Podcast: Ed Moses talks about the National Ignition Facility

The National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is gearing up for its first target experiments with all 192 laser beams in May.

According to NIF project director Ed Moses, the massive facility is fully operational, but "we don't like to use the word 'finished.'" Moses said the preferred term is "fully commissioned and just beginning."

The facility conducted target experiments as far back as 2001 with just a few beams, and in January of this year with 96 beams. On February 26, the first 192-beam system shot to the center of the National Ignition Facility Target Chamber was fired, marking the unofficial completion of the NIF construction project.

Ed Moses/National Ignition Facility video podcast (MP4) | QuickTime video

National Ignition Facility website: https://lasers.llnl.gov/