VPE was recently recognized by Dr. Edward I. Moses, Director of National Ignition Facility (NIF) as contributing to the success of the NIF’s achievements. NIF was honored as the International 2010 Project of the Year by the Project Management Institute (PMI) this extremely prestigious award worldwide. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator, Thomas D’Agostino said, “NIF is an example of what the NNSA labs do best. We are bringing together the best minds in science, engineering and technology to solve some of the nation’s greatest challenges, and complete one of the largest and most complex projects in history.”

NIF is the world’s largest and most energetic laser, focusing 192 beams on a capsule the size of a pencil eraser. Inside that capsule a fuel pellet, made from isotopes of hydrogen, is heated to temperatures hotter than the sun’s core, fusing the hydrogen atoms nuclei and producing more energy than the laser energy required to spark the reaction. The result is ignition – the same life force that powers the sun and stars. NIF is located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore California. VPE is proud to have contributed to such an achievement.