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We have made significant progress toward uncertainty quantification for predicting X-ray dose rate in weapon systems. A methodology was developed for quantifying the uncertainties in predicting the dose-rate environment for weapon systems in hostile X-ray environments. These methods will aid weapon designers in the qualification of future systems to nuclear survivability requirements. (1300, 1400) NW
The first-ever simulations were performed of three- dimensional plasma transport in a classified neutron tube geometry using new capabilities developed in the ASC Program Assured Performance Focus Area. A number of simulations were performed using more than 100 million plasma particles with meshes containing more than 10 million elements requiring thousands of processors. These simulations demonstrated the dependence of tube performance on geometric variations. This achievement is critical to completing an NNSA 2015 milepost quantifying neutron tube performance uncertainty to manufacturing and design variations. (1500, 2700) NW
Two major alterations (ALT 357/358) to the B61-7/11 family of weapons were completed, marking the end of an eight-year, multisite effort that spanned the design to production spectrum. Major accomplishments included the installation of a new spin rocket motor and a new Los Alamos National Laboratory-designed canned subassembly. Additionally, B61-7/11 recode operations were completed for the first time at Pantex using the newly implemented Code Management System. (2100, 2500, 2900, 1500, 400) NW
Joint Test Assembly (JTA) product realization teams delivered the first W76-1 JTA1 and W88 JTA2-Refresh production units. These JTAs later performed flawlessly when launched from an Ohio-class submarine on a Trident-II missile during a stockpile evaluation flight test — culmination of multiyear/multiagency programs that included NNSA, US Navy, Sandia, Savannah River Site, Kansas City Plant, Pantex, Y-12, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Both JTAs are highly instrumented and contain advanced telemetry systems that collect warhead data to be used for surveillance of the W88/Mk5 and W76-1/Mk4A. (0400, 1700, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2900, 5300, 8200) NW
DoD’s Trusted IC Supplier Program accredited Sandia’s Microsystems Center as a Category 1A supplier of both trusted design and foundry services. Our ISO 9001-certified processes for custom integrated-circuit design, fabrication, packaging, test, failure analysis, and reliability allow Sandia to offer a total integrated trusted solution to both our internal and external national security customers. (1700) NW
Department 2614 led development of a micro-optical switch targeted for multiple uses. This design integrates fiberoptics and MEMS, creating new performance capabilities for optical applications. MEMS provide the precision alignment of optical fibers — fibers that can carry large power and data bandwidth. The compact and robust device has been tested in multiple environments and has successfully switched more than 5 million cycles. (1500, 1700, 2100, 2400, 2600, and Kansas City Plant) NW
Sandia’s System of Systems Analysis Toolset (SoSAT) is providing an unprecedented system of systems modeling and analysis capability for the Army’s planned new ground combat vehicles (GCV) as part of its modernization program. This summer, Sandia provided modeling and analysis for inputs to the new GCV requirements and performance objectives during the 120-day study. The use of SoSAT was critical in providing a methodology to model the new Office of the Secretary of Defense Materiel Availability Key Performance Parameter (KPP) requirement. (6300) DS&A
Sandia’s Integrated Surety Solutions (ISS) project team completed a crucial Level II milestone by demonstrating advanced technologies for enhanced weapon surety during transportation. ISS made significant progress toward realization of key elements within the National Surety Plan (under development by NNSA and weapon laboratories). Demonstrations were conducted for NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator (ADA) for Secure Transportation and ADA for Science, Engineering, and Production. (8200, 2100, 6400) NW
The US is currently spending hundreds of millions of dollars on upgrades to the physical security of nuclear weapons facilities and exploring technologies for increasing the use denial capabilities of its nuclear assets. DANTE is a force-on-force battle simulation tool built on the Umbra framework. Umbra is a flexible tactical hybrid simulation engine and framework that can integrate physical, cyber, and behavioral elements at variable fidelity in a 3-D environment. DANTE successfully modeled a US nuclear weapons facility, providing insight into the effectiveness of physical security tactics and technologies. By better understanding how physical security and weapon use denial approaches work together, more effective system solutions can be pursued, potentially saving millions of dollars. (400, 6300, 6400) NW
