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The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has been operational since March 2009 and has been transitioning to a user facility supporting ignition science, high energy density science (HEDS), national security applications, and fundamental science. The facility has achieved its design goal of 1.8 MJ and 500 TW of 3ω light on target, and has performed target experiments with 1.9 MJ at peak powers of 410 TW. The facility is on track to perform over 200 target shots this year in support of all of its user communities. The facility has nearly 60 diagnostic systems operational and has shown flexibility in laser pulse shape and performance to meet the requirements of its multiple users. Progress continues on its goal of demonstrating thermonuclear burn in the laboratory. It has performed over 40 indirect-drive experiments with cryogenic-layered capsules. New platforms are being developed for HEDS and fundamental science. Equation-of-state and material strength experiments have been done on a number of materials with pressures of over 50 MBars obtained in diamond, conditions never previously encountered in the laboratory and similar to those found in planetary interiors. Experiments are also in progress investigating radiation transport, hydrodynamic instabilities, and direct drive implosions. NIF continues to develop as an experimental facility. Advanced Radiographic Capability (ARC) is now being installed on NIF for producing high-energy radiographs of the imploded cores of ignition targets and for short pulse laser-plasma interaction experiments. One NIF beam is planned for conversion to two picosecond beams in 2014. Other new diagnostics such as x-ray Thomson scattering, low energy neutron spectrometer, and multi-layer reflecting x-ray optics are also planned. Incremental improvements in laser performance such as improved optics damage performance, beam balance, and back reflection control are being pursued.

The National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was formally dedicated in May 2009. The hohlraum energetics campaign with all 192 beams began shortly thereafter and ran until early December 2009. These experiments explored hohlraum-operating regimes in preparation for experiments with layered cryogenic targets. The hohlraum energetic series culminated with an experiment that irradiated an ignition scale hohlraum with 1 MJ. The results demonstrated the ability to produce a 285 eV radiation environment in an ignition scale hohlraum while meeting ignition requirements for symmetry, backscatter and hot electron production. Complementary scaling experiments indicate that with ∼1.3 MJ, the capsule drive temperature will reach 300 eV, the point design temperature for the first ignition campaign. Preparation for cryo-layered implosions included installation of a variety of nuclear diagnostics, cryogenic layering target positioner, advanced optics and facility modifications needed for tritium operations and for routine operation at laser energy greater than 1.3 MJ. The first cyro-layered experiment was carried out on 29 September 2010. The main purpose of this shot was to demonstrate the ability to integrate all of the laser, target and diagnostic capability needed for a successful cryo-layered experiment. This paper discusses the ignition point design as well as findings and conclusions from the hohlraum energetics campaign carried out in 2009. It also provides a brief summary of the initial cryo-layered implosion.