Antares Nuclear Inc. has successfully reached 'first criticality' with its Mark-0 microreactor prototype at the Idaho National Laboratory. This event is a major technical achievement in the development of modern nuclear energy systems.

Antares Nuclear Inc. 在愛達荷國家實驗室的 Mark-0 微型反應爐原型成功達到「首次臨界」。這次事件是現代核能系統開發中的一項重大技術成就。

Reaching criticality means the reactor has started a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. This is the first time in over forty years that a privately developed reactor of this type has achieved this state in the United States. This progress was made possible by a Department of Energy (DOE) program started in May 2025. This program aimed to speed up the use of nuclear technology by reducing government regulations. Consequently, Energy Secretary Chris Wright was given more power to approve new designs, which limited some of the usual oversight from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

達到臨界意味著反應爐已開始自我維持的核連鎖反應。這是超過四十年來，美國首次有此類私人開發的反應爐達到此狀態。這項進展得益於 2025 年 5 月啟動的美國能源部 (DOE) 計劃。該計劃旨在透過減少政府監管來加速核能技術的應用。因此，能源部長 Chris Wright 被賦予更多權限來批准新設計，這限制了核能管理委員會 (NRC) 部分常態性的監督。

From a technical perspective, the Mark-0 uses special TRISO fuel, which consists of uranium cores protected by ceramic shells to prevent meltdowns. The system uses liquid sodium to move heat, which then powers a turbine. While the DOE emphasizes that this test proves the reactor is safe, some critics, such as the Union of Concerned Scientists, argue that this is only a basic step. They assert that there is not yet enough data to prove the reactor is commercially viable or safe for long-term use.

從技術角度來看，Mark-0 使用特殊的 TRISO 燃料，由陶瓷殼保護的鈾芯組成，以防止熔毀。該系統使用液態鈉來傳導熱能，進而驅動渦輪機。雖然 DOE 強調這次測試證明了反應爐是安全的，但一些批評者（如「關注科學家聯盟」）認為這僅僅是一個基礎步驟。他們主張目前尚無足夠數據證明該反應爐在商業上可行或適合長期使用。

Strategically, the project is linked to the Department of Defense and has support from NASA, showing that it is mainly intended for military use. The government's broader goal is to have at least three test reactors working by July 4, 2026. Furthermore, other projects are underway, such as the transport of a Valar Atomics reactor to Utah, to show how quickly these small nuclear units can be deployed in the field.

在策略上，該項目與國防部有聯繫並獲得 NASA 的支持，顯示其主要用途為軍事目的。政府的更廣泛目標是在 2026 年 7 月 4 日前，至少有三個測試反應爐投入運作。此外，其他項目也在進行中，例如將 Valar Atomics 的反應爐運送到猶他州，以展示這些小型核能單元在現場部署的速度有多快。

The Mark-0 prototype is now operational. The company expects to produce electricity by late 2027 and begin field deployment by late 2028, although this depends on further testing and official licensing.

Mark-0 原型現已投入運作。公司預計在 2027 年底發電，並在 2028 年底開始現場部署，儘管這取決於進一步的測試與正式授權。