Image Gallery

As part of Sandia’s space domain awareness mission, the Labs’ SOHBRIT (pronounced “so-bright”) observatory works through the night to collect images of satellites, helping researchers understand where they are in Earth’s increasingly crowded orbit. On a typical clear night, SOHBRIT can observe about 80 satellites. “It takes images of these satellites and then Sandia employees can use that collective imagery to then do experiments on things like detection algorithms or maybe machine learning models,” computer scientist Allen Schnibben said. “It may lead to a new technique where they can push the limits of what the optical systems can do.” Learn more at bit.ly/4rTjo39 Photo by Craig Fritz

A tradition since 1972, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is one of Albuquerque’s signature events, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Sandia employees are among the pilots, chase crews and the thousands of volunteers, who lend their time and expertise to help make Balloon Fiesta happen. In the photo, Sandia machinist Eric Hodges takes off on his first flight of his 41st consecutive Balloon Fiesta in 2026. Eric was introduced to hot air ballooning at age 11, earned his pilot’s certificate at 16 and flew in his first Balloon Fiesta that same year. Learn more at bit.ly/4dpyZSf Photo by Craig Fritz

A tradition since 1972, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is one of Albuquerque’s signature events, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Sandia employees are among the pilots, chase crews and the thousands of volunteers, who lend their time and expertise to help make Balloon Fiesta happen. Eric Hodges fires up his balloon’s burner as he prepares to take off on the first day of his 41st consecutive Balloon Fiesta in 2026. Learn more at bit.ly/4dpyZSf Photo by Craig Fritz

A tradition since 1972, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is one of Albuquerque’s signature events, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Sandia employees are among the pilots, chase crews and the thousands of volunteers, who lend their time and expertise to help make Balloon Fiesta happen. Savannah Bradley, pictured, is a Sandia year-round graduate intern who was inspired to pursue human systems engineering after assisting her dad on a trans-Pacific hot air balloon flight. She got her pilot’s certificate on her 16th birthday, even before she could drive. Learn more at bit.ly/4dpyZSf Photo by Craig Fritz

Sandia has named Rob Leland its first chief SI officer, tasking him with helping the Labs adopt emerging technologies rapidly and responsibly to advance its national security missions. Rob has a long history at the Labs, including leadership roles in computing research and IT. Most recently, he led Sandia’s Nuclear Deterrence Systems Center where he spearheaded an effort to demonstrate how these technologies can accelerate the engineering design of weapons components and systems. Learn more at bit.ly/4zqgINe Photo by Craig Fritz

NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams, left, talks with Sandia director Greg Rochau about a demonstration target while touring the Z Machine Pulsed Power facility on Aug. 24, 2026. During his visit, Williams toured multiple facilities with Labs Director Laura McGill and met with teams that are driving innovative research at Sandia. Learn more at bit.ly/4B6e293 Photo by Craig Fritz

NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams, left, listens as Sandia senior manager David Epp, right, provides a briefing on the Annular Core Research Reactor during Williams’ visit to the Labs on Aug. 24, 2026. Learn more at bit.ly/4B6e293 Photo by Craig Fritz

Operations Director Trish Benguerel and NNSA Sandia Field Officer Phil Duarte pose for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Secure Weapons Integration Center (SWIC) at Sandia’s California site. The SWIC facility will support Sandia’s core nuclear deterrence mission by providing adequate space for assembly and large-scale test builds with crane support, component electrical testing and bonded storage. Learn more at bit.ly/4ye0Qwm Photo by Spencer Toy

Sandia employees rolled out their custom cars at the Labs’ annual car show, showcasing polished chrome and immaculate paint jobs. A 1963 Chevy Impala won the People’s Choice Award and a 1949 Bentley earned the Committee’s Choice Award. The event was part of National Hispanic Heritage Month activities, which also featured a youth STEM art contest and a musical performance by employees. Learn more at bit.ly/3Wg4nwz Photo by Craig Fritz

Hispanic Outreach for Leadership and Awareness Executive Champion Rita Gonzales addressed attendees at Sandia’s annual car show, which also featured a youth STEM art contest and a musical performance by employees. Learn more at bit.ly/3Wg4nwz Photo by Craig Fritz

