STAC, MAC & CO

Once again the medieval walls of the Château de Cadarache saw the ITER advisory committees—and thus the leaders of the world fusion community—convene to chart the course for ITER. Starting today, the Science and Technology Advisory Committee (STAC) came together for a three-day meeting to discuss the key technical issues such as the design and design integration of ITER's in-vessel coils, the testing of the poloidal field conductor, and recent calculations done on heat load specifications. Also on the STAC agenda are the Test Blanket Module program, the implementation of a RAMI analysis (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Inspectability) for technical risk control, and finally the proposal for an alternative vacuum vessel and blanket design. From Wednesday on, the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) will take over the Salle de la Fenière followed by the Council Preparatory Working Group and, on Sunday, by another ITER Organization-Domestic Agency meeting.