The following is a synopsis of the objectives given in the report of the ITER Special Working Group on Task #1.

Performance and Testing Requirements

• Achieve inductive plasma burn with power amplification, Q (ratio of fusion power to auxiliary heating power), of at least 10, under stationary conditions on the timescales of plasma processes;
• Aim at demonstrating steady-state operation with Q > 5;
• Do not preclude the possibility of controlled ignition.
• Integrate the technologies essential for a fusion reactor (e.g. superconducting magnets, remote maintenance);
• Test components for a future reactor (e.g. divertor and torus vacuum pumps);
• Test tritium breeding module concepts for DEMO.

Design Requirements

• Engineering choices and design solutions make maximum use of existing R&D.
• Machine parameters give confidence in achieving the required plasma and engineering performance.
• The design permits advanced modes of plasma operation and a wide operating range.
• The design is confirmed by the scientific and technological database available at the end of the EDA.
• Inductive flat top capability ~ 300-500 s
• Operation limited to a few 10s of thousands of pulses
• Able to support equilibria with high bootstrap current fraction and plasma heating dominated by alpha particles.
• Average neutron flux > 0.5 MW/m²
• Average fluence > 0.3 MWa/m²
• Later installation of tritium breeding blanket should not be precluded.

Operation Requirements

• Burning plasma experiments should address confinement, stability, exhaust of helium ash, and impurity control.
• Steady state experiments should address issues of non-inductive current drive and other means for profile and burn control and for achieving improved modes of confinement and stability.
• Operating modes should have sufficient reliability for nuclear testing.
• The device is anticipated to operate for ~ 20 years, using externally supplied tritium.