China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), often referred to as the “artificial sun,” has made a striking advance in fusion power, maintaining a steady-state operation for 1,066 seconds—a new world record. This significant achievement underscores an ongoing quest to mimic the sun’s fusion process, which has the potential to provide an everlasting and environmentally friendly energy source.
Developed with over 70 years of research by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the EAST facility generates electricity through the fusion of light atoms under extreme heat and pressure, similar to the sun’s mechanisms. A major challenge in nuclear fusion remains reaching temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius while ensuring stable and precise control over the fusion process.
EAST has evolved into a testing ground since its launch in 2006, contributing valuable data to an extensive international collaboration. The reactor is part of global initiatives like the ITER project in France, which includes participation from multiple countries, aiming to establish fusion as a significant energy source akin to that of stars. CAS hopes that insights gained from EAST will aid in the development of other fusion reactors, enhancing international collaboration to unlock the potential of fusion energy for humanity’s future.