Over 280 representatives of the U.S. and international fusion research community gathered in Snowmass Village, Colorado on July 8-19 to assess the next steps in fusion energy science research. Their initial conclusions released on July 19 include a recommendation that the next major step in magnetic fusion research should be a burning plasma program, deemed essential to the science focus and energy goal of fusion research. The participants went on to identify three viable options for a “burning plasma” program, including the $5 billion International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) currently under development by Russia, Europe and Japan. The United States, a founding member of the ITER project, dropped out in 1998 but is under increasing pressure to reconsider its involvement. The Snowmass report notes that their conclusions “will provide the basis for a policy decision by the United States to pursue a role in the ITER project.”

For more information on the Snowmass Summer Study Program see: http://web.gat.com/snowmass/

From the IEEE-USA Eye on Washington, July 26, 2002