"Snapshots" Gallery
Different ways to discover ITER
2025-04-24 - A virtual reality headset is just one of the ways to learn about the ITER tokamak at the 2025 ITER Business Forum in Marseille, France, and it's a popular one! The technology takes you right inside the virtual machine and allows you to walk around...
Deep into the ITER plant
2025-04-22 - At least half of the participants to the 2d ITER Private Sector Fusion Workshop in April take the opportunity to spend a few hours visiting the ITER plant. During the hop-on/hop-off tour, dozens of guides share specific expertise in critical fusion systems (cryogenics, power supply, heating) and walk guests through the machine assembly activities currently underway.
Significant
2025-04-10 - Sector module #7 is lowered into position on 10 April. In the vast volume of the tokamak pit it seems almost small, but the component and its rigging weigh almost 1,400 tonnes—the equivalent of four fully-loaded Boeing 747s.
The road to ITER
2024-10-21 - All of the largest ITER components travel from the Fos-sur-Mer port of arrival to the ITER site along a special road itinerary. Moving only at night to minimize the disturbance to local communities, they are stored during the day in secure areas (pictured, is European vacuum vessel sector #5).
So close and yet...
2024-03-13 - A powerful telephoto lens makes it look like ITER is sited in the foothills of the pre-Alps, when in fact they are 60 kilometres away.
Reflection
2023-12-13 - Members of the extensive Tritium Building team are a colourful sight on a grey day as they stand at the top of the structure for an end-of-construction ceremony in December 2023.
Tokamak Complex
2023-11-02 - The Tokamak Complex (comprising the Tritium, Tokamak and Diagnostics buildings) has now been completely framed out. Only one major structure remains to be built on the ITER platform—the Hot Cell Facility.
A September update
2023-08-29 - As summer wanes and a busy season lies ahead, it's a good time to refresh desktops with the latest view of the ITER Tokamak Complex, as seen from ITER Headquarters.
Strawberry moon rises
2023-06-03 - A spectacular "Strawberry Moon"—named for the fruit that ripens in spring and not for its colour—rises over the ITER site on 3 June 2023. Courtesy of Donato Lioce
Suspended
2023-01-25 - Looking through the centre of the twin sector sub-assembly tools (SSATs), where two 440-tonne vacuum vessel sectors are currently suspended. The ITER plasma chamber will be formed from nine sectors.
December 2022
2022-12-06 - Looking north from the top of the Tritium Building, which now rises its full five storeys above platform level.
Physicist or engineer?
2022-09-17 - Watching a video animation in the Visitors Building, this young boy ponders an existential question: what is the most exciting way to be part of the great fusion quest? Engineering or plasma physics?
Repelling down the module
2022-06-09 - The first section of the ITER vacuum vessel has been in place in the assembly pit since 11 May. This "rope access technician" is positioning fiducial targets on the surfaces of the component to be used in laser metrology.
Bright lights
2021-11-17 - Days are getting shorter in southern France, and the ITER site is all aglow by 6 p.m.
On a cloud
2021-09-28 - The heart of the ITER facility, seen from a distance. Inside of this 170-metre-long double building, the ITER Tokamak is under construction. © Christian Luenig
Towards first sub-assembly
2021-08-24 - Each ITER vacuum vessel sector needs to be associated with two vertical coils and thermal shielding before being lowered and positioned in the assembly pit; this so-called sub-assembly is the basic building block of the ITER plasma chamber. All the pieces for the first sub-assembly are in place in a specialized tool in the Assembly Hall (seen from above in this photo).
Vintage diving helmet?
2021-06-23 - Although it looks a little like a vintage diving helmet, this is vacuum vessel sector #6, photographed from the back of the assembly tooling. Two panels of thermal shielding are ready to slide into place over its surface. (Courtesy of Chang Hyun Noh.)
Modern art
2021-03-22 - Dotted with embedded plates and openings, and some casually draped wires, an interior wall of the Tokamak Building looks like a large-scale work of modern art. © Christian Luenig
Mirrors
2021-01-21 - As an element of the cryostat thermal shield descends into the Tokamak pit, its silvery surface reflects the colours, lights and distorted shapes of the environment.
A wide night sky, and ITER
2020-11-10 - A crescent moon and the Milky Way complete the wintry feel of this ITER night shot. Photo: ITER Organization/EJF Riche
Alien object?
2020-10-05 - This alien-looking object is part of ITER's reactive power compensation and harmonic filtering system, designed to reduce "harmonic distortions" in the AC current that ITER receives from the grid.
Next!
2020-08-22 - All of the major components of the ITER Tokamak will enter through the double doors of the Cleaning Facility, which is a small antechamber to the Assembly Hall. In this picture, the lower cylinder of the cryostat (30 metres in diameter, 10 metres in height, 490 tonnes) is just crossing the threshold.
