NZ Fusion Startup Levites Sun-Power Magnet

A small group of scientists in Wellington, New Zealand, has achieved a significant milestone in the quest for fusion energy. OpenStar Technologies successfully levitated a half-tonne magnet within a chamber containing gas heated to over a million degrees Celsius on Tuesday. This demonstration is a crucial early step, validating the design of their prototype fusion reactor, named Junior.

OpenStar's CEO, Ratu Mataira, is optimistic that their simpler, scalable reactor design, costing under $10 million, provides a competitive edge in the global race to harness fusion power. He believes their approach, inspired by the levitated dipole reactor concept, is more economically viable than traditional tokamak designs.

The company aims to build a next-generation prototype, Tahi, within two years. Subsequent models, Maui and Tama Nui, are planned to eventually generate revenue and produce significant amounts of electricity, potentially powering urban areas. This progress is particularly relevant for New Zealand, which already relies heavily on renewable energy sources.

This achievement is inspired by Sir Ernest Rutherford, the New Zealand-born physicist who pioneered nuclear physics. OpenStar's ultimate goal is to be the team that finishes the race to commercial fusion energy, bringing a clean and limitless power source closer to reality.