Mission

Scientist, Daniel Seitz, works on the Cibola satellite at LANL. Cibola is part of the U.S. Department of Defense Space Test Program. It was designed to prove that off-the-shelf computer processors called field-programmable gate arrays can be used for supercomputing in space. The processors can be reconfigured while the satellite is in orbit, enabling researchers to modify them for different tasks, such as studying lightning, disturbances in the ionosphere, and radio-frequency sources.

Focusing talents on threats and opportunities: science and innovation for a secure nation

To advance U.S. national security, the people of Los Alamos National Laboratory meet science and technology challenges with unsurpassed knowledge, skill, and zeal.

LANL has an overarching commitment to the national interest

The nation needs LANL's proven scientific capabilities to address current and future security needs. We continue to carry out our commitments with disciplined execution so that we can deliver successful outcomes and products as a result of our innovation, ultimately serving the nation at the highest possible level.

Our three main mission areas:

• Safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear deterrent
• Reduction of global threats
• Solving other emerging national security and energy challenges

Charlie McMillan, Director of Los Alamos National Laboratory, describes how the Lab provides leadership in science and technology:

Whether it’s nuclear deterrence and energy production or bioscience breakthroughs and predictive modeling, the men and women of Los Alamos deliver solutions to many of the nation’s—and the world’s—most pressing problems.

From preventing nuclear proliferation and powering space missions to improving our understanding of climate change and neutralizing pandemics, the employees of Los Alamos focus their talents on a huge variety of threats and opportunities.