First piece installed
2020-05-28 - The first piece of the ITER Tokamak—the soup-dish-shaped base of the cryostat (1,250 tonnes)—was lowered into the Tokamak pit on 26 May. It fit perfectly. Photo: ITER Organization/EJF Riche
Waiting is over
2020-05-06 - A few weeks ahead of the first machine assembly activities, the Tokamak pit is immortalized in its pristine state, just waiting for that first piece of high technology to arrive. Photo: Gérard Lesénéchal
At year's end
2019-12-05 - The last photo of the year 2019. The year 2020 promises to be a special one for the ITER Project, as some of the largest machine components arrive on site and the carefully orchestrated assembly phase for the ITER machine and plant officially kicks off.
Industry through the lens of an artist
2019-11-04 - Swiss photographer Luca Zanier sees the artistic in the industrial. As part of an interest in space and energy, he visited ITER in July 2019 and captured this shot of one of ITER's two 800-tonne vacuum vessel assembly tools (from below). "Strange worlds emanating a cool logic" is how he describes his interest the technical universe of industrial plants. © Luca Zanier
Patrouille de France colours the sky near ITER
2019-10-14 - The national air display team, the Patrouille de France, performed a double flyover of the neighbouring CEA-Cadarache in October to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the nuclear research centre's creation. There was a front-row view from the ITER site...
Tokamak-sur-mer
2019-06-30 - At the height of the heat wave, in late June, surface temperature on the ITER worksite climbed to the 50 °C range. To continue work—and protect workers—a series of measures was implemented: the morning shifts began earlier, longer pauses were granted, cool mist vaporizers were installed, and... parasols made an appearance.
Passing clouds
2019-05-25 - A perfect sky is framed by the puffy white cocoon of the cryostat lower cylinder. ITER photographer Robert Arnoux had to lie on his back and wait for just the right clouds to capture this photo.
Cold and crisp
2019-01-30 - The flags of the seven ITER Members—China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States—fly over the worksite on a cold, crisp day in January.
One moment in the life of the construction site
2018-08-19 - Of the 40 openings in the bioshield there is one in this photo that seems to frame—and illuminate—the work underway.
ITER in the rain
2018-08-09 - After weeks of perfectly azure skies, ITER presents itself in a ... more subdued colour range.
Panorama of the ITER site
2018-03-19 - The ITER site, where nearly 2,000 workers are active in March 2018. A similar photo was posted to this gallery in March 2015—try comparing them! (Hint: use the cranes as fixed reference points.)
The tower of ITER
2018-02-02 - On five floors at ITER Headquarters, designers are designing, engineers are engineering and project managers are managing ... in English, even though approximately 30 languages are spoken at home by staff members.
As 2017 tiptoes out
2017-12-08 - Compiled from a series of photos, this view shows the sun setting over the ITER worksite in December. Photo: ITER Organization/EJF Riche
Snow!
2017-12-07 - Night falls early in December on the snow-tipped ITER construction platform. Photo: ITER Organization/EJF Riche
A dry summer in the region
2017-07-24 - A long stretch of hot and dry weather in the southeast of France has resulted in a particularly high risk of brush fire. In late July, following several days of high wind, firefighters battled outbreaks in several zones near ITER. The resulting smoke was visible from the ITER offices.
United colours of ITER
2017-04-20 - The seven flags of the ITER Members—and one for the ITER Organization—fly proudly over the construction site in Saint Paul-lez-Durance, France.
A small Sun at ITER
2017-03-10 - The Sun seems to recognize its kin in ITER, turning the ITER Assembly Hall into a perfect copy of its yellow and orange flames one evening as it sets in March.
Drone overhead
2017-01-12 - In January, ITER contractor Emmanuel Riche spent a couple of days capturing the construction site from above. His photos and videos will be made available on the ITER website and in the new 360° tour that can be accessed from our homepage.
Winter evening
2017-01-12 - The sun setting in the west is reflected on the metal cladding of the Assembly Hall. The first ground-level walls of the Tokamak Complex are now visible (at left). Photo: ITER Organization/EJF Riche
No time to blink
2016-12-08 - The International Space Station is captured in its flight over ITER on 8 December 2016 (see the white streak to the left of the crane in the centre of the image). The astronauts on board—one French, three Russians, two Americans—probably didn't know that 400 km below, their compatriots are working together on another of humanity's grand challenges.
Super moon rises
2016-11-14 - The 2016 "super moon" rises over ITER Headquarters on 14 November.
Reflections of the rising Sun
2016-10-06 - The early light is reflected in the tallest ITER building, in this shot taken from the cornfields of Vinon-sur-Verdon.
