Nuclear Weapons

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Transforming environmental testing one shake at a time

July 25, 2024 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Testing weapons and components in a lab-controlled environment has always been at the center of Sandia National Laboratories’ mission. Since the U.S. stopped underground explosives tests on weapons in the early 1990s, Sandia has developed other methods to conduct experiments that mimic the range of environments a...

In-house advanced manufacturing techniques help meet mission needs

July 17, 2024 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A group at Sandia National Laboratories is transforming how it develops custom electronic connectors for weapons systems. The Rapid Development Connectors program is a five-year National Nuclear Security Administration-funded project to build a team and lab space capable of fabricating and delivering functional connectors in less than...

Major milestone reached for key weapons component

April 23, 2024 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories and the Kansas City National Security Campus completed a crucial weapons component development milestone, prior to full rate production. The Mark 21 Replacement Fuze interfaces with the W87-0 warhead for deployment onto the Minuteman III and, eventually, the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. The first...

Engineer taps into Sandia’s deep knowledge base to design high-reliability component

February 26, 2024 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Robert Petterborg saw an opportunity to improve a critical part used to test a weapons system. Using his spare time at work and with the help of his Sandia National Laboratories colleagues, he designed a new cable connector that eliminates misalignments that could interfere with testing and...

Sandia and UNM collaborate to build more efficient rocket

January 25, 2024 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sal Rodriguez, a nuclear engineer at Sandia National Laboratories, is forging a rocket revolution with the help of the University of New Mexico and student Graham Monroe. Their cutting-edge research is propelling the future of aerospace by infusing rocket science with a touch of golf ball magic....

Preventing collateral damage in cancer treatment

October 23, 2023 • LIVERMORE, Calif. — Using a simple concept and a patented Sandia sensor that detects radioactive materials, a team at Sandia National Laboratories has developed a patch to stop damage to healthy tissue during proton radiotherapy, one of the best tools to target certain cancerous tumors. “This is an important need,...

Sandia, AMD collaborate to improve stockpile mission

January 26, 2023 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories, in partnership with Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore national labs, has awarded a contract to AMD that funds research and development of advanced memory technologies expected to accelerate high-performance simulation and computing applications in support of the nation’s stockpile stewardship mission. The National Nuclear...

Sandia, Intel seek novel memory tech to support stockpile mission

December 12, 2022 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In pursuit of novel advanced memory technologies that would accelerate simulation and computing applications in support of the nation’s stockpile stewardship mission, Sandia National Laboratories, in partnership with Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore national labs, has announced a research and development contract awarded to Intel Federal LLC,...

Investigating stockpile stewardship applications for world’s largest computer chip

October 17, 2022 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories and its partners announced a new project today to investigate the application of Cerebras Systems‘ Wafer-Scale Engine technology to accelerate advanced simulation and computing applications in support of the nation’s stockpile stewardship mission. The National Nuclear Security Administration’s Advanced Simulation and Computing program is...
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Propelling wind energy innovation

September 8, 2022 • [caption id="attachment_20521" align="alignright" width="250"] Sandia National Laboartories’ Twistact technology proves beneficial in lowering costs, improving sustainability and reducing maintenance for next-generation direct-drive wind turbines. (Photo by Zhang Fengsheng…
Sandia’s Twistact technology proves beneficial in lowering costs, improving sustainability and reducing maintenance for next-generation direct-drive wind turbines.

Sandia researchers receive two EO Lawrence Awards

July 14, 2022 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories pulsed-power physicist Daniel Sinars and quantum information scientist Andrew Landahl have each received 2021 Ernest Orlando Lawrence Awards, the U.S. Department of Energy’s highest scientific mid-career honor. Sinars won in the category “National Security and Nonproliferation;” Landahl in “Computer, Information and Knowledge Sciences.” Susan...

