Building fusion knowledge, one weld at a time

2026-06-23 - A central solenoid module is gripped by a tool that exerts radial force (instead of pulling from above). When it reaches the top of the central solenoid stack later today it will be the sixth and final magnet module.

2026-06-22 - These engineers are transferring the 440-tonne load of vacuum vessel sector #7 from its overhead radial beam to its gravity support below.

2026-06-22 - ITER personnel mark the International Day of Yoga by starting the week with a 30-minute outdoor yoga session. The event was sponsored by the Consulate General of India in Marseille, which provided participants with yoga mats, T-shirts and a healthy breakfast.

2026-06-19 - Vacuum vessel sector #9 is lifted out of the upending "cradle" to be transferred across the way into a sector sub-assembly tool.

2026-06-18 - The ITER tokamak assembly pit in June 2026, with five of nine vacuum vessel modules in place.

2026-06-18 - The victory was hard-earned, but the trophy ultimately went to a team of eight fusion researchers sporting “Fuse Baby Fuse” T-shirts provided by ITER. On Thursday, 18 June, the Applied Physics Department at TU Eindhoven (Netherlands) held its annual football tournament. The winning side, DT United, was made up of eight players from the TU Eindhoven fusion group and the DIFFER fusion department.

2026-06-18 - Toroidal field coil #7 (TF07) is removed from the cryostat of the ITER magnet cold test facility, after the successful completion of cold tests. Analysis of joint resistance after the cold test at 4 K (-269 °C) revealed no abnormalities.

2026-06-17 - The first bellows unit is transferred from storage into the Tokamak Building. A total of 93 bellows units (83 rectangular and 8 circular) will be installed between the vacuum vessel and the cryostat, or between the cryostat and the building walls to accommodate thermal expansion and mechanical loads during operation.

2026-06-17 - The "Top Welding, Top ITER" competition brings together welders from across the project together to test their skills in a series of welding categories. Here, first-place welders celebrate their victory on stage with head judge Robert Pearce (left), Head of Construction Project Sergio Orlandi (second from right), and Machine Assembly Program Manager Jens Reich.

2026-06-17 - One of two sector sub-assembly tools (foreground) stands empty ... for a short time. Vacuum vessel sector #9 is on its way.

2026-06-17 - Vacuum vessel sector #9 has been upended to vertical using a special "cradle" called the upending tool. It will be transferred in its vertical position to sub-assembly tooling.

2026-06-15 - At the divertor integration facility in Qinshan, China, the elements of the ITER divertor will come together to form the "divertor cassette assemblies" that will be installed at ITER.

2026-06-15 - Final sub-assembly activities are underway on sector module #1, which will be moved into the tokamak pit in July.

2026-06-15 - A consortium led by the Southwestern Institute of Physics (SWIP) will mount inner vertical targets from Europe, outer vertical targets from Japan, and divertor domes from Russia onto cassette bodies manufactured by Europe, and integrate diagnostic systems and operational instrumentation.