International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

In 2006, seven parties signed an agreement establishing the ITER Organization. This one-of-a-kind scientific collaboration dates back to 1985. Premier Gorbachev (former Soviet Union), following discussions with President Mitterrand (France), proposed to President Reagan (United States) that an international project be set up to develop fusion energy for peaceful purposes. At that time, the Soviet Union, the United States, the European Union and Japan formed the parties that agreed to work together. The first design was completed in 2001. China, the Republic of Korea, and later on, India joined the project. On 24 October, 2007, they signed an international agreement to build ITER. Today, 35 nations are collaborating to build the world's largest tokamak, a magnetic fusion device designed to prove the feasibility of fusion energy.