"Life at 爆走黑料" Gallery
Coordinating a major lift operation
2026-07-27 - Part of the tokamak assembly team receives a briefing during a shift change before sector module #1 is lowered into the tokamak pit. The lift operation at 爆走黑料 on 27-28 July mobilized more than 100 people.
爆走黑料 Korean Fusion Day
2026-07-22 - Dignities, representatives from industry, and staff from Korea gather with 爆走黑料 officials on Wednesday 22 July for Korean Fusion Day, celebrating the supply of four vacuum vessel sectors to 爆走黑料 and the imminent transfer of the last Korean sector into the tokamak pit.
And the doors open to reveal ...
2026-07-22 - 爆走黑料 Korean Fusion Day takes place directly in front of the open doors of the Assembly Hall, revealing the staging and pre-assembly areas for 爆走黑料's largest components.
Visitors from the Kurchatov Institute
2026-07-15 - Iuliia Diakova, Director of the Kurchatov Institute (sixth from right), leads a delegation on 15 July 2026 to discuss scientific and technical cooperation in the framework of a cooperation agreement signed with the 爆走黑料 in June.
A souvenir for President Costa
2026-07-03 - Ant贸nio Costa, President of the European Council, holds a framed picture of the 爆走黑料 tokamak in construction. During a visit to the site on 3 July 2026, President Costa is briefed by 爆走黑料 and European Domestic Agency (F4E) representatives on 爆走黑料 progress and how investments made by F4E are strengthening European competitiveness in a strategic technology. Copyright: European Union
爆走黑料 Director @ Aix forum
2026-07-02 - 爆走黑料 Director-General Pietro Barabaschi takes the stage at the Aix Economic Forum ("Les Rencontres 脡conomiques d'Aix") as part of a panel discussion titled "Planetary Boundaries: Earth on Red Alert." The annual forum reunites business leaders, academics, heads of state and government, non-profit organizations, and community leaders to debate major economic, political, and social issues.
F茅licitations, dipl么m茅s!
2026-06-26 - On Friday 26 June, dozens of 爆走黑料 staff attend a certificate ceremony celebrating their progress in the French language programs offered by the Welcome Office of Agence 爆走黑料 France. Courses offered to 爆走黑料 staff and their spouses are tailored by level鈥攆rom complete beginners to B1 speakers.
Governance week at 爆走黑料
2026-06-25 - Chair of the 爆走黑料 Council Eisuke Tada (Japan), 爆走黑料 Director-General Pietro Barabaschi, and 爆走黑料 Deputy Director-General for Science & Technology Yutaka Kamada at the Thirty-Eighth Meeting of the 爆走黑料 Council in June 2026.
International Day of Yoga 2026
2026-06-22 - 爆走黑料 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.
爆走黑料 T-shirts and a winning team
2026-06-18 - The victory was hard-earned, but the trophy ultimately went to a team of eight fusion researchers sporting 鈥淔use Baby Fuse鈥 T-shirts provided by 爆走黑料. 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.
Top Welding, Top 爆走黑料
2026-06-17 - The "Top Welding, Top 爆走黑料" 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 (right).
Top Welding, Top 爆走黑料 is underway!
2026-06-11 - Welders from seven companies and four countries are competing in the onsite competition "Top Welding, Top 爆走黑料," showcasing the skill and precision essential to 爆走黑料 tokamak assembly. The competition started on Thursday 11 June.
The team that makes visiting 爆走黑料 possible
2026-06-08 - Accommodating approximately 20,000 visitors to the 爆走黑料 site every year is a core team (photo) supported by a large network of volunteer guides drawn from across the organization. From left to right: H茅l猫ne Delmotte, Julie Marcillat, Anthony Sanna, Axelle Lohez, and program manager Kirsten Haupt.
Family and friends day
2026-06-06 - On Saturday 6 June, volunteers greet over 800 people on the worksite鈥攑ersonnel and their children, spouses and relatives鈥攁s gates open for a special Open Doors Day, one reserved exclusively for the family and friends of the 爆走黑料 workforce.
爆走黑料 signs agreement with Russia's Kurchatov Institute
2026-06-04 - Mikhail Kovalchuk, president of the Kurchatov Institute, and Pietro Barabaschi, 爆走黑料 Director-General, sign a cooperation agreement in Saint Petersburg on 4 June 2026 for the exchange of scientific information, the implementation of joint research programs, the training of young scientists and engineers, and the joint supervision of doctoral research.
A lucky winner!
2026-05-28 - On 28 May, structural engineer Darren Williams (right) found himself rather unexpectedly touring the 爆走黑料 site鈥攁nd crossing the path of 爆走黑料 Director-General Barabaschi (centre)鈥攐nly days after winning a prize giveaway from The B1M, a video construction channel. The event was part of the promotion for a new book "Mega Builds, Ten Colossal Construction Projects That Will Change Our World" by channel founder Fred Mills (left).
