Thales Uses Lasers to Build an Artificial Sun
▼ Summary
– Thales launched GenF on May 15, 2025, to develop laser-powered inertial confinement fusion, aiming to create clean, abundant energy akin to an “artificial sun.”
– The company leverages four decades of high-power laser expertise, building on its work with France’s Laser Megajoule program, to compress and heat atomic nuclei for fusion.
– Global fusion investment surged from €4.24 billion in 2021 to over €5.48 billion in 2022, with major powers like China and France prioritizing the technology.
– GenF’s three-phase plan includes modeling (until 2027), technology maturation (2027–2035), and aims to build a prototype reactor by the mid-2030s, supported by €18.5 million in French government funding.
– Fusion offers minimal radioactive waste and abundant fuel, with Thales’ laser approach potentially leapfrogging other methods to revolutionize clean energy production.
French tech leader Thales has taken a bold leap into nuclear fusion research with the launch of GenF, a specialized venture focused on developing laser-powered fusion energy solutions. Based in Bordeaux and established in May 2025, this initiative marks a pivotal moment in the quest to replicate the sun’s energy-producing mechanisms here on Earth.
At the heart of GenF’s strategy lies inertial confinement fusion, a process that relies on ultra-powerful lasers to trigger nuclear reactions. By bombarding tiny fuel pellets with precisely synchronized laser beams, scientists can generate the extreme heat and pressure needed to fuse atomic nuclei, mimicking the natural processes that fuel stars. Thales brings decades of experience in high-energy laser systems to the table, including work on France’s Laser Megajoule project, positioning them as a serious contender in the fusion energy race.
Global interest in fusion technology has surged dramatically, with investment climbing from €4.24 billion to over €5.48 billion in just one year. Countries worldwide recognize fusion’s potential to deliver clean, virtually limitless energy, with China aggressively expanding its own fusion research facilities. The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce.
GenF’s roadmap unfolds in three carefully planned stages. The first phase, running through 2027, focuses on refining simulations and experimental models. Next comes an eight-year technology development sprint (2027–2035), where engineers will tackle critical hurdles like laser synchronization and advanced reactor materials.
Strategic alliances with top-tier French institutions, including the CEA, École Polytechnique, and CNRS, are accelerating progress. Backed by €18.5 million in government funding, GenF is assembling a world-class team of engineers and physicists, with plans to grow from ten to forty specialists in the coming years.
By the mid-2030s, GenF aims to transition from research to construction, building its first operational fusion reactor prototype. Success would mark a turning point in energy history, offering a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels and conventional nuclear power. Unlike fission reactors, fusion produces minimal long-lived radioactive waste while using abundant fuel sources like hydrogen isotopes.
The challenges remain immense, sustaining temperatures exceeding the sun’s core while maintaining precise control, but the rewards could redefine global energy systems. Thales’ commitment underscores both corporate vision and France’s determination to lead in next-generation energy solutions. As climate pressures mount, fusion stands as one of humanity’s most promising avenues for sustainable power.
(Source: Farmingdale Observer)
