This week, the Vacuum Vessel Division and many people including external support staff of the CAD and Design Coordination Division had reason to take a deep breath and open a bottle. All the 3D models for the ITER Vacuum Vessel (VV) including the detailed models of the ports and the in-wall shielding have been completed and were handed over to the corresponding Domestic Agencies in charge of manufacturing the components.

That's Europe, who will procure seven of the nine VV sectors; Korea, who will procure the remaining two sectors plus the equatorial and the lower ports; the Russian Federation who will procure the upper ports; and India for the manufacture of the in-wall shielding that will protect the tokamak components from neutron radiation and help optimize the plasma performance.

"We are very pleased, as the delivery of all the models is a very important milestone in order to meet the ITER construction schedule," said Kimihiro Ioki, Head of the Vacuum Vessel Division. "The models are very important for Europe for the tendering process which is now going on. We expect the contract to be awarded in October this year. For India and Russia it is the same situation...the contract will be awarded to industry in July. The Korean Domestic Agency has already awarded the contract."