India launches 1st spherical tokamak in Gujarat, creates 1st plasma
India just took a big step in clean energy by launching its first-ever spherical tokamak at the Institute for Plasma Research in Gujarat.
This high-tech device (think of it as a compact, apple-shaped version of the usual doughnut reactors) recently created its first plasma, which is a key milestone toward making fusion power (basically, creating energy like the sun does) possible on Earth.
Scientists perform 114 discharges, address instabilities
Since its launch, scientists have carried out 114 plasma discharges to see if this smaller setup can handle high-pressure plasma.
They have hit some bumps, like electrical currents messing with plasma stability, but are already tweaking magnetic coils and cleaning up the inside to fix things.
Every improvement gets India closer to stable fusion energy, putting India right in the mix with global research efforts.