1140 is max speed. maybe the container isn't perfectly centered in the chamber is whats causing issues or something (I put it in the middle of the place me here square)

I tried again from scratch and followed the order of the pop ups, screens, reactors power, then the container, reactor valves, injected plasma, set #1 to 20.5 speed to 1140, #2 17.5 speed 1140, after 10 mins of so the #2 portal stabilized, no change to #1 after 20 mins, tried going to city view advancing time an hour went back and waited another 20 minutes, for absolutely nothing.

What am I missing here folks?

If the portal is stabilized, then you need to raise the platform with the sample container on it into the portal, using the buttons near the containment tube.