Practice makes precision

2026-03-28 - Jake Makarov, 17, from Pau, France, had already developed a strong interest in fusion energy and ITER before visiting during the latest Open Doors Day. He has even created a series of interactive web simulations and games on the topic. Seeing the project in person left him impressed: “It’s even better in real life!” ITER wishes him all the best in his plans to attend engineering school.

2026-03-28 - The ITER Assembly Hall rises to a height of 60 metres. Stepping inside evokes the surreal wonder of Alice in Wonderland, where the ordinary is transformed and familiar objects—like crane hooks—appear far larger than expected.

2026-03-28 - An Open Doors Day event on Saturday 28 March draws 700 visitors to the ITER site. Some 80 volunteers, plus security, worksite coordination, cleaning, IT, and facilities teams, are on hand to share their knowledge and make sure the day runs smoothly.

2026-03-28 - These participants in the 28 March ITER Open Doors Day were lucky—they could still see into the tokamak pit from a side viewport. Soon, additional sectors will completely block the view.

2026-03-26 - Vacuum vessel sector #9 was delivered in early May by the European Domestic Agency. Here it is seen on its side (narrow side facing us) and marked for welding—each square representing the location of a diagnostic attachment.

2026-03-25 - A European Commission–organized trip brings secondary school teachers from across Europe to the ITER site in March to raise awareness of nuclear fusion and ITER. Equipping teachers with knowledge-sharing about fusion’s importance may in turn help inspire future career paths!

2026-03-24 - This diagram shows how a sector module comes together before it is inserted into the tokamak pit. One vacuum vessel sector (VV) is paired with thermal shielding (red and yellow) and two toroidal field coils (blue). Four sector modules are already in the tokamak pit and another two are being assembled in tooling.

2026-03-24 - In March, the ITER Deputy Director-Generals Yutaka Kamada (Science & Technology) and Luo Delong (Corporate) visit China’s Southwestern Institute of Physics (SWIP). SWIP is an important contributor for Chinese participation in ITER construction, providing key technologies and components. It is also home to the advanced-divertor tokamak HL-3, which provides support for ITER physics research priorities through an agreement signed in 2023.

2026-03-23 - Tandem upending tools are helping the construction teams maintain or even accelerate the schedule. Now that they are in a vertical orientation, these toroidal field coils can be transferred directly into the wings of a sector sub-assembly tool for assembly with a vacuum vessel sector.

2026-03-16 - A vacuum vessel gravity support (under the yellow rigging) is lowered into the narrow space between the cryostat wall (left) and the vacuum vessel sectors in the pit (right).

2026-03-16 - This team from SIMIC (Italy) is using muscle for the last stage of inserting a gravity support under a vacuum vessel sector in the tokamak pit. ITER and SIMIC designers devised a tool that allowed the vacuum vessel gravity support to "slide" under the sector ... with a little push.

2026-03-16 - Twice a year, the Welcome Office of Agence Iter France hosts a seminar at ITER for new employees and their families aimed at helping them navigate their new life in France—and also discover ITER!

2026-03-12 - Students enrolled in the Chinese section of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur International School (EIPACA) have received a letter directly from the pen of Chinese President Xi Jinping, wishing them well and encouraging them in their studies of Chinese language and culture. The correspondence was in reply to a letter the students, with the help of their teachers, had sent the Chinese President late last year, describing their enthusiasm for the unique studies they are undertaking in the south of France.

2026-03-09 - Vacuum vessel sector #9 arrived last week from Europe. Now, it's time to remove the housing and thermal packaging and conduct a visual inspection.