Sandia chemical engineer Maria Kelly credits Sandia’s New Mexico Middle School Electric Car Challenge for helping spark her interest in electrochemistry. Years after participating in the STEM event, Maria secured an undergraduate internship at Sandia, and in fall 2025, she returned to the Labs as a Hruby Fellow to pursue her career as a scientist and independent researcher. Learn more at bit.ly/4xkBJaA Photo by Craig Fritz

Morgan Jones was a mechanical engineer working as a technologist with Sandia’s Materials Mechanics and Tribology department, testing the strength and toughness of materials. She went back to school for her Ph.D. and then applied to become a Hruby fellow. Now, Morgan is designing next-generation refractory alloys — structural materials engineered to survive extreme conditions like intense heat, high-speed impacts and harsh environments. “I applied because this opportunity offered exactly what I want to do: lead and direct my own research,” Morgan said. Learn more at bit.ly/4xkBJaA Photo by Craig Fritz

Since the 1970s, Sandia’s optical engine lab was at the forefront of understanding in-cylinder combustion, helping researchers better understand engine operation, improve efficiency and reduce emissions. But as successes, innovations and time mounted, the lab’s equipment became more than half a century old. Now, thanks to partnerships with the Department of Energy and Cummins, Sandia has upgraded its heavy-duty optical engine laboratory with modern production hardware, expanding researchers’ ability to study modern engine performance. Learn more at bit.ly/4iXVjG4 Photo by Spencer Toy

In 1776, America was declaring independence, California statehood was still 74 years away and a tree on Sandia’s future California site was a sapling. “I haven’t seen a sycamore tree this mature in my lifetime,” said Rebekah Krupka, a certified arborist contracted to perform tree risk assessments at the site’s wildlife preserve. “If we’re accurate in our assessment of its age, it was a sapling before the United States was here as we know it.” Established in 2004, Sandia’s wildlife preserve at the Labs covers more than 100 acres, helping protect the large sycamore and surrounding habitat. Learn more at bit.ly/4ho5rpk Photo by Spencer Toy

The Enterprise Data Center at Sandia’s California site is more than servers — it’s a resilient, scalable ecosystem that supports thousands of researchers, engineers and staff across the Labs’ missions every day. Behind its design is a dedicated team that blends foresight and collaboration to ensure the facility can adapt to technologies and demands that don’t yet exist. Learn more at bit.ly/4AJYqrR Photo by Craig Fritz

Sandia’s Enterprise Data Center at its California site is more than servers — it’s a resilient ecosystem that supports thousands of researchers, engineers and staff across the Labs’ missions every day. It has been built with growth and modularity in mind, making it possible to adapt to emerging computing needs. Learn more at bit.ly/4AJYqrR Photo by Craig Fritz

During his nearly 57 years with Sandia, electrical engineer Gary Kirchner has worked with the first commercial astronauts, had one of the first minicomputers at the California site, traveled to the Marshall Islands and helped inspire his daughter to work at Sandia too. Gary said experiencing the diverse range of opportunities, both past and present, keeps him engaged and excited about his career. Learn more at bit.ly/4AjP99r Photo by Craig Fritz

Sandia researchers are working to advance quantum inertial sensors by building a tiny, low-power version of an atom interferometer, a kind of sensor that can be used to precisely measure motion. Ultimately, their work could help pilots navigate when GPS signals are jammed or unavailable. In the photo, Sandia scientist Jongmin Lee adjusts a machine that produces optical nanofibers about 200 times thinner than a human hair. When laser light travels through a nanofiber, halos form around it, guiding atoms along its length for quantum sensing. Learn more at bit.ly/4gUphJM Photo by Craig Fritz

Sandia researchers are working to advance quantum inertial sensors by building a tiny, low-power version of an atom interferometer, a kind of sensor that can be used to precisely measure motion. Ultimately, their work could help pilots navigate when GPS signals are jammed or unavailable. In the photo, standard optical fiber is simultaneously heated over a flame and stretched by two motorized stages to produce an optical nanofiber. Learn more at bit.ly/4gUphJM Photo by Craig Fritz