Navigation for Saturday Morning

Recreating nuclear fusion in California

LLNL’s National Ignition Facility, where 192 laser beams delivered more than 2 million joules of ultraviolet energy to a tiny fuel pellet to create fusion ignition on Dec. 5

National Ignition Facility Target Area operators inspect a final optics assembly during a routine maintenance period. (PHOTO: Jason Laurea/LLNL)

The 192 laser beams of the National Ignition Facility are directed at a gold-plated hohlraum, which houses the tiny fuel capsule. (PHOTO: Credit: Jason Laurea/LLNL)

The National Ignition Facility Target Chamber is the center of the Target Bay, which also served as the set for the engine room of the Starship Enterprise in the 2013 film "Star Trek: Into Darkness." (PHOTO: Jason Laurea/LLNL)

The National Ignition Facility’s preamplifier module increases the laser energy as it travels to the Target Chamber. (PHOTO: Credit: Damien Jemison/LLNL)

The images in this gallery are used with permission and are subject to copyright conditions.