SINGAPORE: According to experts at two analytical organizations, China is reportedly constructing a sizable laser-ignited fusion research center in the southwest city of Mianyang. This breakthrough could help with the construction of nuclear weapons and research into power generation.
According to Decker Eveleth, a researcher at the US-based independent research organization CNA Corp., satellite images depict four outlying “arms” that will house laser bays and a central experiment bay that will house a target chamber containing hydrogen isotopes. The powerful lasers will fuse together to produce energy.
Similar in design is the $3.5 billion US National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Northern California, which achieved “scientific breakeven” in 2022, producing more energy from a fusion reaction than the lasers fed into the target.
