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Nuclear deterrence
Measuring nuclear reactions found inside stars
Radiochemistry experts at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) recently made the first experimental measurements of nuclear reactions in high-energy-density plasma environments, which are similar to conditions found in stars, as well as thermonuclear explosions. According to John Despotopulos, an LLNL radiochemist who leads the research team, the ability to…
LLNL and Fraunhofer ILT partner on next-generation fusion lasers
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) are joining forces to transition laser-ignited inertial fusion from experiments to industrial applications in a collaboration called ICONIC-FL (International Cooperation on Next-gen Inertial Confinement Fusion Lasers). Through a Cooperative Research and Development…
LLNL conducts milestone nuclear survivability experiment at NIF, moving weapons modernization forward
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has conducted an experiment at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to assess the ability of U.S. nuclear weapons to survive encounters with adversary missile defenses and reach their targets. This experiment demonstrated a new capability to analyze nuclear materials under extreme conditions, advancing stockpile modernization…
From inception to ignition and beyond: Suhas Bhandarkar’s target fabrication career
Tiny parts and absolute meticulousness define Suhas Bhandarkar’s award-winning 20-year career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). As group leader for Target Fabrication Science and Technology (S&T), he leads a team that helps transform LLNL’s physicists’ bold ideas into reality at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Bhandarkar’s path began with a B.S…
LLNL’s designs enable delivery of W80-4 subassembly First Production Unit ahead of schedule
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) recently announced the diamond stamping of the first production unit (FPU) of a canned subassembly (CSA) for the W80-4 Life Extension Program, achieved 18 months ahead of schedule at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. As design agency for the W80-4, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)…
Gordon Bell finalist team pushes scale of rocket simulation on El Capitan
Researchers used Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) exascale supercomputer El Capitan to perform the largest fluid dynamics simulation ever — surpassing one quadrillion degrees of freedom in a single computational fluid dynamics (CFD) problem. The team focused the effort on rocket–rocket plume interactions. El Capitan is funded by the National Nuclear Security…
Michael Anastasio awarded Livermore’s 2025 John S. Foster Medal
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Director Kim Budil today announced that the 2025 John S. Foster, Jr. Medal is awarded to Michael R. Anastasio, former director of both Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos national laboratories. The 10th recipient of the prestigious Foster Medal, Anastasio is recognized for his extraordinary career in nuclear weapons science, his…
LLNL physicist Cole Pruitt honored with early-career achievement award
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) physicist Cole Pruitt has been awarded the 2025 Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) Achievement Award for Early Career Researchers in theoretical nuclear physics. The national honor recognizes early-career scientists who have made significant contributions to nuclear physics research at or in connection with FRIB. Pruitt, a…
Livermore teams honored with Defense Programs Awards of Excellence
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) recently recognized three teams with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Defense Programs Awards of Excellence (DPAE) for work completed during calendar year 2023. In total, 93 LLNL employees were honored for their exceptional contributions to Defense Programs. Established in 1982, the Defense Programs Awards…
LLNL pushes frontier of fusion target design with AI
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have reached a milestone in combining AI with fusion target design by deploying AI agents on two of the world’s most powerful supercomputers to automate and accelerate inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. Part of an AI framework called the Multi-Agent Design Assistant (MADA), LLNL scientists and…
Big Ideas Lab podcast examines collaborative manufacturing at Polymer Enclave
The latest episode of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) Big Ideas Lab podcast explores how engineers and scientists are reducing the time it takes to design and deliver critical components for the U.S. nuclear deterrent — by rethinking how design and manufacturing teams work together. Listen here on Spotify or Apple. The episode features LLNL’s Polymer…
Visionary LLNL director and national security pioneer Johnny Foster dies at 102
Former Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Director John S. Foster Jr., a pioneering physicist and nuclear weapon designer who shaped U.S. national security for seven decades, died on April 25 at the age of 102. Known affectionately as “Johnny,” Foster was a towering figure in American science, nuclear strategy and defense, serving as LLNL’s fourth director (1961…
Big Ideas Lab Podcast takes on National Ignition Facility sustainment
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is home to the National Ignition Facility (NIF), the world’s largest and most energetic laser system— and the only lab on earth where fusion ignition has been achieved and repeated. The latest episode of the Big Ideas podcast tackles the work necessary to keep such a facility running. Listen on Apple or Spotify. NIF was…
LLNL hosts Nuclear Science and Security Consortium workshop
Once a year, a community of university professors, students and national lab researchers who focus on nuclear science and security gather to share research updates and develop collaborations, among other tasks. The group — known as the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium (NSSC) — recently held its workshop at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The NSSC…
Big Ideas Lab Podcast takes on earthquakes and nuclear explosions
What do an earthquake, a mine collapse and a nuclear explosion have in common? Learn the answer to this question and more on a new episode of the Big Ideas Lab Podcast from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The episode provides insights into how Lab scientists monitor seismic activities such as earthquakes and nuclear explosions to ensure the safety of people…
LLNL dedicates El Capitan, ushering in new era in supercomputing for national security
More than 300 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) employees, government officials and industry leaders gathered at LLNL on Jan. 9 to celebrate the dedication of El Capitan, the world’s fastest supercomputer. The event marked a monumental achievement with the acceptance and deployment of the first exascale computing system built for the National Nuclear Security…
Scorpius accepts delivery of four production line-replaceable units
The first four line-replaceable units (LRUs), also referred to as pulsers, have been delivered to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) from vendors for installation into Scorpius, a particle accelerator that will eventually sit a thousand feet beneath the surface of the Nevada desert. “It’s a cause for celebration,” said Vincent J. Riot, acting project manager for…
LLNL creates world’s brightest X-ray source with NIF and novel metal foams
By combining the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser and ultra-light metal foams, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have produced the brightest X-ray source to date — about twice as bright as previous solid metal versions. These ultra-bright high-energy X-rays can be used to image and study extremely dense matter, like the plasmas created…
Franklin Miller awarded Foster Medal for national security contributions
In an award ceremony held recently at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Franklin Miller was presented with the 2024 John S. Foster Jr. Medal, recognizing his extensive contributions to national security, defense policy and international relations. The Foster Medal, established in 2015, honors individuals who embody the qualities of John S. Foster Jr., including…
Big Ideas Lab introduces El Capitan, the world’s most powerful supercomputer
On the newest episode of the Big Ideas Lab podcast, listeners will go behind the scenes of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) latest groundbreaking achievement: El Capitan, the world’s most powerful supercomputer. Listen on Apple or Spotify. Built by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) with AMD’s new Instinct MI300A Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), El Capitan…
