A chronological guide to ITER’s key dates — from the 1985 Reagan-Gorbachev summit through decades of design, construction delays, and the current New Baseline schedule targeting first plasma in the mid-2030s.
1985: Reagan-Gorbachev Geneva Summit launches ITER as a US-Soviet diplomatic initiative. 1988: ITER conceptual design begins (US, USSR, EU, Japan). 1992–2001: Engineering Design Activities produce the detailed ITER design. 1998: US withdraws from ITER (budget constraints). 2003: US rejoins ITER. 2005: Cadarache (France) selected as ITER site over Rokkasho (Japan). 2006: ITER Agreement signed by EU, Japan, Russia, US, China, South Korea, India.[1]
2010: Site preparation begins. 2013: Tokamak Building basemat poured. 2020: Assembly phase begins; first major components delivered. 2021: First toroidal field coil installed. 2022: Cryostat lower cylinder in place. 2023: Director-General Barabaschi announces “New Baseline” review. 2024: Vacuum vessel sector assembly challenges identified and addressed.[2]
Under the New Baseline, first plasma is targeted for ~2034–2035, with full D-T operations expected in the early 2040s. ITER is designed to operate for 20 years, providing the burning plasma physics and technology data needed for DEMO and commercial fusion reactors.[3]