Fusion’s Post

Decades have been spent investigating and developing nuclear fusion with the #NIF project at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives leading the way. Now a new wave of research projects is accelerating progress towards making high-energy laser powered nuclear fusion a practical reality and delivering mankind a source of clean, safe and reliable energy. So it's great to see Marvel Fusion laying the (literal) foundations for their US research facility at the Colorado State University. #NuclearFusion #HighEnergyLasers #Photonics #LIDT

🚀 From TRL to MRL: Bridging Innovation and Reality (Before Falling in the Valley of Death) The journey from ideation to industry always starts with readiness. 🔹 Technology Readiness Level (TRL) was first introduced by NASA in the 1970s to measure how mature a technology is, from concept (TRL 1) to fully proven in operation (TRL 9). 🔹 Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) framework emerged (formalized by the U.S. DoD in the 2000s) to assess how ready we are to manufacture that technology (reliably, affordably and at scale). Both TRL and MRL are two sides of the same coin: - TRL asks, “Does it work?” - MRL asks, “Can we build it?” To better understand this, below are several examples: ⚛️ Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) began serious R&D in the 2000s–2010s. Many have now reached high TRL designs, shifting focus to MRL: supply chain qualification, module fabrication and cost-effective deployment. ☀️ Concentrated Solar Power (CSP): after early commercial plants in the 1980s–1990s, CSP reached TRL 8–9, but scaling manufacturing of mirrors, receivers and thermal storage remains an MRL challenge. 🔥 Fast Liquid Metal Reactors: developed since the 1950s, the technology is mature in principle (high TRL), but manufacturing metal fuels, cladding and components at scale defines today’s main MRL challenge. If you are interested in applied research, understanding TRL and MRL frameworks is essential because innovation doesn’t end when something works, it begins when it’s ready to be built. #Innovation #TRL #MRL #AppliedResearch #Engineering #NuclearEnergy #CSP #SMR #FastReactors #R&D #Manufacturing

The race to build the first working fusion power plant is heating up. Private companies, backed by ambitious investors, are experimenting with designs, from compact tokamaks to stellarators. Advances in magnets, materials, and computing are enabling smaller, efficient machines. This synergy between public research and private innovation is accelerating progress. Controlling super-hot plasma for extended periods is challenging. The reactor's inner walls must endure intense heat and neutron bombardment, requiring ultra-tough materials. #fusionenergy #innovation #technology #science #engineering

As part of LaserNetUS, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) scientific network, Colorado State University researchers are advancing ultrafast laser science to unlock fusion energy, the same process that powers the stars. CSU’s current petawatt-class lasers can recreate extreme conditions similar to those at the center of stars. A new CSU facility will soon house a unique cluster of high-power lasers capable of producing up to 6 petawatts of power, about 6,000 times more than all U.S. power plants combined (for a fraction of a second). The building is part of a 40-year partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fusion Energy Sciences Program and a new collaboration with industry leader Marvel Fusion, accelerating the transition of discoveries from the lab to real-world applications. Fusion energy has the potential to provide virtually unlimited clean energy, and CSU engineers and scientists are at the forefront of making it a reality. Learn more - https://lnkd.in/gnnfFMrW Electrical & Computer Engineering Department - Colorado State University

California headquartered pulsed magnetic fusion system developer Pacific Fusion has selected Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the site for its first Research and Manufacturing Campus. https://lnkd.in/eD6wBGVX

⚡𝗜𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝘁 — 𝗙𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 Big milestones are happening across the fusion landscape — here’s a quick wrap-up of key developments: 🔹 Type One Energy x AECOM 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 AECOM will lead the preliminary design engineering for Infinity Two, Type One’s planned 350 MWe stellarator fusion plant, intended to supply the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) with clean, reliable baseload power. A strong signal that major infrastructure players are entering the fusion race. 🔹 Pacific Fusion 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗼 The company announced a USD 1 billion Research & Manufacturing Campus at Mesa del Sol, which will host their Demonstration System designed for net facility gain. Yet another win for state-level fusion support in the U.S. 🔹 Commonwealth Fusion Systems 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘀 A key component for the SPARC fusion power machine has been successfully manufactured and validated by an independent DOE review panel under the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program — marking a crucial step toward device assembly. 🔹 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆’𝘀 €𝟮 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 Berlin is making a bold €2 billion commitment to fusion, shifting focus from research to commercialization. With lighter regulation, dual-tech pathways, and strong public–private backing, Germany is positioning itself to compete at the front of the global fusion race. Read more on https://lnkd.in/gMZU_df3 🔹𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 Fusion is moving from science experiment to serious industry. With physics breakthroughs, billion-dollar investments, and even power deals signed by tech giants, the sector is rapidly gaining traction. What was once a distant promise is now an emerging market with global momentum. Read more on https://lnkd.in/gQe_ebGV ----- 🚀 Lots of progress this week — from engineering commitments to billion-dollar builds, fusion is steadily moving from vision to infrastructure. #CEP #FusionEnergy #FusionCommercialization #Investment #TechnologicalAdvancements

The relentless pursuit of fusion energy involves two remarkable methods, each representing an engineering marvel that pushes the boundaries of science. Every innovation brings us closer to realizing practical fusion power. While the challenges are significant, the potential benefits are immense. We continue to learn more about harnessing the energy of the stars. #fusionenergy #engineering #science #innovation #futuretech

Pacific Fusion to open facility in New Mexico California headquartered pulsed magnetic fusion system developer Pacific Fusion has selected Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the site for its first Research and Manufacturing Campus. https://lnkd.in/dT2MeEyZ

Our paper "Activation Analysis of a Compact Tokamak Using Deuterium-Helium3 Fuel" has just been published on Fusion Engineering and Design: https://lnkd.in/dXu-vTyC . Building on my Master’s thesis, this work explores the use of Deuterium-Helium3 (DHe3) fuel in a compact, high-field tokamak - an ambitious but promising step beyond traditional Deuterium-Tritium fusion. While still challenging to achieve, DHe3 could drastically reduce neutron production and activation, paving the way for safer, more compact fusion designs. #OpenMC #FispactII #DeuteriumHelium3 #FusionEnergy

Every breakthrough starts with a solid foundation. For us at Horne Technologies, Inc. that foundation began, quite literally, when we set the concrete bunker that now houses our fusion device. Building that structure was about more than neutron safety; it was about creating a stable base to support fast, iterative progress. We're part of a community that believe fusion needs more than power, it needs speed. Our dual-confinement system combines electrostatic and magnetic fields in a compact design, allowing us to test and refine quickly without billion-dollar facilities. Traditional approaches like tokamaks and stellarators are incredible feats of engineering, but their size and complexity mean long timelines and slow iteration. Progress often comes in giant leaps, separated by years of waiting. We’re taking a different path: many small, fast steps that compound into real progress. By running experiments rapidly, we can learn, adapt, and accelerate the journey to practical fusion power. Fusion is one of humanity’s hardest challenges, but agility may be the key to solving it.