China has built such a huge laser that is seen from space

Last year, China revealed a budding technology to which They had called Crazy Li. It was an unpublished combat laser capable of cutting metal or causing blindness on the battlefield. What has now discovered an American satellite is completely different from everything known. By size, we are facing an unusual development, so much that it is seen from space.

A technological colossus. Apparently, everything indicates that China is developing in the city of Mianyang, Sichuan province, A huge laser fusion research centera technology with the potential to provide clean and unlimited energy. A project that also could also have military applications in the design and modernization of nuclear weapons, According to analysts from two independent intelligence organizations.

And how have we learned? Satellite images have revealed A structure with four gigantic arms that will house laser bays directed towards an experimentation center where fusion tests will be performed using hydrogen isotopes. According to analyst Decker Evelethof the CNA Corporation, this installation is at least 50% larger than the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the United States, which would make it the largest nuclear fusion center in the world. The company would have been monitoring its evolution from space since in 2020 it was just “a land patch.”

The project, called Laser Fusion Major Device Laboratoryit had not been previously reported, which has generated concern in the international community about its true purpose.

How the laser fusion works: star energy. Nuclear fusion consists of joining hydrogen atoms to generate energyreplicating the process that occurs in the sun and other stars. Unlike the nuclear fission currently used in nuclear plants, Fusion does not generate long -term radioactive waste or pose catastrophic accident risks. In this type of facilities, the powerful lasers shoot on a central chamber that contains hydrogen isotopes, compressing them until they merge and release a huge amount of energy in a process known as ignition.

In the case at hand, the design of the Chinese installation presents those four huge arms that They will channel the laser energy towards a central tower where the fusion chamber is located.

China vs.euu. Until now, the National Ignition Facity from the United States has led the laser fusion research for decades, achieving in 2022 a historical milestone: The first fusion reaction with net energy gain. The only “but”: the advance did not tell the energy expenditure necessary to feed the lasers, which still leaves the merger far from being viable as a commercial source of electricity.

For its part, China, With its aggressive approach in technological developmentcould be shortening the distances. Analysts such as Melanie Windridge, director of Fusion Energy Insights, highlight that the Asian country is advancing with determination and speedwhich could give it a strategic advantage. For Andrew Holland, director of the Fusion Industry Association, if the United States and its allies do not accelerate the investment in nuclear fusion, China could win the race in a short time. Its ability to carry projects from the concept to construction is remarkably faster than that of the West.

Energy or weapons? It is the big doubt after knowing the images. Beyond its application in energy production, these facilities can also perform A crucial role in the development of nuclear weapons. Both China and the United States are signatories of Complete prohibition treaty of nuclear testswhich prevents testing with atomic explosives. The problem? The capacity of these facilities It allows to simulate nuclear explosions without physically detonating themoffering key data to improve the design and performance of nuclear eyes.

In this regard, William Alberque, analyst at the Henry L. Stimson Center, He pointed to the CNN that any country with an installation similar to the NIF inevitably will use its ability to improve its nuclear arsenals. Eveleth coincides, suggesting that the Chinese project It could allow the development of more sophisticated weapons, even smaller and more efficient versions. While some experts believe that this advance reduces the need for real nuclear tests, it could also mean a modernization of the Chinese arsenal without the country needing to perform test explosions, thus avoiding international sanctions.

And a hybrid reactor? It is the other possibility that is considered, that the installation in Mianyang is not only a conventional laser fusion installation, but A hybrid fusion-fission reactor, which would further raise its strategic potential. The reason? This type of technology combines nuclear fusion with fission to generate energy more efficiently. According to Holland, if China develops this type of reactor, It would be more advanced than any similar installation in the Westwhich would consolidate its leadership in the field of advanced nuclear energy.

Geopolitical implications. China’s advance in the construction of this installation points to part of an ambitious energy and military development program, marking a new phase in technological competition with United Statess. As we said, nuclear fusion has been considered The “energy of the future” for its ability to provide clean and unlimited electricitybut also represents a powerful tool in terms of national and geopolitical security.

While the United States continues to lead scientific achievements in the field, China accelerates or seems to be demonstrating A much faster construction and scalability capacity. A development that could influence the balance of global power, not only in the energy field, but also in the strategic and military.

A fact to consider: China has performed 45 nuclear tests in its historya significantly lower number than The 1,054 of the United States. In other words, its detonation database is more limited, so the use of advanced fusion simulations could be crucial to improve their designs without the need for real evidence.

Image | Planet Labs PBC, Chinese Academy of Sciences

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