Project Charter
The foundation of the FusionTwin project.
This charter defines the long-term vision and guiding principles of FusionTwin. Subsequent Lab Notes document the project's ongoing design, engineering decisions, and development.
A Kickstand Labs Project — Version 0.1 (Genesis)
Vision
FusionTwin is an open-source platform for simulating and visualizing fusion reactors. It is designed to begin as an educational simulator and evolve into a modular digital twin framework capable of supporting engineering, experimentation, AI-assisted analysis, and community-driven research.
Our objective is not to replace professional fusion codes, but to provide an accessible, extensible platform where people can learn, prototype ideas, and contribute new capabilities.
Mission
Build the world's most approachable and extensible fusion reactor simulator.
Every design decision should balance:
- Scientific integrity
- Software quality
- Performance
- Accessibility
- Long-term maintainability
Core Principles
1. Modular First
Every subsystem should be replaceable without affecting the rest of the application.
Examples include:
- Plasma models
- Magnetic field solvers
- Heating systems
- Diagnostics
- Rendering
- AI services
2. Physics with Transparency
Simplifications are acceptable. Hidden assumptions are not.
Every model must document:
- What it represents
- What it ignores
- Expected accuracy
- References
3. Beautiful Engineering
Visualization is part of understanding. The simulator should make complex concepts intuitive through animation, interaction, and clear feedback.
4. AI as a Guide
AI should explain, analyze, and assist. It should never obscure the underlying simulation or invent unsupported physics.
5. Open by Design
The project welcomes contributors from many disciplines, including:
- Software engineering
- Plasma physics
- Electrical engineering
- Controls
- Scientific visualization
- Technical writing
- Education
Initial Scope (Genesis)
The first milestone will include:
- Interactive 2D tokamak visualization
- Simplified magnetic field representation
- Plasma object
- Adjustable reactor parameters
- Live graphs
- Stable simulation loop
- Extensible architecture
No attempt will be made to simulate full plasma physics in this phase.
Future Milestones
| Phase | Focus |
|---|---|
| Genesis | Interactive reactor |
| Ignition | Dynamic plasma |
| Confinement | Magnetic control |
| Heating | Energy systems |
| Stability | Instabilities and disruptions |
| Burn | Fusion reactions |
| Twin | Digital twin architecture |
| Atlas | Multiple reactor families |
Non-Goals
FusionTwin will not initially attempt to:
- Replace research-grade plasma codes
- Model every physical process with high fidelity
- Guarantee engineering accuracy
- Optimize for supercomputers
These capabilities may come later through plugins and community contributions.
Technology Stack
- Frontend: React, TypeScript, Three.js
- Backend: Python, FastAPI
- Physics: NumPy, SciPy
- Storage: SQLite
- Version Control: Git, GitHub
- License: Apache 2.0
Success Criteria
FusionTwin succeeds if:
- Students can learn from it.
- Developers enjoy contributing.
- Engineers can prototype ideas.
- The architecture remains clean as it grows.
- The community can extend it without rewriting it.
Motto
Simple enough to understand. Modular enough to become real.