Solar Power Station Artificial Sun

What is the 'artificial sun'?

A commercial "artificial sun," or tokamak, has achieved a world-first for a private company, generating plasma at 180 million degrees Fahrenheit (100 million degrees celsius), the temperature at which fusion can take place.

What is China's 'artificial sun'?

China's Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), also known as the Chinese Artifical Sun, has operated since 2006. MU CHEN/Barcroft Media via Getty Images In a new world record, China's "artificial sun" project has sustained a nuclear fusion reaction for more than 17 minutes, reports Anthony Cuthbertson for the Independent.

Does China's 'artificial sun' set a new world record?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. China 's "artificial sun" has set a new world record after superheating a loop of plasma to temperatures five times hotter than the sun for more than 17 minutes, state media reported.

How do artificial suns generate fusion energy?

To generate fusion energy, these artificial suns have contained the plasma at these temperatures long enough for atomic nuclei to begin smashing together. In 2016, KSTAR set a world record for maintaining plasma heated by containing plasma heated to 90 million °F for 70 seconds.

When will China's 'artificial sun' be ready?

Its demonstration nuclear power plant is expected to be ready by 2035. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), popularly known as China’s “artificial sun”, set a new record on Wednesday by running for 403 seconds in a steady-state high-confinement long plasma operation, Chinese news outlet CGTN reported.

Why is the east reactor called an artificial sun?

The doughnut-shaped EAST reactor is referred to as an artificial sun because it simulates the fusion process within stars, reports Robert Lea for Newsweek. In a star's core, intense pressure and high temperatures fuse atomic nuclei, creating new elements, reports Michelle Star for Science Alert.