Satellite images reveal huge fusion research facility in China
Illustrative photo: China is likely to build a large fusion research facility
China is reportedly constructing a large fusion research facility in the southwestern city of Mianyang, which could contribute to nuclear weapons development and research into energy production capabilities, Reuters reports.
According to the report, satellite images reveal four extended "arms" that will house laser bays and a central experimental bay containing a target chamber. The target chamber will hold hydrogen isotopes that powerful lasers will fuse to generate energy.
The facility's design resembles the layout of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the United States, which, in 2022, achieved "scientific breakeven" by generating more energy from a fusion reaction than was delivered by the lasers.
Analysts estimate that the experimental bay at the Chinese facility is about 50% larger than the bay at NIF, currently the largest in the world.
"Any country with an NIF-type facility can and probably will be increasing their confidence and improving existing weapons designs, and facilitating the design of future bomb designs without testing the weapons themselves," said William Alberque, a nuclear policy analyst.
Reuters noted that neither China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Ministry of Science and Technology responded to requests for comment.
Nuclear tests
Laser-based thermonuclear fusion is a technology that uses powerful lasers to initiate the fusion of atomic nuclei. The core principle involves focusing laser energy on a tiny capsule filled with hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium.
The intense radiation heats and compresses the fuel to extreme temperatures and pressures, creating conditions similar to the core of stars. This compression triggers a thermonuclear reaction, releasing a substantial amount of energy.
This technology is being actively explored within the framework of inertial confinement fusion, particularly in large experimental facilities like the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the United States. In 2022, scientists achieved a breakthrough by generating a fusion reaction that produced more energy than was used to initiate it. While this approach still requires significant improvement, it opens up prospects for creating a new source of clean and almost inexhaustible energy that could radically change the world's energy sector.
Earlier, it was reported that after a five-year hiatus, the US and China have resumed negotiations on nuclear weapons. Simultaneously, Washington is developing a tougher nuclear strategy.
