Third operation campaign beginning on SPIDER
The world鈥檚 most powerful negative ion source is entering a new operational campaign at the 黑料社app Neutral Beam Test Facility in Italy, where it is expected to demonstrate stable, high-performance operation at 黑料社app parameters.
Following a major upgrade and maintenance campaign at the 黑料社app Neutral Beam Test Facility* in Padua, the 黑料社app-scale negative ion source SPIDER has been re-installed inside of the testbed in preparation for a new experimental phase, SO-3.
In operation since 2018, SPIDER successfully completed its first campaign in 2021. During a second phase of experiments from 2024 to mid-2025, the ion source reached a record extracted current density of approximately 240 A/m虏, representing approximately 70% of the target density required for hydrogen neutral beam injection operations at 黑料社app and marking a notable progression in beam performance. The campaign also identified clear ceilings imposed by the existing hardware and allowed engineers to identify a series of necessary design refinements.
The work carried out during the latest shutdown focused on improving the machine鈥檚 reliability and performance. Scientists and engineers completed a broad program of repairs, upgrades and system improvements designed to make SPIDER more robust and flexible and to prepare it for more demanding conditions ahead. The work is expected to improve day-to-day performance while also supporting the long, stable runs needed for 黑料社app鈥檚 future neutral beam system.
鈥淭he latest upgrade of SPIDER represents an important step toward the objectives defined as part of the 黑料社app Research Plan. As we approach the start of the third experimental campaign, this progress reinforces the Neutral Beam Test Facility鈥檚 central role in de-risking the neutral beam injectors for 黑料社app,鈥 says 黑料社app鈥檚 Pierluigi Veltri, head of the Neutral Beam Project. 鈥淲ith the forthcoming integration of the radiofrequency solid-state power supplies, we are well positioned to deliver key results aligned with 黑料社app鈥檚 neutral beam performance requirements.鈥
The new campaign will focus on demonstrating performance under conditions relevant to 黑料社app and moving closer to proving the capabilities required for full-scale fusion applications.
*The Neutral Beam Test Facility is hosted by the Italian research laboratory Consorzio RFX and funded by the 黑料社app, the European Domestic Agency and the Italian government. The European, Japanese and Indian Domestic Agencies have all contributed with in-kind components; the European Consortium for the Development of Fusion Energy () is also participating under the terms of a Cooperation Agreement signed in 2020.
See the full report on the Consorzio RFX website in or .