 -000175746
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 Docuoient 4 of 4                                             Page   1
 Classification:   UNCLA5SIFTED       Status:       [STAY]
 Document Date:    19 Nov 91          Category:     [CAT]
 Report Type:      Daily Report       Report Date:
 Report Number:    FBIS-SOV-91-234    UDC Number:
 Author(s):  S. Leskov:  "There Is No Doubt About It, the
 Thermonuclear Reaction Will Work" J
 Headline:  Thermonuclear Reactor Experiment Detailed
 Source Line:  92UP027OA Moscow IZVESTIYA in Russian 19 Nov 91 Union
 Edition p 2
 Subslug:  [Article by S. Leskov:  "There Is No Doubt About It, the
 Thermonuclear Reaction Will Work"
 FULL TBRT OF ARTICLE:
 1.  [Article by S. Leskov:  "There Is No Doubt About It, the
 Thermonuclear Reaction Will Work"
 2.  [Text] IZVESTIYA reported recently on the signing in Moscow of
 cooperation agreement to work on the ITER technical project for an
 international thermonuclear experimental reactor.  It will be the
 largest international technical project_in_ the history of mankind, in
 which the United States, Japan, the European Community, and the US5R
 will participate.
 3.  Although the agreement has been more than a year in the making,
 its rapid signing was helped by a sensation in Oxford on Saturday:
 Using the JET installation it was possible to achieve a thermonuclear
 reaction rated at about two megawatts.  From the standpoint of the
 theory, the result was a long time coming after many years of failure
 that lessened optimism about thermonuclear reactions.  They had even
 started to say that  "Tokamak"  was the greatest scientific adventure
 since  "flying sawcers"  and biological auras.  And now-a grand
 success that has overcome the doubts of the skeptics.
 4.  Naturally there was enormous interest in the presence in the
 European delegation of the director of the JET project, Professor
 Paul-Senri Rebyut.  According to the scientist it is still premature
 to ask about lighting lamps with the  "Tokamak."  The sensational
 experiment on 9 November required more energy input than was
 generated.  But we should not be too severe on the first practical
 step toward mastering a fundamentally new energy source-a source that
 is the cleanest and safest of all known sources.  Moreover, sad
 though it may be, we had nothing to do with this step.  Professor
 Paul-Henri Rebyut expressed regret that the USSR had not been part of
 the JET project, in which scientists from 14 countries had taken
 3~a
 Approved for Release
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 S.  To make up for this we are cooperating in another international
 project-the ITER project, which has brought together all the best
 forces, without exception.  Bven the richest countries understand
 that alone they can neither build nor even plan an installation like
 a thermonuclear reactor.  The ITBR project provides food for thought
 not only for the  "technical people "  but also the politicians.
 While in the USSR the desire to pull apart everything on a national
 basis is growing, the developed countries are setting an example of
 the transnational economy, which increases mutual potential many
 times over.  Bven Japan, which has announced that during the next
 decade it will independently  "settle "  the thermonuclear reaction,
 has deemed it best to join the world community.
 6.  ITBR is an example for us in another way, also, as it relates to
 spending for science in the developed countries.  All those
 participating in the project, except for the USSR, have been
 insistently proposing that the work areas for planning the various
 assemblies of the reactor be located on their own territories.  And
 indeed, it is difficult to assess the expected costs. (Already today,
 at the first stage of the  "Tokamak'' study 1 billion rubles will be
 "devoured "  in the first year).  As to when there will be any
 profit, or whether indeed there will be any at all, is another
 question. But experience shows that the econom c s  e e   ct~from the
 development of modern technologies will exceed costs, no matter what
 fate awaits the scientific idea itself.
 7.  Following a debate it was decided to locate the project bases for
 ITBR in the FRG, the United States, and Japan, where experts from all
 participating countries will work.  By mutual agreement, spending by
 the USSR is rather more modest, but we will ensure work on the Moscow
 headquarters for ITER, regardless that we are serving the  "brains''
 on other territories.  In addition, some of our plants may be
 earmarked to manufacture particular assemblies for the thermonuclear
 reactor.
 8.  So how many years will the research take?  And when will energy
 from the  " Tokamaks?' be fed to the light bulbs?  According to the
 head of the USSR delegation B. Nikipelov, first deputy minister for
 atomic power and industry, it will take five or six years to design
 the reactor.  It is only halfway through this. period that the place
 where it will be assembled will be decided.  The same time will also
 be spent on building an experimental reactor.  The next stage is
 demonstration reactors.  In the opinion of Academician Ye. Velikhov,
 the first industrial thermonuclear power stations may not appear for
 another 50 years.  Not that soon, but according to the predictions it
 is precisely then that mankind will begin to experience difficulties.
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 with the traditional energy sources.
 9.  How safe are thermonuclear reactors?  The experts say that they
 are in principle harmless, but those same assurances were once given
 about nuclear reactors, which are incomparably simpler.  Let us hope
 that the experience gained in the operation of the nuclear power
 stations will teach us to be more responsible about this very
 important problem, and that we will not fall under the spell of
 formulas, which can always be cited.

