Recently the Lawrence Livermore National laboratory inaugurated their latest and perhaps greatest laser system at the National Ignition facility in California (USA). The project took 12 years in planning and implementation and is spread over a 10 story building with the dimensions of 3 football fields. It consists of 192 lasers and when directed can produce temperatures higher than the centre of the sun.
The project is aimed at reinforcing the National Nuclear Security of US by eliminating the need of actual nuclear testing for deterrence measurements. It will also be used for some simulations and experiments at the lab, but the ultimate use is in fusion experiments in order to produce a sustainable fusion reaction with reliable energy gain. With the ability to produce nearly 2 million joules of energy it truly has the potential for sustainable fusion. Let’s hope for the best and please don’t blow things up, like the usual American way.
