Overview of the RFX Fusion Science Program

The RFX-mod fusion science program has made significant progress since the last 2010 IAEA Fusion Energy Conference. The activities focused on the goal of exploring the fusion potential of the RFP magnetic configuration and that of contributing to the solution of key science and technology problems in the roadmap to ITER. Active control of several plasma parameters has been a key tool in this program. New upgrades on the system for active control of MHD stability are under way and will be presented here. Unique in the portfolio of existing fusion devices, RFX-mod has been operated both as a RFP and as a tokamak. The latter operation has allowed the exploration of qedge<2 with active control of MHD stability and studies concerning basic energy and flow transport mechanisms. Strong interaction has continued with the stellarator community in particular on the physics of helical states.