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Our History

Our main responsibility: national security

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has a proud history of almost 80 years of science and innovation to protect the nation

LANL's main responsibility is to ensure our nation's security through nuclear deterrence—this includes stewardship of our nation's nuclear weapons to assure our allies and deter our adversaries. The Laboratory applies the best scientific and engineering solutions to our national security mission and to many of the world's most difficult challenges. 

Then

LANL began in 1943, a few years after the start of World War II, for a single purpose: to design and build an atomic bomb.

It took just 27 months. On July 16, 1945, the world's first atomic bomb was detonated 200 miles south of Los Alamos at Trinity Site. This test proved that scientists at LANL had successfully weaponized the atom.

By this time, Hitler had been defeated in Europe, but the Japanese Empire continued an aggressive war. So to try to end World War II, the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in August. Shortly after, Japan declared a truce. By September 2, the war had officially ended.

Now

Today, different research programs at LANL directly and indirectly support our basic mission: maintaining the safety, security, and reliability of the nation's nuclear deterrent without the need to return to underground testing.

With a national security focus, LANL also works on nuclear nonproliferation and border security, energy and infrastructure security, and countermeasures to nuclear and biological terrorist threats. To support that work, we conduct fundamental science in our six Capability Pillars:

  1. Materials for the Future
  2. Nuclear and Particle Futures
  3. Integrating Information, Science, and Technology for Prediction
  4. Science of Signatures
  5. Weapons Systems
  6. Complex Natural and Engineering Systems

LANL stands ready to provide our nation with innovative and unprecedented solutions to emerging challenges.

Laboratory Directors 1943–Present

Headshot of J. Robert Oppenheimer

J. Robert Oppenheimer

Director, 1943–1945

Headshot of Norris Bradbury

Norris Bradbury

Director, 1945–1970

Headshot of Harold M. Agnew

Harold M. Agnew

Director, 1970–1979

Headshot of Donald M. Kerr

Donald M. Kerr

Director, 1979–1985

Headshot of Siegfried S. Hecker

Siegfried S. Hecker

Director, 1985–1997

Headshot of John C. Browne

John C. Browne

Director, 1997–2003

Headshot of G. Peter Nanos

G. Peter Nanos

Director, 2003–2005

Headshot of Robert Kuckuck

Robert Kuckuck

Director, 2005–2006

Headshot of Michael R. Anastasio

Michael R. Anastasio

Director, 2006–2011

Headshot of Charles McMillan

Charles McMillan

Director, 2011–2017