OpenStar Technologies

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In our latest plasma campaign, we produced over 100 plasmas in Junior. We’ve seen plenty of what plasma looks like, but what does it sound like? The OpenStar team is here to give you some insight.

This is what 56 plasma shots over two days looks like. The differences in colour and brightness come from the fuel, the magnetron power and the camera filter settings. Some are helium plasmas, others are deuterium, and magnetron power ranges from 3 kW to 22 kW. No matter how often we run them, plasmas never get old. We’re seeing the future in front of our eyes. . . . #plasma #fusion #cleanenergy #startup #newzealand #physics

OpenStar is leading the scalable development of levitated dipoles, and our latest plasma campaign shows it. Campaign 18 set out to record the most comprehensive data on levitated dipole plasmas in Junior, and we’ve gone above and beyond. What we’ve achieved: • Over 100 plasma shots in total, including a daily record of 33 shots and a single-lift record of 23 • Two full lifts in a single day: undock the magnet, lift it into position, levitate it, run plasmas. Then catch, lower and re-dock to cool and recharge before doing it all again • Our first deuterium plasmas, giving us insight into how the levitated dipole confines fusion-relevant fuels • 830 A from our onboard HTS power supply, a new record for what remains the first fusion-focused application of this technology The dipole architecture continues to prove its modularity through rapid execution, made possible by a team that knows how to deliver on every front. It’s into the lab for OpenStar. See you for Campaign 19. Video: Side by side of deuterium (left) and helium (right) plasma in Junior.

In the last week, we’ve taken over 80 plasma shots in Junior and created our first deuterium plasmas. Campaign 18 aims to produce OpenStar’s most diagnosed levitated dipole plasmas. Until now we’ve used helium as our fuel, but deuterium offers better stored energy potential, so we took our shot. We’re calling this campaign “Red Skies” after the vivid red glow of deuterium plasma. (It reads a little more pink on camera, as you’ll see below.) To run a plasma, two magnetrons fire microwaves into the chamber to heat the fuel. In our latest run we reached 22 kW of heating, our highest yet and about 22 times the power of an average household microwave. Every shot teaches us more about levitated dipole physics and informs how we design and run these machines. Well done to the whole team. There’s plenty more to come from Campaign 18.

We're excited to begin work with Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) to advance research on the levitated dipole!

The levitated dipole has many fascinating qualities, from its levitating magnet and onboard cooling, to its ability to produce a range of medical radioisotopes. To show these off, we've created the OpenStar Playground with two interactive tools. Nuclide Explorer: Browse industry-standard isotope decay and neutron reaction data relevant to a levitated dipole device. Pick an isotope and see how it behaves. Dipole Demo: Levitate a superconducting magnet and keep it stable. Set the magnet's target position and manage its neon slush cooling. https://lnkd.in/eQy6FgSa

Beyond fusion energy, the levitated dipole architecture is capable of producing medical radioisotopes used to detect and treat cancer. Unlike existing sources, the high energy neutrons produced in fusion reactions open up pathways for scalable production of new isotopes. Our latest newsletter follows the journey of a medical radioisotope from cancer detection through to treatment. If you'd like to receive future updates from OpenStar, sign up to our fortnightly newsletter via the link below. https://lnkd.in/evSX6AwJ

Internship applications are still open, and we've just added two new roles! Join our team as an Optimisation or Software Intern. Click the link to explore all available roles and apply now: https://lnkd.in/d6qJKN4H

We're excited to have Reuben Wilson working alongside us and Paihau-Robinson Research Institute to investigate our novel power supply onboard the levitating dipole.