JASPER
4/21/202617 min
In a remote corner of the Nevada desert, scientists at JASPER study one of the most consequential materials on Earth: plutonium. This is the story of how a bold experimental concept became a trusted national asset. By utilizing a two-stage gas gun, researchers create extreme conditions for less than a microsecond, generating the precise data that helps to validate and strengthen U.S. science-based stockpile stewardship. The work demands extraordinary precision, complete containment, and an unwavering focus on national security.
Guests featured (in order of appearance):
- David Bober - JASPER Team Lead, LLNL
- Ricky Chau - JASPER Execution Lead, LLNL
--
Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series.
Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.
Script by Caroline Kidd.
Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell.
Story Editing by Levi Hanusch.
Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell.
Narrated by Matthew Powell.
Video Production by Levi Hanusch.
Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMatthew Powell0:00
[car driving] As the car door slams shut, dust scatters. [door shutting] 90 miles one way, deep into the Nevada desert, has coated everything in a fine layer of grit. It's 7:06 AM. A scientist from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has just arrived at a remote facility built for a single purpose, to measure an event that no human can fully witness. A dry wind gusts across his face one last time before he steps inside the doors of the concrete building. [door shutting] He runs through his checklist. Materials shaped and delivered, systems aligned, and diagnostics tuned to capture a moment too fast for human senses to register. The data collected will ripple far beyond the harsh Nevada desert and directly influence national security. He's made this trek many times before, but today is different. Today is the day that three years of preparation culminate in less than a microsecond. Today is the day a two-stage gas gun drives a radioactive hazardous