Marvel Fusion's $150M laser facility in Colorado is targeting breakthrough fusion energy technology

The race to commercialize fusion energy has been heating up for a while. Now, it takes a big step forward with the launch of a new laser facility in Colorado. Fusion, the process that powers the Sun, has long been seen as the primary method to generate limitless, clean energy. While scientists have been experimenting with fusion for decades, recent breakthroughs have brought back hope that it could soon become a viable energy source.

German startup Marvel Fusion, in partnership with Colorado State University, has broken ground on a $150 million facility called ATLAS. This state-of-the-art facility will use three ultra-high-intensity lasers to generate an incredible 7 petawatts of power—more than 5,000 times the electrical capacity of the U.S. The lasers will target a fusion reaction by firing brief pulses at a hair-width target, trying to recreate the immense heat and pressure needed to fuse atoms together.

Marvel Fusion states that they will repeat these laser blasts ten times per second, moving closer to creating a continuous fusion reaction capable of generating clean energy. ATLAS, set to be completed by 2026, is part of the push to commercialize fusion energy and will also support research in medicine and advanced technology.

The U.S. government has invested $28 million in the project, alongside funding from Marvel Fusion and Colorado State University. It seems like the project is off to a good start - now, time will tell if and when the project comes to fruition.