NCSX (National Compact Stellarator Experiment)

The National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) was a research project aimed at developing a type of fusion reactor called a stellarator, which uses complex magnetic fields to contain hot plasma for energy production. Unlike tokamaks, stellarators have a more stable magnetic configuration, potentially offering continuous operation. NCSX's goal was to explore these advantages, but the project was canceled in 2008 due to technical challenges and high costs. Its research contributed to understanding magnetic confinement, which is vital for future fusion energy development—an approach that seeks to produce clean, virtually limitless power by mimicking the processes powering the sun.