Unloaded, unwrapped, and carefully stored in the Cryostat Workshop, where welding and assembly activities will soon begin, the segments already give us an idea of the size of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ machine.
The convoy that passed the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ gates at 2:30 a.m. on 10 December 2015, however, was welcomed with an extra dose of emotion. The three flatbed trucks carried the very first segments of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ cryostat—the giant "thermos" that will completely surround the tokamak, provide structural support, and ensure the thermal insulation of the superconducting magnets. (
Six of the components that reached °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ in December weighed 50 tonnes each. Assembled with six auxiliary segments and welded, they will form Tier 1 of the cryostat base, the heaviest single ''piece'' of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ machine (1,250 tonnes).
The arrival of these first machine components, which were procured by India and manufactured at Larsen & Toubro's Hazira plant, was achieved a few weeks in advance in relation to the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ calendar. It was the first milestone achieved of the 29 validated in November 2015 by the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Council for the period 2016-2017.