Fusion Energy Sciences
Overview
The Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program mission is to expand the fundamental understanding of matter at very hightemperatures and densities and to build the scientific foundation needed to develop a fusion energy source. This isaccomplished through the study of plasma, the fourth state of matter, and how it interacts with its surroundings. Theinterdisciplinary nature of modern fusion research is emphasized in the 2015 Quadrennial Technology Review.
The next frontier for all of the major fusion research programs around the world is the study of the burning plasma state, inwhich the fusion process itself provides the dominant heat source for sustaining the plasma temperature (i.e., self-heating).
Production of strongly self-heated fusion plasma will allow the discovery and study of new scientific phenomena relevant tofusion energy. These include the effects of highly energetic fusion-produced alpha particles on plasma stability andconfinement; the strongly nonlinear coupling that will occur among fusion alpha particles, pressure-driven self-generated
current, turbulent transport, and boundary-plasma behavior; the properties of materials in the presence of high heat andparticle fluxes and neutron irradiation; and the self-organized nature of plasma profiles over long time scales.
To achieve these research goals, FES invests in flexible U.S. experimental facilities of various scales, international
partnerships leveraging U.S. expertise, large-scale numerical simulations based on experimentally validated theoreticalmodels, development of advanced fusion-relevant materials, and invention of new measurement techniques.
The knowledge base being established through FES research supports U.S. goals for future scientific exploration on ITER, amajor international fusion facility currently under construction in St. Paul-lez-Durance, France. ITER will be the world’s firstmagnetic confinement long-pulse, high-power burning plasma experiment aimed at demonstrating the scientific andtechnical feasibility of fusion energy. Execution and oversight of the U.S. contribution to the ITER project are carried out
within FES.
To support the program mission and its major focus, the U.S. fusion program has four elements:Burning Plasma Science: Foundations;
Burning Plasma Science: Long Pulse;
Burning Plasma Science: High Power; andDiscovery Plasma Science.

Highlights of the FY 2017 Budget Request
Notable changes in the FY 2017 budget include:No funding is provided for Alcator C-Mod operation and research—after the final year of operation of Alcator C-Mod in
FY 2016, the research staff at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center will shift focus to begin full-time collaborative
research activities in the DIII-D and NSTX-U national research programs; in addition, some will engage in collaborations
with international laboratories.
 Increased support for DIII-D and National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) research—Funding for the DIIID and NSTX-U research programs is increased to address the high priority fusion science issues identified by thecommunity research needs workshops held in FY 2015 and to support enhanced collaborations with MIT researchers.
 Continued support to the U.S. Contributions to ITER Project—Funding will support continued progress on in-kind
hardware contributions, including central solenoid superconducting magnet modules and structures, toroidal fieldmagnet conductor, steady­state electrical network components, and tokamak cooling water system. Funding is also
provided toward the FY 2017 monetary contribution to the ITER Organization, which supports ITER Project commonexpenses.
 In the FY 2017 Budget Request, most funding for the Working Capital Fund (WCF) is transferred to Program Direction toestablish a consolidated source of funding for goods and services provided by the WCF. CyberOne is still fundedthrough program dollars in the SC Safeguards and Security program. In FY 2016 and prior years, WCF costs were sharedby SC research programs and Program Direction.
Science/Fusion Energy Sciences
FY 2017 Congressional Budget Justification137
Fusion Energy Sciences
Funding ($K)

Fusion Energy Sciences
Burning Plasma Science: Foundations
Advanced TokamakSpherical Tokamak
Theory & Simulation
GPE/GPP/InfrastructureTotal, Burning Plasma Science: Foundations
Burning Plasma Science: Long Pulse
Long Pulse: Tokamak
Long Pulse: Stellarators
Materials & Fusion Nuclear ScienceTotal, Burning Plasma Science: Long Pulse
Discovery Plasma Science
Plasma Science Frontiers
Measurement Innovation
SBIR/STTR & Other
Total, Discovery Plasma Science
Subtotal, Fusion Energy Sciences
Construction
14-SC-60 International Thermonuclear Experimental
Reactor (ITER)
Total, Fusion Energy Sciences
SBIR/STTR:
 FY 2015 Transferred: SBIR $8,906,000 and STTR $1,228,000
 FY 2016 Projected: SBIR: $9,333,000; STTR: $1,400,000
 FY 2017 Request: SBIR $8,436,000 and STTR $1,186,000ab

FY 2015 Enacted

FY 2015 Current a

FY 2016 Enacted

FY 2017 Request b

FY 2017 vs.
FY 2016

105,348
72,91934,6703,125
216,062

107,675
71,16935,0063,600
217,450

101,255
74,00033,5006,000
214,755

84,23873,19933,1705,000
195,607-17,017-801-330-1,000-19,148

7,695
6,419
24,842
38,956

7,895
8,010
23,03338,9388,500
7,269
25,252
41,021

6,045
5,084
20,22631,355-2,455-2,185-5,026-9,66646,024
3,575
12,88362,482
317,500

44,6433,575
2,760
50,978307,366

46,7846,700
13,74067,224
323,000

31,9164,000
10,30046,216273,178-14,868-2,700-3,440-21,008-49,822150,000
467,500

150,000
457,366

115,000
438,000

125,000
398,178+10,000-39,822

Reflects the transfer of Small Business Innovation/Technology Transfer Research (SBIR/STTR) funds within the Office of Science.
A transfer of $861,000 to Science Program Direction to consolidate all Working Capital Funds in one program.

Science/Fusion Energy Sciences

138

FY 2017 Congressional Budget Justification

Fusion Energy SciencesExplanation of Major Changes ($K)
FY 2017 vsFY 2016
Burning Plasma Science: Foundations: Overall funding for advanced tokamak research is decreased, as operation of Alcator C-Mod ceases. Funding for
DIII-D and NSTX-U research is increased to support the enhanced collaboration by MIT research staff in those programs. Funding for Theory &Simulation is increased to accelerate progress toward whole-device modeling. Decreased funding for DIII-D and NSTX-U operations results indeferment of some facility enhancements and a slight reduction to operating weeks.

-19,148

Burning Plasma Science: Long Pulse: Overall funding is decreased for U.S. research collaborative activities on overseas long-pulse tokamaks andstellarators and on research and experimental capabilities that address the plasma-materials interface scientific challenge.

-9,666

Discovery Plasma Science: Overall funding is decreased, as the High Energy Density Laboratory Plasma science activity contracts to focus on supporting
research utilizing the Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument of the Linac Coherent Light Source at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
Decreases in Measurement Innovation and General Plasma Science activities result from the completion of targeted research enhancements fully
funded in FY 2016.

-21,008

Construction: Funding is provided toward the FY 2017 monetary contribution (total $44M) to the ITER Organization.

+10,000

Total Funding Change, Fusion Energy Sciences-39,822

Science/Fusion Energy Sciences

139

FY 2017 Congressional Budget Justification