[en] An overarching goal of magnetic fusion research is the integration of steady state operation with high fusion power density, high plasma β, good thermal and fast particle confinement, and manageable heat and particle fluxes to reactor internal components. NSTX has made significant progress in integrating and understanding the interplay between these competing elements. Sustained high elongation up to 2.5 and H-mode transitions during the I_p ramp-up have increased β_p and reduced l_i at high current resulting in I_p flat-top durations exceeding 0.8s for I_p>0.8MA. These shape and profile changes delay the onset of deleterious global MHD activity yielding β_N values >4.5 and β_T∼20% maintained for several current diffusion times. Higher ∫_N discharges operating above the non-wall limit are sustained via rotational stabilization of the RWM. H-mode confinement scaling factors relative to H98(y,2) span the range 1±0.4 for B_T>4kG and show a stron (Nearly linear) residual scaling with B_T. Power balance analysis indicates the electron thermal transport dominates the loss power in beam-heated H_mode discharges, but the core χ_e can be significantly reduced through current profile modification consistent with reversed magnetic shear. Small ELM regimes have been obtained in high performance plasmas on NSTX, but the ELM type and associated pedestal energy loss are found to depend sensitively on the boundary elongation, magnetic balance, and edge collisionality. NPA data and TRANSP analysis suggest resonant interactions with mid-radius tearing modes may lead to large fast-ion transport. The associated fast-ion diffusion and/or loss likely impact(s) both the driven current and power deposition profiles from NBI heating. Results from experiments to initiate the plasma without the ohmic solenoid and integrated scenario with the TSC code will also be described. (Author)