The worksite in June 2016
2016-06-14 - The giant red crawler crane was temporarily installed on site in June to lift the elements of the Assembly Hall travelling cranes into place. Here today, gone tomorrow ...
An arc of colour over the site
2016-06-07 - A fabulous rainbow appears over the ITER site on 7 June after a brief, but powerful thunderstorm. Photo courtesy of Riccardo Pedica.
April at ITER
2016-04-12 - Spring has appeared on the ITER site, with green and yellow sprouting in the surrounding hills and along the platform's embankments.
Aerial photos coming soon
2016-04-11 - This little drone seen on (and over) the site in early April carries the promise of a new series of high-res aerial photos ...
ITER against the backdrop of the Alps
2016-03-08 - Taken with a powerful telephoto lens, this photo makes the French Alps look tantalizingly close.
ITER at night
2015-11-27 - The ITER worksite scintillates on a clear and cold November evening. ©Christophe Roux - CEA/IRFM
Photographic impression of ITER construction
2015-11-07 - German photographer Christian Luenig visits the construction site a second time and leaves us with a number of artistic photographic impressions of the ITER worksite. Photo: Christian Lünig/ VG Bild und Kunst
Seven flags plus two
2015-09-11 - The flags of the seven ITER Members have recently joined those of the ITER Organization and the European Domestic Agency over the Tokamak Complex worksite.
Two suns over ITER
2015-09-03 - Early September, an optical phenomenon known as a "sun dog" is captured near the ITER site. This atmospheric event, caused by the refraction of light from ice crystals, produces a smaller sun to the left and right of the real orb. Pictured: the right-hand sun dog.
From far above
2015-06-28 - Can you see the ITER construction site? This shot was taken from the window of a commercial jetliner in June 2015.
Panorama of the ITER site
2015-03-20 - Taken on the day of the partial eclipse of the Sun—20 March 2015—this panorama shows work underway on the ITER facility. Some 1,000 workers will soon be active on site.
Snow in February
2015-02-04 - A few days a year it happens in Provence—ranging from just a dusting to 5-6 centimetres. Snow!
From a distance
2014-12-18 - The Tokamak Complex cranes viewed from the site of the future logistics platform.
Irises in December
2014-12-02 - Protected from the wind, heated by the sun reflecting off the ground-floor bay windows, the irises at ITER Headquarters are flowering ... in December.
The worksite in November
2014-11-18 - Four of five cranes are now in place around the Tokamak Complex worksite, where work begins in November on the basement-level walls.
Night lights
2014-11-13 - On a November evening, under a purple sky, all the platform is aglow...
Aerial balancing act
2014-10-01 - Section by section, the largest crane is assembled on the worksite.
Hard to guess
2014-09-04 - Although it looks like it could come straight out of a science fiction movie, this picture captures a rather run-of-the-mill activity: brush-cutting on the hill behind the Poloidal Field Coils Winding Facility.
Stormy weather
2014-07-04 - For the past few days in southern France, cold air descending from Iceland has been colliding with hot air ascending from the Sahara desert. As a consequence the weather in Provence has turned quite nasty with several episodes of violent rainfalls sometimes accompanied by hailstorms. On 4 July, a strong gale blowing from the south caused a small dust storm on the ITER site. Flags had to be lowered and stored in haste and, as it was becoming quite dangerous to use the doors of Headquarters, staff was advised not to leave the building until the storm abated.
Spring in Saint Paul-lez-Durance
2014-05-12 - The ITER cherry trees, planted around Headquarters at time of the building's completion, have become productive. In Provence, cherry trees attain their maximum production between 12 and 25 years of age—the very period during which the ITER fusion experiments will be bearing fruit ...
Winter light
2014-01-24 - The ITER construction site, seen from the small country road leading to the village of Ginasservis.
Another year comes to a close
2013-12-11 - A frosty early morning scene showing the status of ITER construction at the end of 2013. In 2014, the walls of the Tokamak Complex will begin to rise.
Blues and greens
2013-11-06 - Past the frame of the Cryostat Workshop, 27 metres tall, the hills of Haute Provence shimmer in green and blue.
Headquarters in autumn
2013-10-12 - On the northwest side of the ITER Headquarters, the architect's signature slats ondulate across the facade. On a brilliant autumn day, they seem to shimmer.
The ITER lobby on a festive day
2013-09-06 - Early on 6 September 2013, before the arrival of the delegations to the ITER Council Ministerial-Level Meeting, the lobby is dressed with flags and a red carpet.
Zing! A natural plasma spectacle
2013-07-15 - A bolt of lightning over the ITER site is captured in July 2013. Lightning is a high current electric discharge in the air that generates a ramified column of plasma. This specific bolt might have been looking for its kindred—the plasma that will be created within the ITER vacuum vessel. The place was right but the time ... some seven years too early.
