OpenStar Technologies
About
OpenStar Technologies is commercializing fusion energy through the Levitated Dipole Reactor, a cost-effective and inherently stable fusion architecture uniquely suited to rapid development and commercial scale. The team has already demonstrated a viable engineering approach with their first prototype device and are now advancing on a four-machine pathway to grid-scale fusion energy.
At DIII-D
At DIII-D, OpenStar is seeking to evaluate material for plasma-facing components (PFCs) of a levitated magnet in a high material temperature regime (T>1200K). Owning to the isolated nature of a levitated magnet, thermal balance of the magnet and levitating flight cycles are set by the ability of plasma-facing components to radiate power. For this project, OpenStar will assess thermal radiations of high-temperature PFC material candidates (such as tungsten) under irradiation conditions into the DIII-D divertor using DiMES and IR spectroscopy.
Now comprising approximately 70 staff, OpenStar brings together experts across plasma physics, HTS magnet engineering, and fusion systems to make levitated dipoles a tangible reality in the fusion space. The team is led scientifically by Chief Science Officer Darren Garnier and by Chief Technology Officer Rod Badcock. At DIII-D, Jerome Guterl, OpenStar’s Principal Research Scientist, will be coordinating the experimental project.
