Target Fabrication
3/10/202614 min
At the center of every experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility is a target - a tiny, precisely engineered object built to withstand the intensity of the world’s highest energy laser system. Join us as we explore target fabrication: the craft behind capsules made of diamond, their intricate assemblies, and cross continental journeys that make fusion experiments possible.
Guests featured (in order of appearance):
Michael Stadermann, Target Fabrication Program Manager, LLNL Jared Hund, LLNL Contract Manager at General Atomics
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Every bump in the road sounds louder than it should. In the back seat, a scientist keeps one hand pressed flat against a small metal case. The other grips the handle above the door. He's made this trip before, hundreds of times. Still, his heart pounds, not because what he's carrying is dangerous, but because it's fragile. Inside the case is an object smaller than a pencil eraser, built for science, and delicate enough that months of work could be undone by a single vibration in the wrong direction. The next step of the journey is the airport. [footsteps] A few people glance at the singular case carried flat in the scientist's arms, unaware of the significant breakthroughs possible from what's inside. It leaves his hands, given carefully to security. For a moment, there's nothing to do but wait, because what's inside can't be rushed, can't be jostled, and can't be easily replaced. This tiny object has already crossed continents. Soon, it will reach its final destination: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. It's a capsule-filled tube