Congress turns cold on fusion

Journal Article · Fri Jun 22 00:00:00 EDT 1984 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.224.4655.1322· OSTI ID:6734137

Marshall, E

A 5% cut in fusion research budgets will force some programs to be dropped in order to keep the large machinery running unless US and European scientists collaborate instead of competing. Legislators became uneasy about the escalating costs of the new devices. The 1984 budget of $470 million for magnetic fusion research is only half the projected cost of the Tokomak Fusion Core Experiment (TFCX) planned to ignite, for the first time, a self-sustaining burn. Planning for the TCFX continued despite the message from Congress. Work at the large institutions at Princeton, MIT, etc. may survive at the expense of other programs, some of which will lose academic programs as well. Scientists point to the loss of new ideas and approaches when projects are cancelled. Enthusiasm is growing for international collaboration.

• OSTI ID: 6734137
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 224
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
BUDGETS
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS
FINANCING
TOKAMAK TYPE REACTORS
COOPERATION
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
SYNTHESIS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
700000* - Fusion Energy
290600 - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy