Fusion Test Reactor

The Fusion Test Reactor was an experimental facility developed in the 1980s in the United States to study nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun. Fusion involves combining lightweight atomic nuclei, like hydrogen isotopes, at extremely high temperatures to form heavier nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy. The reactor aimed to understand how to sustain and control fusion reactions on Earth as a potential clean and virtually limitless energy source. Although it was ultimately decommissioned, the research contributed to advancing fusion technology and informed ongoing international efforts to develop practical fusion power.