OpenStar Technologies: Progress towards Levitated Dipole Reactors

OpenStar Technologies is a private fusion company exploring the D-T fueled levitated dipole concept for commercial energy production. In support of this pathway, OpenStar has constructed its first experimental device, “Junior”, which a second generation HTS dipole coil with onboard superconducting power supply. With a 5.2 m diameter vacuum vessel and up to 50 kW of ECRH power, Junior will reproduce and extend previous levitated laboratory magnetospheric experiments LDX (MIT-Columbia) and RT-1 (U. Tokyo). Junior achieved first supported plasmas late last year and results from these experiments and results from expected first levitated dipole confined plasmas will be presented. OpenStar has also refined the mission of its second device, Tahi, which will be the first levitated dipole to confine fusion relevant plasmas with a target Lawson criterion nTτ > 10¹⁹ keV s / m³. Lastly, we have advanced work on the levitated dipole D-T reactor concept focusing on dipole coil neutron heating, thermal management, and levelized cost of electricity showing a viable path to commercialization.