Integrated Planning has been designed and deployed across the full suite of NW core products and essential capabilities. This planning approach identifies the requirements basis and key linkages across the program, has a time horizon consistent with the national budget process, and is intended to strike an appropriate balance between product pull and technology push. It provides an internal framework for ensuring maximum consistency and alignment across Sandia’s nuclear weapons program. It also provides a common integrating construct for communication with our NNSA customers. (200, 2100, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, 2900, 8200, 8400, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 5300) NW
The environment in which Sandia will execute its NW mission over the 2010-2014 timeframe will provide challenges unlike anything the Labs has ever faced. Sandia’s Nuclear Weapons Leadership Council (NWLC), in consultation with NW program and line directors, has developed a vision to guide Sandia in these times. The central theme of Nuclear Weapons Vision – 2014 is that nothing will be more important in meeting these extraordinary challenges than the people of Sandia Labs. (220) NW
The W76-1 Intent Stronglink (ISL) requires three electrical feedthrough connectors (aka headers) that had posed serious manufacturing cost and yield problems. The ISL Header Manufacturing Team developed an alternative design employing a novel glass-ceramic material system not previously used for weapon components. The new system demonstrated superior performance and provided a substantial cost reduction with greatly improved yields. The team qualified the new process and components, then manufactured and shipped sufficient quantities of the three diamond-stamped headers to support W76-1 build schedules, all within four months. (2400, 2600, 2700, 1500, 1800, 420) NW
The 2009 Nuclear Posture Review, when released, will articulate the nuclear policy affecting the future of the stockpile, the weapon production complex, NNSA, and the national laboratories. Sandia’s Systems Analysis Group has contributed to this effort as an officially designated analysis cell responding to Office of the Secretary of Defense requests on a range of issues. Of particular note were efforts to visualize how the nuclear triad would be balanced at lower stockpile levels, the development of many stockpile composition alternatives and courses of action for NNSA, and a white paper on weapons needed in a future stockpile to hedge against technical failures and/or geopolitical requirements. (500) NW
The Integrated Budget Tool (IBT) was developed to assist federal program managers during the annual budget process. The IBT, using detailed budget information that includes a prioritized list of activities, performs an optimized resource competition to develop a new budget plan that honors budget allocation constraints and illustrates the resulting impact on the future NA-10 program. The tool has been deployed to NNSA headquarters and applied to analyze several future budget scenarios in support of FY2011 and future year budget negotiations. (500, 6300) NW
Development of a power-harvesting Integrated Gas Transfer System (IGTS) achieved a major goal by initiating performance testing of a tritium-filled prototype at the Savannah River Tritium Facility. Performance has compared well with high-fidelity thermoelectrical models over a period of 10 months, showing no losses beyond that owing to tritium radiological decay. The IGTS technology is being leveraged in a concurrent cross-center effort developing a standalone tritium thermoelectric generator (TTG). Both Kansas City Plant and Savannah River National Laboratory are partnering with Sandia on the TTG development project. (8200, 8300, 2500, 1800, 1500) NW
Restart authorization for Tonopah Test Range operations, including all work relating to the planning, testing, recovery, clearing, safing, handling, and storage of our Joint Test Assembly (JTA) mission, was approved by the Div. 2000 VP on June 1, 2009. This quick effort also resulted in the successful testing of 52 Man-Portable Air Defense System (ManPADS) missiles and resulted in software algorithm updates for the defensive systems of DoD aircraft deployed in the Iraq/Afghanistan theater to improve survivability rates of aircraft engaged in those conflicts. (2900, 4100, 400) NW, DS&A
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