731 



APPENDIX I APPENDIX I 



DOE'S Comprehensive Program Management Plan for fusion 

 development cites as one of its objectives the preparation of an 

 engineering development program to follow the anticipated 

 demonstration of the scientific feasibility^ of fusion energy on 

 Princeton's Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor. One way of implementing 

 the engineering development program would be to construct a large- 

 scale engineering device as the next major fusion reactor. DOE 

 identifies this next reactor in the fusion program as an 

 Engineering Test Reactor, but has not at this time defined its 

 characteristics. This, according to DOE officials is partly due 

 to the program's constrained budget, which has caused delays in 

 developing the information necessary to define the next reactor in 

 the U.S. fusion program, 



DOE, national laboratory, and university fusion experts feel 

 that all participants have benefited from international coopera- 

 tive efforts. These experts also firmly believe that fusion R&D 

 is so far from construction of a commercial reactor that it is un- 

 likely any country could take information obtained in an exchange 

 program and exploit it to its advantage. Therefore, they believe 

 that international cooperative efforts will not directly affect 

 the United States' leadership position. Rather, the degree of 

 commitment and funding given the program in comparison with other 

 countries' national efforts will determine who retains fusion 

 development leadership. 



The way in which a country benefits from international fusion 

 projects depends on each participant's area of expertise. The 

 U.S. program, for example, has benefited from exchanges with the 

 Soviet Union because of its expertise in fusion theory. The 

 tokamak confinement concept, currently the lead magnetic 

 confinement fusion concept in the world, was developed by the 

 Soviets and openly shared with scientists from the United States 

 and other countries. Other aspects of the U.S. program have 

 benefited similarly from exchanges of information with the Soviet 

 program. These include exchanges relating to plasma^ theory, 

 mirror confinement, and compact toroids. Additionally, U.S. 

 fusion experts noted that Soviet theoreticians often offer a 

 totally different perspective and methodology for the solution of 

 fundamental fusion problems. 



Demonstrating scientific feasibility for fusion means simulta- 

 neously achieving the temperature aad confinement conditions 

 necessary for a fusion reaction to occur and producing as much 

 energy as is needed to sustain it. 



'plasma is the name given to the very hot, electrically charged 

 gaseous form of the light chemical elements that combine in the 

 fusion process. 



52-283 0-86-24 



