Chinese scientists and engineers have completed testing and fired the world’s largest superconducting magnet for the CRAFT artificial-sun nuclear fusion reactor [1, 2, 3].
This engineering milestone is critical for achieving magnetic confinement fusion. If successful, the technology could enable the generation of clean, carbon-free electricity on a commercial scale [1, 4].
The tests took place in mid-June 2026 at the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) facility in Hefei, Anhui province [1, 2, 3]. The magnet measures 10 meters in length [2] and weighs approximately 300 tonnes [1].
While some reports focus on a single massive magnet, other records indicate that two fully domestically developed superconducting magnets cleared the engineering hurdle during this phase [3]. These components are designed to contain the extreme heat and pressure required to mimic the process that powers the sun.
"The successful test of the magnet marks a major milestone for our artificial‑sun project," Liu Zhenyu, chief engineer of the CRAFT project, said [1].
The CRAFT program aims to transition fusion from experimental physics to a viable energy source. By using superconducting magnets to trap plasma, the reactor can maintain the conditions necessary for atoms to fuse and release energy.
"We have completed the testing of the world's largest superconducting magnet, a key step toward commercial fusion power," a spokesperson for the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR) said [2].
Zhang Wei, a senior researcher at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said two domestically developed magnets have now cleared the toughest engineering hurdle for the program [3].
“The successful test of the magnet marks a major milestone for our artificial‑sun project.”
The successful firing of these magnets demonstrates China's increasing capacity to manufacture the specialized, large-scale hardware necessary for fusion energy. By reducing reliance on international components and proving the stability of 300-tonne magnets, the CRAFT project moves closer to the goal of a sustainable, carbon-free energy grid, though commercial viability remains a long-term engineering challenge.
