The National Compact Stellarator Experiment, NCSX in short, was a magnetic fusion energy experiment based on the stellarator design being constructed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL).
NCSX was one of a number of new stellarator designs from the 1990s that arose after studies illustrated new geometries that offered better performance than the simpler machines of the 1950s and 1960s. Compared to the more common tokamak, these were much more difficult to design and build, but produced far more stable plasma, the main problem with successful fusion.
The design proved to be too difficult to build, repeatedly running over its budget and timelines. The project was eventually cancelled on 22 May 2008,[1] having spent over $70 M.[2]
Wendelstein 7-X explores many of the same concepts that NCSX intended to.
- ^ Future of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Statement by Dr. Raymond L. Orbach, Under Secretary for Science and Director, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, May 22, 2008
- ^ NCSX budget report Dec 2007