Spring has sprung
2013-05-29 - On the eastern corner of the platform, spring flowers are showing their colours. As the Winding Facility (red) waits patiently, work has started on a temporary workshop for the cryostat under the Indian Domestic Agency. In this on-site workshop the main sections of the ITER cryostat will be assembled from 54 smaller segments.
The other harvest of ITER
2013-05-22 - Six rows of grapevines adorn the grassy slope near the entrance of ITER Headquarters. Landscapers have also planted cherry, almond, fig and pear trees. We should expect First Fruit late in the summer of 2013 ... some seven years before First Plasma.
The Tokamak Pit in spring 2013
2013-05-07 - In May, the Tokamak Pit is transformed ... its pleasing geometric patterns of seismic pillars replaced by propping and formwork for the next stage works: creating the concrete basemat for the Tokamak Complex. Photo: F4E
Long shadows, late day
2013-02-07 - The seismic columns and pads are already taller than the average person, but late in the day their height seems magnified.
Flags flying
2013-02-04 - ITER Member flags, displayed at the entrance to the recently inaugurated ITER Headquarters building.
When it's clear
2013-01-28 - The view from the fifth floor of the ITER Headquarters building, looking northwest. (Click to open the full panorama to avoid blurriness.)
New Headquarters for ITER
2013-01-17 - A new ITER Headquarters name plaque stands at the entrance, following the building's inauguration in January 2013.
December 2012 panorama
2012-12-17 - Taken from a height of 40 metres, this panoramic shot of the ITER site stretches from the worksite guard post on the left all the way to the cooling basins on the right. © Sylvain Couturier (Click to open the full panorama to avoid blurriness.)
The Tokamak Complex Seismic Isolation Pit
2012-12-15 - The sun rises in late December 2012 over the Tokamak Pit. Late 2013, civil work will begin on the 360,000-tonne, three-building Tokamak Complex.
Brrr...
2012-12-07 - It's not often that it snows in Provence, but on Friday 7 December 2012, due to exceptional weather conditions, the work on the site is halted early.
Status of construction, September 2012
2012-09-13 - In the sweep of an eye, it's possible to take in the four building projects of the ITER site: the Poloidal Field Coils Winding Facility in red (completed); Assembly Building foundation work (cranes); the Tokamak Complex Seismic Pit (completed); and the ITER Headquarters on the far end of the platform (completed).
The wires reach ITER
2012-02-02 - Bringing the 400kV power line over the hill from Cadarache to the ITER site will take 12 pylons like this, covering a distance of six kilometres.
The ITER scientific installation
2010-06-15 - An artist's view of the ITER scientific facilities with, on the left, the Headquarters Building. Photo: ENGAGE
ITER Headquarters goes green
2009-09-08 - A bit of landscaping around the ITER Headquarters makes the temporary building a little more welcoming.
On the spot of the future Tokamak
2009-05-23 - Staff assemble in May 2009 on the exact spot of the future ITER Tokamak for a historic staff picture, taken by crane. Over 400 people work directly for the ITER Organization.
A perfectly flat platform
2009-05-12 - During the pause between site preparation activities and building construction, the ITER platform looks flat enough to roller skate on.
Before the building begins
2009-04-15 - A panoramic view of the ITER site in April 2009, as levelling activities come to an end. (Click to open the full panorama to avoid blurriness.)
Rainbow over the ITER site
2009-02-09 - Over the nearly completed ITER platform, a late-day rainbow ...
Exceptional event
2009-01-06 - An exceptional event in Provence, the snowstorm in January 2009 made access to the ITER site difficult for three days.
The road to ITER
2008-11-19 - At the 2008 entrance to the ITER site, visitors are greeted by the ITER logo: "The way to new energy."
First ITER office building
2008-11-16 - In November 2008, the temporary ITER Headquarters is (nearly) ready to receive 300 ITER employees.
The Tokamak Complex - the centre of ITER
The Tokamak Building will be the core of ITER, where fusion experiments are planned to begin in November 2020. The reinforced, six-storey concrete structure will be 73 metres high (13 metres below the platform level and 60 metres above).
ITER Headquarters
The innovative design of the ITER Headquarters was conceived by local architects Ricciotti and Bonhomme, who also designed the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur International School in Manosque that was completed in 2010. Photo: Ricciotti
Here's how it will look
This technical drawing done for the RTE switchyard gives us an idea of how the ITER site will look in a few years. © ITER Organization Design Office/Hurzlmeier/Niculici
ITER site layout
An artist's impression of what ITER will look like. The large orange building in the centre is the Tokamak hall, the long building at the top is the Winding Facility for the Poloidal Field Coils.
