Wellington-based startup OpenStar Technologies has achieved a significant milestone in its pursuit of commercial nuclear fusion, publicly demonstrating plasma confinement using a levitating superconducting magnet. The company showcased its prototype system, known as “Junior,” confining plasma while the core magnet was fully levitated and disconnected from external mechanical supports, a step OpenStar describes as a world-first demonstration of this configuration.
A Critical Magnet Milestone
At the center of OpenStar’s reactor concept is a powerful superconducting magnet designed to generate the magnetic field required to confine superheated plasma. In recent testing, the company validated the performance of this full-scale magnet, confirming it can produce the field strength necessary for plasma confinement under fusion-relevant conditions.
According to OpenStar, this achievement represents a foundational engineering milestone. Demonstrating both magnetic performance and stable plasma confinement moves the company beyond theoretical modeling and small-scale validation toward integrated system testing.
Advancing the Levitated Dipole Concept
OpenStar is developing a fusion reactor based on the levitated dipole concept, a configuration that differs from more widely known tokamak designs. In this approach, a superconducting magnet is levitated within the reactor chamber, creating a magnetic field structure intended to enhance plasma stability and confinement.
During the recent public demonstration, the “Junior” prototype successfully confined plasma while the magnet was fully levitated, without physical support structures. OpenStar previously conducted supported plasma tests, but integrating a functional levitation system marks a substantial progression in the technical roadmap.
By meeting this core requirement of the levitated dipole architecture, the company has strengthened the technical case for scaling the system to larger, more powerful devices in the future.
Toward Commercial Fusion Energy
Fusion aims to replicate the process that powers the sun, offering the prospect of abundant, carbon-free energy. OpenStar believes its levitated dipole configuration could provide advantages in plasma stability and system compactness compared to conventional reactor designs. If scalable, this architecture may enable smaller and potentially more cost-efficient fusion systems.
While significant scientific and engineering challenges remain before commercial deployment, these recent demonstrations provide tangible proof of progress in magnet design, levitation control, and plasma confinement. For OpenStar, the milestone signals a transition from component validation to more integrated system development.
As global efforts to commercialize fusion accelerate, OpenStar’s advances position the New Zealand company as a notable contender exploring alternative reactor architectures. The successful magnet and plasma demonstrations represent meaningful technical steps on the long path toward viable fusion power.