Comment by kergonath

> The thing is, after repeatedly getting excited about commercial fusion power for the past sixty years, it's tough to maintain enthusiasm.

It’s very easy if you’re even a tiny bit interested in the scientific aspects. Since we started we’ve had several generations of superconductors, huge advances in our understanding of materials and plasma physics (a bit niche but still very cool).

ITER itself is fascinating if you’re into large-scale engineering and planning. If you are into this and not interested in ITER, I would recommend having another look.

> Explorers spent about 400 years searching for something that they knew just had to be there, but when they finally did it (1957), it really wasn't important anymore.

Yes, it’s a risk and it might well end up that way. Still, many discoveries have already been made along the way, and it is impossible to predict its success or failure without actually trying to do it.