Jeff Bezos Is Backing an Ancient Kind of Nuclear Fusion
This tech could be more practical than tokamaks. By Caroline Delbert “Smaller fusion reactors could have their breakthrough moment far sooner than large projects." The Jeff Bezos-backed General Fusion and Commonwealth Fusion Systems both are targeting 2025. These reactors use extraordinary magnets to pressurize elements into superhot plasma. Two competing nuclear fusion companies, each with venture capital superstars as major investors, say we’re approaching the “Kitty Hawk moment” for their technology as early as 2025.” Magnetized target fusion (MTF ) dates back to the 1970s , when the U.S. Naval Research Lab first proposed it. But MTF’s proponents say the technology is now bearing down to reach the commercial power market. What is this tech, and will it be viable before the competing fusion model of tokamaks , like the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)? Like a tokamak, an MTF reactor involves hot plasma contained by a powerful magnetic field. But wh