In October, Pacific Fusion emerged from stealth with a significant $900 million Series A funding round. The startup’s founding team is led by a notable scientist best known for his involvement in the Human Genome Project.
The company recently disclosed the physics principles behind its strategy to construct a fusion reactor. Co-founder and president of Pacific Fusion, Will Regan, explained in an interview with TechCrunch that they have published a detailed technical roadmap. This roadmap outlines a system designed to achieve 100 times the gain of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at roughly one-tenth of the cost.
Pacific Fusion’s approach involves a long-term investment, as the company anticipates that its first commercial reactor will be developed within a decade. Similar to the NIF, which was the first to demonstrate a controlled fusion reaction generating more energy than consumed, Pacific Fusion employs the inertial confinement method. This technique compresses the fuel to induce atomic fusion, releasing significant energy.
However, unlike the NIF, which uses lasers, Pacific Fusion plans to utilize a substantial electrical pulse to generate a magnetic field, compressing the fuel encasement in approximately 100 nanoseconds. This electrical generation involves 156 impedance-matched Marx generators (IMG), or pulser modules, a power source co-invented by co-founder Keith LeChien. Collectively, these pulser modules produce 2 terawatts for 100 nanoseconds, equating to four times the average power of the U.S. grid, according to Regan.
The pulser modules consist of repeating components, including 32 stages made up of metal rings surrounded by 10 bricks, with each brick containing a switch and a capacitor. Precise timing ensures that electricity from each brick simultaneously reaches the fuel pellet, with each capacitor discharging its energy in only about 100 nanoseconds. Regan emphasized that the inherent fast-pulse nature of their IMG Marx generator design ensures synchronized timing throughout the system.
Once the electric surge is released, it travels through cables connecting each pulser module to a vacuumed reaction chamber. The surges will then converge around the target, employing electromagnetic forces to compress it until fusion is achieved.
Currently, Pacific Fusion is several months ahead of schedule, having developed necessary simulation models and completed prototypes of the bricks and stages. This progress unlocks further funding from their $900 million round to construct a complete pulse module or IMG.
The substantial Series A funding, unique by sector standards, is not immediately accessible but is structured to release funds as milestones are achieved. Such funding models, common in biotech, were adapted by investors at General Catalyst and co-founders Erik Lander and Carrie von Muench.
Additionally, Pacific Fusion has appointed Sachin Desai as general counsel. Desai previously held a similar role at competitor Helion.
While fusion does not face the same regulatory challenges as fission, the passage of the Advance Act in July 2024 provides a unique regulatory framework for fusion. However, this field still faces many unanswered questions due to the absence of commercial fusion reactors. Regan stressed the importance of being actively involved in conversations as regulatory rules develop, noting it is an ongoing process.
