Over the past decade, global space launch cadences have grown dramatically, frequently placing multiple payloads into orbit on a single booster. Robust Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and precise characterization of resident space objects are vital to safeguarding the orbital environment. To confront this emerging national security risk, a team of scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) partnered with Rocket Lab and the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) to deliver an optical payload for the VICTUS HAZE tactically responsive space (TacRS) mission under the
Space & Astronomy#Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory#Defense#Engineering#Global Security#Industry Collaborations#Lasers and Optical S&T#Space security#Top Story
Space & AstronomyLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
It has been a long-standing mystery in nuclear physics: why do the nuclei of some atoms emit more low-energy gamma rays than they should? The answer can be found in a new study from an international scientific team led by the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and including authors from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Published in Nature, the work sheds light on the internal structure of atomic nuclei and has far-reaching implications for national security and astrophysics. Gamma rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation like visible light and radio waves. Atomic
Space & AstronomyEnergy Policy#Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory#Academic Engagement#Nuclear#Chem#and Isotopic S&T#Physical and Life Sciences#Top Story#astronomy
Space & AstronomyLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Each summer, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) welcomes students from broad academic backgrounds who bring fresh perspectives and technical expertise to the Lab's mission. This year, interns are contributing to engineering, national security, high-energy laser research and artificial intelligence. Meet four interns and learn how their LLNL experiences are shaping their skills, interests and career goals. Applying classroom lessons to pioneering engineering Julien Rodriguez applies mechanical engineering principles to support safety analysis for a National Ignition Facility diagnostic. Julien Rodriguez is a junior mechanical engineering student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, interning in LLNL's
Space & AstronomyEnvironment & ClimateEnergy Infrastructure#Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory#Academic Engagement#Careers#Engineering#HPC#Simulation#and Data Science#Lasers and Optical S&T
Space & AstronomyLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
For the better part of a century, people have been trying to understand dark matter. This invisible substance makes up roughly 85% of the mass in the universe but has never been directly detected. Determining exactly what it is remains one of the biggest questions about our world. Now, a new analysis from the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment has recorded a single particle interaction that researchers have great difficulty explaining with known background signals from normal matter. The result does not yet meet the statistical threshold required to claim a discovery, but is the most compelling
Space & AstronomyParticle Physics#Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory#Laboratory Directed Research and Development#Nuclear#Chem#and Isotopic S&T#Physical and Life Sciences#Top Story#astronomy
Space & AstronomyLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
For the second summer, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) Space Science Institute (SSI) welcomed undergraduate and graduate students to a 10-week internship exploring astronomy, cosmochemistry and astrophysics. Throughout the summer, the 2026 student cohort worked alongside their LLNL mentors on projects reflecting the variety of capabilities available onsite at the Laboratory. "Here at the Lab, there is a huge breadth of research that lives under space science — from performing astrophysical data analysis with LLNL's high-performance computers to characterizing an instrument
Space & Astronomy#Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory#Academic Engagement#HPC#Simulation#and Data Science#Lasers and Optical S&T#Nuclear#Chem
Technology & InnovationLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Livermore Lab Foundation (LLF) recently convened supporters, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) leaders, partners and community members to celebrate 10 years of philanthropic impact. The event recognized a decade dedicated to unlocking scientific potential, advancing groundbreaking research and inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders. "Ten years ago, we set out with a vision to connect philanthropic investments with cutting-edge scientific innovation," said LLF Board Chair Dona Crawford. "[This event] isn't just a milestone on a calendar; it's a reflection of what
From off-roading in rural Nevada to commuting during rush hour on the 405 in Los Angeles, the space domain has undergone a rapid transformation over the past five years. What began as a vast landscape with a few high-profile, large-scale missions is now a heavily trafficked orbital freeway, rife with accident debris and security risks. To navigate this new environment, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) built the Satellite, Telescope, Aerial drone, and Remote sensing Mission Operations Center (STARMOC). The latest episode of the Big Ideas Lab podcast takes listeners inside the
Space & Astronomy#Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory#computing#Engineering#HPC#Simulation#and Data Science#Space security#Top Story
