Funding Status of 2.6 Megajoule LLNL Laser Fusion Modification

May 22, 2025 by Brian Wang

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is pursuing funding to increase the laser fusion power at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) from 2.2 megajoules (MJ) to 2.6 MJ as part of the Enhanced Yield Capability (EYC) project. The eighth ignition experiment on April 7, 2025, set new records for both energy yield and target gain. NIF …

Laser Fusion Could Get to Commercial Fusion

May 22, 2025 by Brian Wang

Lawrence Livermore proved over 4X power gain from laser fusion in April 2025. Upgrading to 3.0MJ laser power would take more upgrades but could deliver 20-40X gain. This would be well on the way to proving the 100-200X science gain that is believed to be needed for viable commercial fusion reactor designs. There would also …