The analogy is apt. Many, many, many fusion reactors have achieved first plasma. This is comparable to a rocket achieving orbit.
This company's ultimate goal is commercial fusion power, which has never been done. SpaceX's goal is landing people on Mars, which has never been done. The milestones being discussed are just stepping stones.
> SpaceX's goal is landing people on Mars, which has never been done
Cheap, frequent flights on reüsable rockets would seem to be space’s commercial fusion power threshold. Colonising Mars is like fusion SMRs at a fraction of solar’s cost.
Yeah that makes sense when you explain it like that.