Sandia weapons systems engineering director honored by NNSA, Air Force and Navy

June 9, 2022 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Jim Handrock, Sandia National Laboratories’ director of New Mexico weapons systems engineering, received a series of awards and commendations from the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Air Force and Navy recognizing his leadership, expertise and service to the nation during a celebration at Sandia on May 4....
Categories: Awards, Nuclear Weapons

Seashell-inspired Sandia shield protects materials in hostile environments

May 3, 2022 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Word of an extraordinarily inexpensive material, lightweight enough to protect satellites against debris in the cold of outer space, cohesive enough to strengthen the walls of pressurized vessels experiencing average conditions on Earth and yet heat-res…
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Major milestone for B61-12 life extension program

February 2, 2022 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories marked a major milestone when the Nuclear Security Enterprise successfully produced the first completely refurbished bomb for the B61-12 life extension program in November 2021. “This is the first complete unit built with nuclear and non-nuclear components that has been fully qualified from the...
Categories: Nuclear Weapons

Major upgrade to HOT Shot rocket program culminates in successful launch

September 13, 2021 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories announced that a major upgrade to the National Nuclear Security Administration’s HOT Shot sounding rocket program culminated in a successful launch on Saturday at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. HOT Shot, short for High Operational Tempo Shot, collects scientific data that benefits...
Launch Photo

With redesigned ‘brains,’ W88 nuclear warhead reaches milestone

August 16, 2021 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories and its nuclear security enterprise partners recently completed the first production unit of a weapon assembly responsible for key operations of the W88 nuclear warhead. “The arming, fuzing and firing assembly is the brains of the warhead,” said Dolores Sanchez, senior manager of the...
Drop test for W88 Alt 370

New weapons testing capability produces richer data, saves time, cost

July 20, 2021 • LIVERMORE, Calif. — A team of Sandia National Laboratories engineers developed a new testing capability in support of its nuclear weapons mission. The team completed their first combined-environments test on a full-scale weapons system at the Sandia Superfuge/Centrifuge co…
An experimental test system is mounted on the centrifuge arm prior to combined environments testing at the Sandia National Laboratories Superfuge/Centrifuge Complex in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Setting gold and platinum standards where few have gone before

June 24, 2021 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Like two superheroes finally joining forces, Sandia National Laboratories’ Z machine — generator of the world’s most powerful electrical pulses — and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility — the planet’s most energetic laser source — in a series of 10 experiments have detailed the responses...

Experimental Impact Mechanics Lab at Sandia bars none

May 25, 2021, Media Advisory • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — There’s a tiny hidden gem at Sandia National Laboratories that tests the strength and evaluates the impact properties of any solid natural or manmade material on the planet. From its humble beginnings as a small storage room, mechanical engineer Bo Song has built a singular Experimental Impact...
EIML Bo Song

Sandia names new leader of nuclear deterrence programs

January 4, 2021 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories has named a new deputy labs director to lead its nuclear deterrence programs as part of a reorganization that supports the labs’ continued excellence in assuring the safety, security and reliability of the nation’s nuclear arsenal. Laura McGill, who joins Sandia after more than...
Laura McGill, Sandia deputy labs director

Global security and cooperation leader recognized by NNSA for leadership, service

December 3, 2020 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Rodney Wilson, former director of Sandia’s Center for Global Security and Cooperation, received the National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator’s Distinguished Service Gold Award in recognition of his leadership and service to advance NNSA programs. The plaque, signed by former Administrator Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty, recognized Wilson’s contributions to...
Categories: Awards, Nonproliferation
Rodney Wilson

Flight tests to show B61-12 will work on Air Force’s newest fighter jet

November 23, 2020 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A mock B61-12’s strike in the dusty Nevada desert successfully completed the first in a series of flight tests with the U.S. Air Force’s newest fighter jet, demonstrating the bomb’s first release from an internal bomb bay at greater than the speed of sound. The flight test...
An F-35A drops a B61-12 over Sandia's Tonopah Test Range.

Virtual support from Sandia enabled B61-12 flight test on F-35A jet fighter

November 9, 2020 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Overcoming COVID-19 pandemic challenges through virtual means, teams from Sandia National Laboratories and the U.S. Air Force under the guidance of the National Nuclear Security Administration performed a critical B61-12 flight test aboard the F-35A Lightning II jet fighter. The flight test at Edwards Air Force Base...
F-35A fighter jet in flight

Record neutron numbers at Sandia Labs’ Z machine fusion experiments

October 27, 2020 • ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— A relatively new method to control nuclear fusion that combines a massive jolt of electricity with strong magnetic fields and a powerful laser beam has achieved its own record output of neutrons — a key standard by which fusion efforts are judged — at Sandia National Laboratories’ Z...
Results 1–25 of 98