Marvel Fusion And CSU Break Ground On $150m Laser Facility

On August 7, 2023, German startup Marvel Fusion and USA’s Colorado State University (CSU) announced that they were investing $150 million to build a groundbreaking laser facility through a public-private partnership.

The facility was planned to be located on Colorado State University’s Foothills Campus in Fort Collins.

Over a year later, on October 17, 2024, the two organizations announced that they broke ground on the new facility.

The facility will sport a new building that’s called the Advanced Technology Lasers for Applications and Science Facility or ATLAS for short.

While construction is scheduled to begin this month, the facility is set to come online in mid-2026 and is a combined result of 40 years of laser development research at CSU in partnership with the United States Department of Energy’s (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences program in the Office of Science.

The groundbreaking ceremony was hosted by CSU President Amy Parsons and witnessed the participation of a wide range of dignitaries from CSU, DOE and Marvel Fusion.

As such, the combined existing and new facilities will now be known collectively as the Advanced Laser for Extreme Photonics (ALEPH) Center.

What Is The ATLAS Facility About And What Will It Offer?

The ATLAS Facility will be a cluster of high-intensity, high-repetition rate lasers, capable of firing simultaneously at a single fusion target.

The facility is expected to use three ultra-high intensity lasers to fire 7 petawatts of power, which equates to more than 5,000 times the electrical generation capacity of the US, fired at a target the width of a human hair.

This blast will last around 100 quadrillionths of a second and will produce enough heat and pressure to fuse atoms together.

The trio of ultra high-power lasers can be used independently or in combination for research beyond fusion energy, including key topics in fundamental research.

Fusion energy seeks to replicate the sun's power by fusing atomic nuclei, promising practically unlimited, sustainable, carbon-free energy.

The facility will house an upgraded version of an existing ultra-high-power laser developed at CSU and two new lasers provided by Marvel Fusion.

The new structure will be located near other laser research buildings and include labs and offices, expanding the university's research space and capabilities.

Beyond fusion, the facility will support interdisciplinary research, including medical applications like localized tumor treatment, microchip lithography and detailed X-ray imaging of fast-moving objects.

The ATLAS Facility will broadly support fundamental science research in various fields.

Parsons noted that the university has long been a leader in laser research and the facility will further cement leadership for years to come.

What Did Marvel Fusion And Colorado State University Executives Say?

 

• Heike Freund, the COO of Marvel Fusion, said, “This groundbreaking marks an exciting new chapter in the partnership between Marvel Fusion and Colorado State University as we move forward with constructing a facility that will drive the future of fusion energy.”

• [Contd.] “Fusion energy has the potential to revolutionize the approach to sustainable power, providing a virtually limitless, clean energy source.”

• [Contd.] “This collaboration sets CSU and MF at the forefront of cutting-edge research, paving the way for transformative advancements that could redefine global energy solutions.” 

• Amy Parsons, the President of Colorado State University, said, “As a top institution recognized both for research and for sustainability, CSU is a fitting home for this facility.”

• [Contd.] “We have been a leader in laser research for decades, and our faculty are advancing critical technologies. This new facility will house one of the most powerful lasers in the world and establishes CSU as a nexus for laser fusion research.”

In addition to this, the US Department of Energy awarded the CSU with $12.5 million through its LaserNetUS program, as well as another award of $16 million to start an Inertial Fusion Science and Technology hub.

Do you think this move will inspire other companies and educational institutions to form similar private-public partnerships to enhance research and development of new technologies?

Let us know in the comments below!