Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan's fusion research leverages its Soviet nuclear legacy, with research at the National Nuclear Center. Kazakhstan hosts the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank and contributes to non-proliferation.
Key Findings
The National Nuclear Center conducts Kazakhstan's primary plasma physics research.
5 entities and 5 relationships map Kazakhstan's limited fusion research ecosystem.
Kazakhstan's Soviet nuclear legacy provides plasma physics expertise and infrastructure.
Kazakhstan hosts the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, now a research facility.
Kazakhstan's fusion research focuses on plasma focus devices and IEC fusion.
Research Paper
Kazakhstan's Fusion and Plasma Physics Research Program
Fusion Infrastructure, Nuclear Legacy, and International Cooperation
Key Entities
NNC
National Nuclear Center of Kazakhstan operating KTM tokamak and managing Semipalatinsk nuclear test site legacy.
KTM
KTM tokamak facility - Kazakhstan's fusion research device at NNC, developed with Russian technical cooperation for materials testing.
Semipalatinsk Legacy
Semipalatinsk nuclear test site legacy - former Soviet nuclear testing ground, now managed by NNC for environmental monitoring and research.
Russian Cooperation
Continued technical cooperation with Russia on nuclear and plasma research, including KTM tokamak development and operation.
IAEA Cooperation
IAEA cooperation framework supporting Kazakhstan's fusion research and nuclear legacy management.
Timeline Highlights
James Tuck Joins Los Alamos
Physicist James Tuck emigrates to Los Alamos at the invitation of Edward Teller to work on the hydrogen bomb project.
Project Sherwood declassified at Geneva Conference
Fusion research declassified at 2nd Atoms for Peace conference. Sherwood becomes CTR program.
Foundational FRC and MTF Research at LANL
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) pioneers research into Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) and Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF), establishing the scientific pedigree for future compact fusion programs.
Davis reveals (Nov 2024): Lockheed senior VP confirmed crash retrieval program in SCIF — 'two decades' (since ~2004)
Lockheed senior VP told Davis in SCIF about crash retrieval for 2 decades. Since ~2004 (Nimitz year). Predates AAWSAP. Presidents briefed: Nixon, Reagan, Kennedy, Eisenhower.
CFS begins SPARC tokamak assembly
75% complete. HTS magnets at 20T. Target Q>1. ARC power plant in Virginia early 2030s.
China Fusion Energy Co. (CFEC) Established
China establishes CFEC as a subsidiary of CNNC to coordinate a 'whole-of-nation' approach to dual-use fusion and FRC weapon technologies.
Research Topics
Explore Kazakhstan's involvement across specific research domains tracked by the SMT Research Institute.