# UK fusion experiment installs beam box for planned heating upgrade

_Published Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 11:18 AM EST · Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![UK fusion experiment installs beam box for planned heating upgrade — Primary](https://cms.interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/MAST.jpg)

Engineers installed a 12-tonne steel beam box at the UK Atomic Energy Authority's MAST Upgrade fusion experiment in Oxfordshire. The structure will house two neutral beam injectors, which heat plasma by firing high-energy neutral atoms into it.

Once completed, the system will increase neutral beam heating power from 4.4 megawatts to 8.8 megawatts. Researchers will use the higher-performance plasma to test whether the reactor's exhaust system can withstand the resulting conditions without degrading, supporting work on Britain's planned STEP prototype plant.

Engineers expect to fit the remaining interior equipment by late autumn 2027. Scientific experiments are scheduled to begin in 2028 after sealing and vacuum testing.

## Sources

- [Interesting Engineering](https://interestingengineering.com/energy/nuclear-fusion-reactor-gets-beam-box)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/kJb9YvtP24XmT7wzoXVv6J
Published: 2026-11-04T16:18:41.234Z
Story chronology: 2026-11-04T15:27:57.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-11-04T22:01:15.978Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)