50-year-old accelerator at Los Alamos lab gets green light to design billion-dollar upgrade

The LANSCE accelerator modernization project (LAMP) at Los Alamos National Laboratory received CD-1 approval from NNSA and enters the design phase. The upgrade will replace outdated systems, including the drift-tube linac, and extend the facility's operation to 2050. Cost estimate is $687 million to $1 billion.

• NNSA approved CD-1 for the LAMP project on June 1
• Modernization cost estimated at $687 million–$1 billion
• Project will extend LANSCE operation to 2050
• Will replace outdated ion sources and front-end components