The planets, stars, and distant galaxies have long captured our imaginations. Our curiosity about these distant realms has led us to send humans into space, land robots on Mars, and create enormous telescopes with unprecedented reach.
Here on Earth, scientists are exploring astrophysical phenomena in a special lab — Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility (NIF). This one-of-a-kind program, called NIF Discovery Science, is the focus of the latest episode of the Big Ideas Lab podcast, available on Apple and Spotify.
NIF is the world’s most energetic laser system and the only place where fusion ignition has been achieved in a laboratory. NIF can create extreme conditions, temperatures hotter than the sun and pressures exceeding 100 billion times Earth’s atmosphere, which LLNL scientists use to better understand our nuclear deterrent. Those same conditions can be used to recreate and study astrophysics phenomena like supernovas, dying stars, and the center of Jupiter.
“The conditions we can achieve are similar to what is thought to exist in outer space, in astrophysical environments,” said Dan Kalantar, chief systems engineer for experimental systems at NIF. “The topics being studied can impact our understanding of the universe.”
About 8 percent of NIF’s experimental time is reserved for Discovery Science, and anyone can submit a proposal. The process is competitive, with about 40 percent of proposals accepted, and lengthy, with 2-3 years of preparation and planning with LLNL scientists.
These experiments help build an academic pipeline, allowing students to experience all that LLNL and NIF have to offer and providing LLNL scientists with opportunities for peer review, prestigious publications, and broader collaboration. Discovery Science experiments also drive the development of new diagnostic instruments, which are then fielded on critical national security experiments.
“I really enjoy mentoring young scientists,” said experimental physicist Tilo Doeppner. “Bringing them into NIF for the first time and seeing that glow in their eyes reminds me how awesome this place is.”
Doeppner has participated in many Discovery Science campaigns. He is working to refine the x-ray Thomson scattering diagnostic, a core part of these experiments. Join him and Kalantar for an inside-the-lab look at Discovery Science. Hear more on Apple and Spotify.
More Information:
“TARDIS Experiments Boost NIF Discovery Science and Stockpile Stewardship,” NIF & Photon Science News, August 13, 2025
Follow us on X: @lasers_llnl