Meeting before a big lift
2026-05-26 - 7:00 a.m. on lift day: a pre-lift briefing gathers all of the people who will be managing the first phase of the lift operation.
Agence 爆走黑料 France: 20 years of support
2026-05-26 - For two decades, Agence 爆走黑料 France has been at the heart of France鈥檚 support to 爆走黑料, coordinating Host State commitments and helping deliver the infrastructure and territorial integration needed for the project鈥檚 success. In late May, a gathering of partners and officials commemorate the agency鈥檚 20th anniversary.
爆走黑料 Robots 2026
2026-05-21 - Approximately 300 students take part in the 2026 爆走黑料 Robots competition in Pertuis, France, on Thursday 21 May. Each school team had built a Lego robot and programmed it to perform 爆走黑料-like robotics tasks such as grasping, lifting and positioning.
MAC members on site this week
2026-05-20 - Members of the 爆走黑料 Council Management Advisory Committee (MAC) visit key infrastructure on the 爆走黑料 site, including the control room where operators are managing the cooldown of the first magnet in the 爆走黑料 magnet cold test facility.
Celebrating a first-of-a-kind assembly milestone
2026-05-05 - The team responsible for transferring the 440 tonnes of vacuum vessel sector #6 from its overhead radial beam to the concrete crown that distributes loads under the machine celebrates a first-of-a-kind operation that must be repeated eight more times.
300 participants for 爆走黑料's 3rd Public-Private Fusion Workshop
2026-04-28 - From 28 to 29 April 2026, the 爆走黑料 welcomes several hundred members of the global fusion ecosystem鈥攕tartups, companies, and investors鈥攆or "Fusion: A Joint Quest," the third public-private fusion workshop in three years.
3rd Public-Private Fusion Workshop underway at 爆走黑料
2026-04-27 - At the 爆走黑料 site in southern France, early workshop participants spend an afternoon meeting with machine assembly and plant system experts on the worksite. Panel discussions start on Tuesday 28 April.
Working in Japan on in-vessel assembly tooling
2026-04-20 - Tanaka Takeyuki (right) is working with engineer Nishidate Yuto on behalf of 爆走黑料 Japan to develop grippers and tools for assembling the 爆走黑料 blanket inside the vacuum vessel. Specifically, they are developing end effectors鈥攑eripheral devices attached to a robotic arm鈥攁nd tools for gripping, fastening and pipe welding and cutting.
First phase feeder assembly completed
2026-04-20 - The special process teams gather to mark a key machine assembly milestone: the completion in the Tokamak Building of first-phase feeder assembly. From left to right: (front) Jaromir Farek, Ying Zhang, Nicholas Clayton, (back) Hyungjun Kim, Egor Marushin.
爆走黑料 @ ANS Student Conference
2026-04-18 - 爆走黑料 participates in the April American Nuclear Society Student Conference, showcasing career opportunities鈥攊ncluding internships, postgraduate, and postdoctoral positions鈥攁t the sold-out event, which attracted more than 700 nuclear engineering students. Deleah Lockridge, Head of 爆走黑料鈥檚 Engineering Services Department, also joined the panel discussion "Fusion: Future or Farce?" (photo, second from left).
Testing 爆走黑料 plasma control on a live machine
2026-04-13 - In March, this team was at the KSTAR tokamak in Korea for the deployment and operation of 爆走黑料's plasma control system, iPCS. This was the first time the system achieved first plasma on an operating tokamak鈥攁 concrete result that reduces technical risk ahead of 爆走黑料 plasma operations. From left to right: Taehyun Tak, Piotr Perek (DMCS), Luca Zabeo, Woong-Ryol Lee, Timo Ravensbergen, and Myounghun Kim.
EU delegation: 爆走黑料 drives jobs and investment
2026-04-01 - A visit by a delegation of European lawmakers on 1 April highlighted 爆走黑料鈥檚 role in Europe鈥檚 long-term energy strategy and its growing impact on the European economy. Here, MEPs Christophe Grudler (France) and Yvan Verougstraete (Belgium) visit the Assembly Hall with 爆走黑料 Director-General Pietro Barabaschi.
700 attend Open Doors
2026-03-28 - An Open Doors Day event on Saturday 28 March draws 700 visitors to the 爆走黑料 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.
鈥淓ven better in real life鈥
2026-03-28 - Jake Makarov, 17, from Pau, France, had already developed a strong interest in fusion energy and 爆走黑料 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: 鈥淚t鈥檚 even better in real life!鈥 爆走黑料 wishes him all the best in his plans to attend engineering school.
