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Sandia micromirrors may be part of Next Generation Space Telescope

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Micromirrors being developed by the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories may one day be part of the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), the successor to the Hubble that will peruse the universe looking for remnants from the period in which the first stars and galaxies formed

Earth-bound 'star' impersonates black hole, neutron star:Z, which reaches temperatures of the Sun, to help astronomers interpret Chandra data

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In an inconspicuous, flat-roofed building on the high desert of New Mexico, a machine that creates temperatures rivaling those of the sun is helping physicists examine up-close what happens to iron in the grip of black holes and neutron stars. Data should help astronomers interpret images from the billion-dollar Chandra X-ray observatory now orbiting Earth.

Funder: U.S. Department of Energy

Sandia portable chemical sensor system promises new way of detecting underwater explosives

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A portable chemical sensor system the size of a soccer ball, being developed by scientists at the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories, promises a new way of detecting and identifying even the smallest traces of explosives under water — whether in a rice paddy or deep in the ocean.

Virtual reality training tool pits emergency rescue teams against computerized terrorist attack

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Sandia computer scientists have combined seven years of virtual reality research into BioSimMER, a VR application that immerses first responders in a 3-D computer-simulated setting — a small airport in which a biological warfare agent has been dispersed following a terrorist bombing. Simulated casualties with a variety of symptoms are found throughout the airport. BioSimMER can help emergency personnel make better decisions if ever they are called on to respond in a real attack.

Funder: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

New five-level layering process pioneered by Sandia promises more reliable, complex micromachines

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new advanced five-level polysilicon surface micromachining process pioneered at the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories promises that microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) of the future will be more reliable and capable of doing increasingly complex tasks.

Future uses of MicroElectricalMechanical (MEM) systems to be featured at Santa Clara show

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Meeting Announcement

Imagine machines with gears no bigger than a grain of pollen, fabricated thousands at a time for pennies apiece. Sandia National Laboratories is a leader in the development of microsystems, and seeks partners and contributors for research into MicroElectricalMechanical Systems (MEMs) that meld traditional engineering disciplines. Current projects are being showcased to potential partners Sept. 20 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Analysts estimate a $100 billion annual market.

Meeting: Microsystems Expo

Microsystems + supercomputers = weapons support + industry interest: MESA -- Sandia's largest project ever -- wins DOE nod

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Grant and Award Announcement

The largest construction project ever proposed by Sandia National Laboratories — the $300 million Microsystems and Engineering Sciences Application (MESA) facility — has received DOE approval to proceed with a conceptual design.
Purpose: to join Sandia’s expertise in weapons, supercomputing, and microsystems into an immersive environment in which scientists can create better non-nuclear components of nuclear weapons and offer businesses and universities new advantages.

Funder: U.S. Department of Energy

A step toward fusion fire: Concept for rapid-fire thermonuclear explosions proposed by Sandia scientists

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A simple theoretical concept to solve the staggeringly difficult problem of maintaining intact electrical transmission lines to produce rapidly repeated thermonuclear explosions for peacetime purposes has been proposed by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories The method is meant to advance the day of relatively cheap, clean, fusion-produced energy through machines like Sandia's Z accelerator.

Funder: Sandia Laboratory-Directed Research and Development
Meeting: Fusion Meeting

Sandia, General Atomics unveil new fine resolution synthetic-aperture radar system

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Lynx, a new fine resolution, real time synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) system, was unveiled here Saturday, Aug. 28 by the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories and General Atomics of San Diego. Designed to be mounted on both manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the 115- pound SAR is a sophisticated all-weather sensor capable of providing photographic-like images through clouds, in rain or fog and in day or night conditions, all in real time.

Funder: US Department of Energy

Help with 'screamingly radioactive' storage tanks: Nonradioactive substitute created to aid nuclear waste clean-up

DOE/Sandia National Laboratories
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Synthetic goods are generally modeled on scarce but desirable materials -- diamonds, fine wools, even fruit juices. Jim Krumhansl’s offering to the world is a bit different. Krumhansl has created synthetic sludge.Unappetizing, perhaps? You thought there was enough of the real thing? But the unusual product, which harmlessly mimics the deadly sludge found in underground nuclear waste storage tanks, could save U.S. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup costs.

Funder: US Department of Energy
Meeting: ACS 218th National Meeting