GLAST Spherical Tokamaks (GLAST Series)

Intelligence Summary: GLAST Series Tokamaks

Node Identity: The GLAST (GLAss Spherical Tokamak) series comprises Pakistan's indigenous fusion research infrastructure — a series of small spherical tokamaks with pyrex glass vacuum vessels located at PTPRI in Islamabad. Developed by PAEC as part of the National Tokamak Fusion Program (NTFP, established 2007), the GLAST series includes GLAST-I, GLAST-II, and GLAST-III, representing entry-level magnetic confinement fusion devices primarily used for teaching, training, and basic plasma physics research. The series is being succeeded by the Pakistan Spherical Tokamak (PST-I) design, developed with Chinese cooperation.

Strategic Relevance: The GLAST series represents Pakistan's entry-level fusion research capability, modest by international standards but significant in the context of Pakistan's nuclear weapons state status and institutional embedding within PAEC. The spherical tokamak configuration is of particular interest because it shares physics with compact toroid and FRC concepts — spherical tokamaks achieve high beta (plasma pressure to magnetic pressure ratio) at lower magnetic fields, a characteristic relevant to compact fusion approaches. While the GLAST devices are training tools, they build indigenous Pakistani expertise in plasma generation, magnetic confinement, plasma diagnostics, and discharge control — capabilities with inherent dual-use potential. The Chinese cooperation in developing the successor PST-I represents active plasma technology transfer from China's world-leading ASIPP fusion program.

Technical Focus / Capabilities: GLAST-III specifications: major radius 20 cm, minor radius 10 cm, maximum toroidal magnetic field ~0.1 T, plasma current up to 5 kA, discharge duration ~1 ms. The devices use pyrex glass vacuum vessels. Research includes magnetic diagnostics development (triple Langmuir probes for edge plasma measurements by Dr. Abdul Qayyum's Electric Probes & Spectroscopy Group), basic plasma confinement studies, and training of fusion scientists. The successor PST-I targets: aspect ratio A=2, major radius R=0.5 m, minor radius a=0.25 m, BT = 0.5-1 T, plasma current ~310 kA, 200 ms pulse, steady-state operation. PST-I divertor design uses SOLPS 5.0 simulation code in collaboration with ASIPP.

Network Linkage: The GLAST Series maintains 2 documented connections: PTPRI operates the GLAST Series and China Cooperation supports the GLAST Series (ASIPP collaboration on PST-I successor design). The GLAST program is part of three IAEA Coordinated Research Projects (CRP F13018 on compact fusion neutron sources, CRP F43028 on tungsten in fusion plasmas, CRP F13019 on small/medium fusion device networks). The program's institutional parent is PAEC, which also oversees Pakistan's nuclear weapons program.