How LLNL launched ‘The Age of Ignition’ at NIF
How did LLNL make history at the National Ignition Facility by achieving fusion ignition on Dec. 5, 2022?
Our special expanded report, The Age of Ignition, explains how this was accomplished, how it helps strengthen national security, and what it means for science and energy.
George Miller Receives John S. Foster Medal for National Security Contributions
Sept. 22, 2021-
LLNL Director Emeritus George Miller, who helped lead NIF during a key period of the facility’s construction, has been named the 2021 recipient of the John S. Foster Medal for his contributions to U.S. national security.
How Tantalum Behaves at High Pressure and Temperature
Sept. 8, 2021-
LLNL researchers studied the melting behavior of tantalum at multi-megabar pressures, part of a broader effort to ensure these transitions are simulated correctly when predicting events such as accelerating an ablator during experiments at NIF.
LLNL Optics Used to Spot Elusive Martian Auroras
Sept. 2, 2021-
LLNL’s expertise in advancing optical science helped create NIF, the world’s largest laser system. That optical expertise recently played a role in exploring the elusive auroras of Mars. Read more...
Virtual NIF&PS Summer Scholar Program Returned with Expanded Format
Aug. 31, 2021-
The NIF&PS virtual Summer Scholar Program returned for another year with an expanded lineup of seminars, coffee talks, and virtual tours.
NIF Generating Headlines Around the World
Aug. 18, 2021-
NIF’s significant step toward ignition is generating news stories around the world. You can find links to those stories on our In the News page. Read more...
NIF Experiment Puts Researchers at Threshold of Fusion Ignition
Aug. 18, 2021-
A recent NIF experiment made a significant step toward ignition, achieving a yield of more than 1.3 megajoules (MJ). This advancement puts researchers at the threshold of fusion ignition.
NIF Physicist Receives Fusion Excellence Award
Aug. 17, 2021-
The Fusion Power Associates Board of Directors has selected experimental physicist Tammy Ma as the recipient of its 2021 Excellence in Fusion Engineering Award.
LLNL Interns—New Air Force Officers—Support Future NIF Experiments
Aug. 17, 2021-
Two LLNL engineering interns who are newly commissioned officers in the U.S. Air Force collaborated on a diagnostic that will improve future x-ray response experiments at NIF.
