Podcast: Ed Moses talks about the National Ignition Facility
According to NIF project director Ed Moses, the massive facility is fully operational, but "we don't like to use the word 'finished.'" Moses said the preferred term is "fully commissioned and just beginning."
The facility conducted target experiments as far back as 2001 with just a few beams, and in January of this year with 96 beams. On February 26, the first 192-beam system shot to the center of the National Ignition Facility Target Chamber was fired, marking the unofficial completion of the NIF construction project.
Ed Moses/National Ignition Facility video podcast (MP4) | QuickTime video
National Ignition Facility website: https://lasers.llnl.gov/