Purpose of the IGNITOR EXPERIMENT is the construction of the first machine designed to prove the actual possibility for  a magnetically confined plasma composed of heavy  hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium ) to reach in the Laboratory those conditions that allow self-sustained nuclear fusion reactions (plasma ignition).

This is the fundamental step in order to prove the  scientific feasibility in the future of a reactor based on controlled thermonuclear fusion. Indeed the physics of an ignited plasma is expected to be significantly different from that of the non-ignited plasmas so far produced in the Laboratory.

It is evident that progress in the understanding of Plasma Physics will be boosted if results from different research sectors will be united.

The IGNITOR Project has been designed and it is directed by Prof. Bruno Coppi of the Massachussetts Institute of Technology on the base of the TOKAMAK conception originally developed in Russia at the Kurchatov Institute.

PERSPECTIVE REALIZATION: The actual realization of the Ignitor Project is expected to be conducted through an international cooperation, involving Italy, the Russian Federation and hopefully also the United States of America. Construction of the reactor core is planned in Italy, but its deployment is planned to be in Russia at the Trinity Research Centre. Scientific leaders of the joint project are Prof. Bruno Coppi and Academician Evgenij P. Velikhov, President of the Kurchatov Institute.

VIEW of the MACHINE