Re-imagining the fuel cycle
We began developing breakthrough fuel-processing systems to reduce the tritium inventory needed to operate a fusion power plant.
High power-
density reactors
Marathon is producing compact, high power density reactors to scale isotope production. Our program brings together plasma centrifuge, fuel processing, and breeding-blanket research.
Available to Partners 2027- Q
- 0.001
- Fusion power
- 1 kW
- Neutron flux
- 1012 n/s/cm2
Ion Beam
Electrons are generated by thermionic emission, and generate ions which can be accelerated to keV energies through an electric field.
Learn More about Ion BeamThe future of commercial fusion
August 2026: We demonstrated world-record enrichment. Milestone 4 of 6.
Advanced plasma centrifuges
Building the world's most advanced plasma centrifuges for the fusion fuel cycle and lithium enrichment.
Reinventing applications of fusion
We showed through design studies that fusion reactors could be used to produce medical isotopes, nuclear batteries, and gold at scale, dramatically expanding the applications for fusion technology.
We demonstrated world-record enrichment
We demonstrated hydrogen and lithium enrichment in our plasma centrifuge, using the same separation approach for reactor fuel and blanket feedstock.
High power densities for medical isotope production
Using well-established beam-target fusion technology, we can achieve high power densities needed for medical isotope production.
Sustained operation and isotope samples
In the next year, we will operate our system at high power density, integrate into a tritium processing facility, and produce our first material samples.
Paving the way to commercial fusion
Our plasma centrifuge spins lithium ions at over a kilometer per second, separating species by mass. Lithium-6 is used to breed tritium, the fuel of fusion reactors.
We separate fusion fuel from helium ash and other impurities, compress the purified fuel and prepare it for reinjection into the reactor. Through selective and rapid recycling, our process minimizes the required tritium inventory.
Mercury isotopes in the blanket multiply neutrons, allowing for the co-production of electricity, tritium and gold. Breeding excess tritium creates a stockpile used to rapidly scale future plant deployments, while the co-production of stable gold creates a powerful natural dividend to enhance plant economics.
In our bigger multi-MW-scale beam, a large population of ions is accelerated through an electric field, generating the external heating required to kickstart the fusion reaction.
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