Wendelstein 7-X is the world's largest optimized superconducting stellarator, run by the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics. In its OP 2.3 campaign ending 22 May 2025 it set a world record triple product for long (43-second) plasma discharges.
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Current state
| Status | Operating |
| Country | Germany |
| Location | Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
| Developer | Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) |
| Developer type | Public |
| Concept | Stellarator |
| Fuel | D-D |
| Purpose | Research |
| First plasma | 2015-12-10 |
| Public funding | German federal and state governments, EU (EUROfusion) |
Notes
Operates with hydrogen (not D-T); fuel field set to D-D as nearest category. No 2026 campaign result found.
Timeline
- 2015-12-10 — Wendelstein 7-X produced its first plasma. (source)
- 2025-05-22 — W7-X set a world-record triple product for long plasma discharges, sustained for 43 seconds, at the end of campaign OP 2.3. (source)
The timeline is append-only: corrections are added as new entries. Stated targets appear in the current-state table, never as milestones.
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Sources
- Wendelstein 7-X sets new performance records in fusion research — Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (primary), checked 2026-10-11
- Wendelstein 7-X sets new fusion performance records — World Nuclear News, checked 2026-10-11
- Wendelstein 7-X — Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (primary), checked 2026-10-11