First Light Fusion

The company's approach to fusion research is a particular form of inertial fusion called projectile fusion.{{Cite web |last=Fusion |first=First Light |title=New approach to Inertial Fusion {{!}} Projectile Fusion {{!}} First Light Fusion |url=https://firstlightfusion.com/technology/our-approach |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=firstlightfusion.com |language=en-US}} Projectile fusion involves electromagnetically accelerating a metal projectile, firing it into a fusion target similar to that used by NIF that is embedded in a cube. The cube is termed an amplifier. It contains spherical cavities that send the projectile's energy onto the fuel capsule, focusing shock waves instead of light. The projectile speed (tens of kilometers per second) becomes an implosion speed of hundreds of kilometers per second (producing fuel pressure of 10–100 terapascals), sufficient to produce fusion.{{Cite journal |last=Schirber |first=Michael |date=2024-02-05 |title=Inertial-Confinement Fusion without Lasers |url=https://physics.aps.org/articles/v17/22 |journal=Physics |language=en |volume=17 |pages=22|doi=10.1103/Physics.17.22 |bibcode=2024PhyOJ..17...22S |doi-access=free }}

The company was founded by Nicholas Hawker and his former academic adviser Yiannis Ventikos in 2011, as a research spin-off at the University of Oxford.{{Cite web |last=Bardsley |first=Daniel |date=2022-10-17 |title=How nuclear fusion reactors like this one could change the world |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2022/10/17/nuclear-fusion-reactors-like-this-one-could-change-the-world-heres-why/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=The National |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2019-10-10 |title=Projectile fusion goes for gain |url=https://www.eurekamagazine.co.uk/content/technology/an-oxford-based-fusion-project-is-closing-on-producing-gain-using-a-cheaper-method-than-the-mainstream/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Eureka |language=en}}

Ventikos had suggested forming the company based on Hawker's research into hydrodynamic simulations of shock-driven cavity collapse.{{Cite news |last=Michaels |first=Daniel |date=2019-10-09 |title=Europe's Old Universities Spin Out New Tech Companies |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/europes-old-universities-spin-out-new-tech-companies-11570613400 |access-date=2023-09-17 |issn=0099-9660}} Part of Hawker's PhD research had involved studying the cavity collapse caused by a pistol shrimp's claw.{{Cite web |last=Hargrave |first=Sean |date=2023-06-29 |title=The tale of shrimp-inspired nuclear fusion |url=https://www.raconteur.net/design-innovation/the-story-of-shrimp-inspired-nuclear-fusion |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Raconteur |language=en-GB}}

In January 2023 it was announced that the company had entered an agreement with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to develop First Light's "Machine 4" (M4) at the UKAEA's Culham Campus. M4 will attempt to demonstrate the capacity of projectile fusion to reach net energy gain.{{Cn|date=March 2024}}

Belgium-based engineering company Tractebel announced the signing of a framework agreement in July 2023 to jointly develop the M4 facility with First Light.{{Cite web |last=Dalton |first=David |date=2023-08-09 |title=Tractebel Signs Agreement For UK Facility That Will Demonstrate 'Net Gain' |url=https://www.nucnet.org/news/tractabel-signs-agreement-for-uk-facility-that-will-demonstrate-net-gain-8-3-2023 |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=NUCNET}}{{Cite web |date=2023-08-09 |title=Tractebel supports First Light Fusion in making inertial fusion a reality |url=https://tractebel-engie.com/en/news/2023/tractebel-supports-first-light-fusion-in-making-inertial-fusion-a-reality#:~:text=Tractebel%20and%20First%20Light%20Fusion,%2C%20low%2Dcarbon%20fusion%20energy. |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Tractebel Engie}}

In March 2024, the company announced that it had set a record of 1.85-terapascals with an 80-terawatt shot using the Z-machine at Sandia National Laboratories.{{Cite web |last=Sanderson |first=Cosmo |date=March 7, 2024 |title=The 80 trillion-watt shot: 'Holy Grail' fusion energy pioneer claims record at world's most powerful machine |url=https://www.rechargenews.com/energy-transition/the-80-trillion-watt-shot-holy-grail-fusion-energy-pioneer-claims-record-at-world-s-most-powerful-machine/2-1-1609341 |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=Recharge {{!}} Latest renewable energy news |language=en}} In April 2024, the company announced that it had extended the distance its projectiles can travel without self-destructing from 1 cm to 10 cm.{{Cite web |last=Wang |first=Brian |date=2024-04-15 |title=First Light Fusion Makes Progress Towards an Economical Working Fusion Reactor {{!}} NextBigFuture.com |url=https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/04/first-light-fusion-makes-progress-towards-an-economical-working-fusion-reactor.html |access-date=2024-05-12 |language=en-US}}

In February 2025, Mark Thomas — the former CEO of Reaction Engines — was announced as the new CEO and, following this, the company published an updated strategy in March.{{Cite web |title=First Light Fusion {{!}} News & Media {{!}} Mark Thomas appointed CEO of First Light Fusion |url=https://firstlightfusion.com/media/mark-thomas-appointed-ceo-of-first-light-fusion/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250303235352/https://firstlightfusion.com/media/mark-thomas-appointed-ceo-of-first-light-fusion/ |archive-date=2025-03-03 |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=First Light Fusion |language=en-GB}} This strategic update established a new focus on generating revenue by commercialising the company's proprietary amplifier technology and aiming for customers both in and out of the inertial fusion industry. Additionally, it was announced that the company was working with NASA and The Open University in the US to explore the potential of using the amplifier technology in high velocity impact testing.{{Cite web |title=First Light Fusion {{!}} News & Media {{!}} FIRST LIGHT FUSION ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC UPDATE |url=https://firstlightfusion.com/media/first-light-fusion-announces-strategic-update/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250303235647/https://firstlightfusion.com/media/first-light-fusion-announces-strategic-update/ |archive-date=2025-03-03 |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=First Light Fusion |language=en-GB}}

Category:Fusion power companies

Category:Technology companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Engineering companies of the United Kingdom