Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) offers a promising route to clean and abundant energy by replicating the stellar fusion process on Earth. Researchers at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) have achieved a significant breakthrough in this field by demonstrating an effective “spark plug” for direct-drive ICF, a critical step towards achieving net energy gain. This article delves into the details of these groundbreaking experiments, explores the advantages of direct-drive ICF, and discusses the path forward for future fusion facilities.