SAN DIEGO, Nov. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For almost 35 years, General Atomics (GA) scientists in San Diego have collaborated with the U.S. government to enhance homeland defense and advance fusion technology. This month, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-autonomous agency under the Department of Energy (DOE), renewed GA’s contract to produce and deliver research components vital to maintaining the U.S. nuclear stockpile. The contract supports the NNSA’s Stockpile Stewardship Program which advances Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) research at national laboratories across the country.
“We are proud to be a part of this decades-long collaborative effort with NNSA and several national laboratories,” said Paul Fitzsimmons, technical director for Inertial Fusion Technology at the General Atomics Energy Group. “The contract lets GA use our unique capabilities to support a program vital to our country’s national security.”
As a part of the contract, GA fabricates state-of-the-art ignition targets— small, peppercorn-sized spheres made from various materials, including diamond and gold, among others. Researchers then fire lasers at these targets, which rapidly compress them to trigger a controlled release of energy lasting just billionths of a second. The data gained from these experiments allows researchers to study the behavior of matter under extreme conditions and is essential for ensuring the U.S. maintains a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent without underground testing.
In 2022, the tiny targets played a crucial role in achieving a major milestone at the National Ignition Facility, located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). LLNL scientists, along with more than 45 GA employees based at the facility to support the mission, achieved fusion ignition for the first time—marking one of the most momentous scientific breakthroughs of the 21st century. Since then, the team has successfully repeated this accomplishment four more times.
GA’s renewed contract starts with an initial five-year term, with the option to extend it for an additional five years, allowing this agreement to potentially last a decade. This expanded commitment, paired with increased funding, reflects a significant shift from the previous five-year only agreements.
“This is a long-term commitment unlike any we’ve had before,” Fitzsimmons said. “It truly reflects the NNSA’s confidence in General Atomics as a strategic partner, while facilitating enduring investments that will support and shape the future of this dynamic program.”
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About General Atomics: Since the dawn of the atomic age, General Atomics innovations have advanced the state of the art across the full spectrum of science and technology – from nuclear energy and defense to medicine and high-performance computing. Behind a talented global team of scientists, engineers, and professionals, GA’s unique experience and capabilities continue to deliver safe, sustainable, economical, and innovative solutions to meet growing global demands.
- The state-of-the-art ignition targets fabricated by General Atomics are small, peppercorn-sized spheres made from various materials, including diamond and gold, among others.
- Photo Credit: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)