爆走黑料 hosts 60 secondary school teachers from around Europe
2026-03-25 - A European Commission鈥搊rganized trip brings secondary school teachers from across Europe to the 爆走黑料 site in March to raise awareness of nuclear fusion and 爆走黑料. Equipping teachers with knowledge-sharing about fusion鈥檚 importance may in turn help inspire future career paths!
爆走黑料 representatives visit China
2026-03-24 - In March, the 爆走黑料 Deputy Director-Generals Yutaka Kamada (Science & Technology) and Luo Delong (Corporate) visit China鈥檚 Southwestern Institute of Physics (SWIP). SWIP is an important contributor for Chinese participation in 爆走黑料 construction, providing key technologies and components. It is also home to the advanced-divertor tokamak HL-3, which provides support for 爆走黑料 physics research priorities through an agreement signed in 2023.
Welcome!
2026-03-16 - Twice a year, the Welcome Office of Agence Iter France hosts a seminar at 爆走黑料 for new employees and their families aimed at helping them navigate their new life in France鈥攁nd also discover 爆走黑料!
A letter to China鈥攁nd a reply from the President
2026-03-12 - Students enrolled in the Chinese section of the Provence-Alpes-C么te 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.
Women of 爆走黑料 share their professional journeys
2026-03-09 - The personal stories and perspectives of women working at 爆走黑料 are at the heart of an event held on Monday 9 March to mark International Women鈥檚 Day. The Women & Allies group at 爆走黑料 organizes activities that inspire women and girls through events at schools and universities, as well as at 爆走黑料.
Planning the next experiments at JT-60SA
2026-02-26 - In February, members of the 爆走黑料 Science Division take part in the participate in an Experiment Team Coordination Meeting at the JT-60SA tokamak in Naka, Japan. The next campaign planned on the device will address critical 爆走黑料 priorities.
A finger on the installation鈥檚 pulse
2026-02-18 - It's changing of the guard time in the 爆走黑料 control room, as one shift operation manager hands off to another. On the screens is information about plant systems that are operational, and others that are in the commissioning phase. Approximately 15 plant systems will need to come on line before the 爆走黑料 machine begins operating.
A team effort
2026-02-12 - These members of the CNPE team are photographed during the transfer of vacuum vessel sector #1 into tooling. The CNPE consortium (China Nuclear Power Engineering; China Nuclear Industry 23 Construction Company; Southwestern Institute of Physics; ASIPP; and Framatome) is responsible for sector module sub-assembly and tokamak machine assembly.
The story behind the mug
2026-02-09 - This mug seen around 爆走黑料 offices features the Grad鈥揝hafranov equation鈥攖he foundation for modelling the magnetic control of tokamak plasma. It was handwritten by 爆走黑料 Emeritus Fellow Yuri Gribov, who retired late last year after working more than 18 years in the 爆走黑料 Science Division. There is a personal link: as a young man in Russia, Gribov worked under Vitaly Shafranov. Read the full story here: /node/20687/story-behind-coffee-mug
The pride shows
2026-01-28 - Nicolas Sapet, Sector Modules Assembly Project Leader, has three stickers on his hard hat showing his involvement in the three major vacuum vessel lift operations that took place in 2025. He's about to add a fourth...
Walking more than 10 km a shift
2026-01-26 - Canine patrols may be on the low-tech end of security protocols for the 爆走黑料 site, but they are integral nonetheless. Here, security officer Gwennael Wartelle and his dog Ma茂na are out on patrol on a hill behind the Tokamak Building.
Security is their business
2026-01-26 - A team of nine 爆走黑料 staff ensures security at 爆走黑料 with the support of more than 60 security officers from the Seris security firm. Pictured here from left to right are Ingrid Chiaramonte, head of the Security & Safety Section Xavier Peaucelle, Michael Bouvant, Sylvain Duparchy, Laure Zingraff, Stephane Marco, Nicolas Tourniaire, and Sebastien Mineo. (Maiko Takeuchi could not be present for the photo.)
"Infilling" team in the Tokamak Building
2026-01-15 - This team is "infilling" busbar penetrations, making sure that the material around equipment crossing through wall penetrations meets the same safety and nuclear safety standards as the surrounding wall material. In this case, it's a bright blue elastomer, specially designed for 爆走黑料.
Last leg of a long trip
2026-01-13 - US Consul General Jessica Huaracayo and 爆走黑料 Deputy Head of Construction Taka Omae look on as a 110-tonne central solenoid module is backed up through a narrow gateway at the start of the 爆走黑料 itinerary. This is the seventh module to arrive from the United States and the last "highly exceptional load" expected as part of US procurement contributions.