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Nuclear Weapons & Materials Monitor
Morning Briefing
July 9, 2012
CALIFORNIA LAWMAKER: BE PATIENT ON NATIONAL IGNITION FACILITY
Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), whose 10th District includes Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, is urging patience with the lab’s struggle to achieve fusion ignition at the $3.5 billion National Ignition Facility. The National Nuclear Security Administration revealed last week that the facility had missed a key milestone on the path to ignition, with a spokesman acknowledging that it is “unlikely” that the lab will meet expectations to achieve ignition by the end of the fiscal year. “Science doesn’t always follow the timelines of mankind, but we would be centuries behind if we gave up after every scientific hiccup,” Garamendi said in a statement provided to NW&M Monitor. “America may still lead the world in scientific advances, but every day we are reminded that other countries are nipping at our heels—and chipping away at the economic windfalls that occur in countries that embrace public research.”
Garamendi added: “The experiments done at the National Ignition Facility and similar research facilities are complex and require an investment of time, effort, and patience, but they pay off in the end. NIF conducts work that is crucial to our national defense and energy security. The NIF facility is more than just a fusion energy research, it is a critical element in maintaining safe, secure, and reliable weapon systems. Just think, ‘Where would our economy be today if we gutted the public research that led to the Internet?’ ”
Comments
Let's look at the LHC, which a week after startup had a catastrophic failure, which required it to be shutdown for a year. Here DOER would probably have said " milestone missed, we shut you down". In Europe however, they got to work and fixed it and announced the Higgs last week.
But maybe that is the reason why Europe is having success in science and here we are loosing any technological edge we might still have since we are like spoiled brats who want to have immediate gratification. Plus the risk averesness on all levels, starting at DOE HQ all the way down to mamgt at the labs.
As someone with co-workers and good friends at both Labs for many years, makes me recall that the reason Congress forced the changes in contract was due to the repeated screwups at Los Alamos. Those at Livermore that remember this do hold a strong grudge about it. Not making excuses here, just stating the facts.
On the other side, many of the most bitter Los Alamos workers seem to hang onto the philosophy that every local idea is flawless and all outside ideas are flawed. While this is not the reality of the world, it often emerges as a bully attack on the closest available target which is often Livermore.
July 15, 2012 6:21 AM
Revisionist history. The fact is that LLNL was always better at hiding its "screwups" while LANL always confessed before being accused.
July 15, 2012 6:21 AM
X-ray laser, Brilliant Pebbles, Magnetic Fusion Test Facility (MFTF), and now NIF. All repeated LLNL success stories!