Science

LANL: New Los Alamos Program Supports Opportunities For Indigenous Women In Physics

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Astrid Morreale, researcher in the Nuclear and Particle Physics and Applications group at LANL, co-principal investigator on the project. Courtesy/Astrid Morreale

LANL News:

A newly funded program at Los Alamos National Laboratory, in collaboration with Fort Lewis College, supports undergraduate indigenous women interested in a career in physics.

Offered to two women per year majoring in physics at Fort Lewis College, the program aims to build a pipeline of talent from the undergraduate level in the Four Corners region to graduate programs and eventual careers in physics, including Read More

NNSA Announces Successful Completion Of First Production Unit Of B61-12 Life Extension Program

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NNSA News:

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) successfully completed the B61-12 Life Extension Program (LEP) First Production Unit (FPU) Nov. 23.

The B61-12 LEP helps modernize America’s nuclear weapons stockpile and sustain the Nation’s air delivered nuclear deterrent capability. The nuclear security enterprise, in close coordination with the U.S. Air Force, worked together to deliver the B61-12 FPU after more than nine years of design, development, qualification, and component production.

“With this program, we’re delivering Read More

Ralph E. Clark III Donates $30,000 To Northern New Mexico College’s Technical Trades Programs

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From left, John Ussery, NNMC Branch Community College, El Rito Program Director, NNMC donor Butch Clark, Butch’s brother Will Clark and NNMC President Dr. Rick Bailey. Courtesy/NNMC

From left: NNMC donor Butch Clark takes a tour of the NNMC Branch Community College Greenhouse with Branch Community College, El Rito, Program Director John Ussery. Courtesy/NNMC

NNMC News:

EL RITO — Northern New Mexico College’s (NNMC) new Technical Trades programs in Plumbing and Electrical Technology are benefiting from a generous $30,000 donation from Dr. Ralph (Butch) E. Clark III.

Clark earned his PhD Read More

AFRL’s Drone Killer ‘THOR’ Wins Popular Science ‘Best Of’

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Air Force Research Laboratory’s THOR team, pictured with the portable counter-UAS system, capable of destroying drones at the speed-of-light, at long range, in its base defense mission. Courtesy/AFRL

AFRL News:

KIRTLAND AFB — The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is celebrating the success of its counter drone weapon, the Tactical High-power Operational Responder (THOR), after being named the Popular Science “Best of What’s New” in the security category.

Each year, Popular Science reviews thousands of new products and innovations, to choose the top 100 winners across 10 categories. Read More

NM Space History Museum Launch Pad Lecture Dec. 3

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Starship SN9 sitting on the launch pad with the build site in the background ahead of test flight. Courtesy/Jared Krahn

NMMSH News:

ALAMOGORDO — The New Mexico Museum of Space History’s (NMMSH) popular Launch Pad Lecture takes center stage again at 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 3 on the second floor of the museum in Alamogordo.

The lecture is free to the public and the topic is “SpaceX Starship: To Orbit and Beyond!” presented by Museum Outreach Coordinator Tony Gondola.

“SpaceX Starship: To Orbit and Beyond” will explore SpaceX’s ground-breaking approach to spaceflight and their efforts to eventually Read More

AFRL Civilians Pledge Oath Of Office To U.S. Space Force

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AFRL civilians gather to swear an oath of office as they transfer to the U.S. Space Force in a ceremony Nov. 10 at Kirtland AFB include Melody Martinez, left, Rachel Delaney, center, and Kyle Gleichmann, right, colleagues in the lab’s Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research project. Courtesy/AFRL

AFRL civilians gather Nov. 10 to swear an oath of office as they transfer to the U.S. Space Force in a ceremony at Kirtland AFB including front row from left, Robbie Robertson, Barry Bunn, Quentin Dierks and Gary Ober. Courtesy/AFRL

AFRL News:

KIRTLAND AFB — Dozens of civil servants Read More

AFRL Selects 10 Universities For Satellite Program

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Two University Nanosatellite Program students assemble the Oculus-ASR satellite. Courtesy/AFRL

Graphic representation of Arachne, the first solar power beaming experiment for the Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations & Research Project. Courtesy/AFRL

AFRL News: 

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE — The Air Force Research Laboratory’s University Nanosatellite Program (UNP) has selected 10 universities to participate in the upcoming 2-year partnership to design, fabricate and test small satellites.

At the recent Flight Selection Review for the program’s tenth cycle, 3 of 10 Read More

‘Mission To Mars’ Book Launch & Talk By Dr. Larry Crumpler Dec. 9

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NMNHS News:

The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (NMNHS) announces the release of the highly anticipated new book “Missions to Mars” and a talk by the author, Museum Planetary Geologist Larry Crumpler.

The event is 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9. Attendees will meet the author 6-6:30 p.m. and tour the museum’s newest exhibition “Mars: Science and Culture”, followed at 6:30 p.m. by Crumpler’s talk.

Admission is $5 per person and tickets must be purchased in advance. 

Schedule: 

  • Tour of Exhibit at 6 p.m.;
  • Talk at 6:30 p.m.; and
  • Book Signing 7-8 p.m.

Description:

6-6:30 p.m., meet the Read More

NNMCAB’s Bob Hull Presents Talk To Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee At Roundhouse

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NNMCAB member Bob Hull, center front, responds to questions by Dist. 43 Rep. Christine Chandler, at left, during a hearing Friday in Senate Chambers at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee Vice Chair Rep. Christine Chandler with NNMCAB Committee Chair Bob Hull outside Senate Chambers Friday following his presentation. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com

SANTA FE – In his capacity as Chair of the Risk Evaluation and Management Committee for Read More

LANL: Exotic Element Californium Explored In Detail

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Solid-state structure of molecule containing californium-carbon bonding. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

New work led by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), in the journal Nature this week, reports the first structural characterization of californium-carbon bonding in a molecule. Such analysis allows scientists to assess periodic reactivity and bonding trends in an otherwise mysterious element.

“Californium captures the imagination and offers broad science appeal because of its exotic place in the periodic table,” said Andrew Gaunt, a Los Alamos chemist and one of the paper’s lead Read More