Pit Technologies at a Glance
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
The National Nuclear Security Administration has tasked Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) with important national security work: to develop a plutonium pit manufacturing capability and deliver a minimum of 30 plutonium pits per year in the years ahead. A pit is a hollow sphere of plutonium that, when uniformly compressed by explosives inside a warhead or bomb, causes a nuclear explosion. New pits are needed to maintain the nation’s nuclear stockpile and are a key component of nuclear deterrence and world peace. LANL’s Pit Technologies (PT) division manufactures these pits safely and securely. The work takes place in the Plutonium Facility (PF-4), the nation’s most modern plutonium science and manufacturing facility. LANL is currently the only place in the country with the capability to manufacture plutonium pits.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001
- OSTI ID:
- 2323512
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR--24-22281
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Pits 101: The four types of nuclear weapons modernization activities
Minimum Analytical Chemistry Requirements for Pit Manufacturing at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Stockpile Stewardship and Management for a Modern Pit Facility
Technical Report
·
Wed Apr 19 00:00:00 EDT 2023
·
OSTI ID:1972076
Minimum Analytical Chemistry Requirements for Pit Manufacturing at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Technical Report
·
Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1998
·
OSTI ID:16747
Draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Stockpile Stewardship and Management for a Modern Pit Facility
Technical Report
·
Fri Jun 06 00:00:00 EDT 2003
·
OSTI ID:823243