Milestones
- C-2W 'Norman' begins operation2017Complete.
- First proton-boron fusion measured in a magnetic device (LHD, Japan)Feb 2023Complete.
- Norm: FRC formed by neutral beams aloneApr 2025Complete.
- Copernicus operationMissedMissed.
Most important updates
- 6 Aug 2026
- 7 Apr 2026
- 17 Nov 2025
- Apr 2025
- Feb 2023
Upcoming
- 2026TAE plans to start building Da Vinci, the power plant that replaces Copernicus (next)
- 2031Da Vinci targeted to begin producing fusion power
Current obstacles
- Proton-boron needs extreme heatProton-boron fuel needs ~10x hotter plasma than D-T, and the plasma loses much of its heat as X-rays, so net gain is very hard.
Physics limits
- Proton-boron needs billions of degreesBoron has five protons, so repulsion is huge. p-B11 fusion needs ion temperatures of a few billion °C for useful rates, versus ~150 million °C for D-T.
- X-ray losses rival the fusion outputAt those temperatures electrons radiate X-rays about as fast as p-B11 fusion releases energy, so net gain needs very hot ions with cooler electrons, which is hard to sustain.
How it works
Plasma
A self-contained plasma ring
TAE makes a field-reversed configuration: a spinning ring of plasma whose own currents create the magnetic field that holds it together.
Beams
Particle beams keep it hot
Neutral-atom beams fired in at an angle add energy and spin, keeping the ring hot and stable; in 2025 Norm formed the ring with beams alone.
Fuel
Aiming at hydrogen-boron
The long-term fuel is hydrogen and boron-11, whose fusion makes three helium nuclei and very few neutrons, so little radioactive waste.
Update log
Thu 6 Aug
- Minor: PressHardware
Tue 7 Apr
- Minor: PressCommercial
Mon 17 Nov 2025
- Major: PressOther
Apr 2025
- Minor: PaperResearch
Feb 2023
- Minor: PaperResearch
About TAE Technologies
TAE Technologies
Beam-driven FRC fusion, p-B11, Norman, Copernicus
California fusion company, founded in 1998, that keeps plasma rings (FRCs) hot with particle beams. It aims for proton-boron fuel that gives off almost no neutrons. In Dec 2025 it agreed an all-stock merger with Trump Media & Technology Group valued at over $6B.
- Its Norman machine kept plasma rings going with particle beams; the 2025 Norm variant formed them with beams alone.
- All-stock merger with Trump Media & Technology Group pending, targeted to close by Q4 2026.
- Spun out TAE Power Solutions and TAE Life Sciences (a boron-based cancer therapy).
- Founded
- 199828 yrs
- Headquarters
- United States
- Status
- Private
- Valuation
- private
- Works in
- EnergyFusion
- Coverage
- 1 program · 6 updateslatest 6 Aug 2026checked 25 Sep