First Plasma

The milestone of a new machine's first successful discharge.

First plasma is a machine's inaugural discharge — the point at which integrated commissioning has succeeded and physics operation can begin. It is a headline commissioning milestone on any build path.

First plasma is a new machine's inaugural discharge — the moment integrated commissioning has succeeded and physics operation can begin. It is a headline milestone but only the start; a stepwise power-ascension campaign then climbs toward the design point, demonstrating performance rather than assuming it.