Description

In this episode, Curtis and Jim discuss the National Nuclear Security Administration's recent achievement of producing the first plutonium pit in 35 years. They delve into the complex process of their production, the challenges faced in ramping up production to meet future demands, and speculations regarding a recent seismic event in Iran.

*Special Note: Sometimes we get it wrong, but we can correct the record. In this podcast, we miscommunicated several points due to outdated data or poor wording. NIDS Fellow, Derek Williams, has provided the following clarifications:

1. The 80 pits per year requirement originates from a GAO report, not the 2018 NPR.
2. Contrary to our statement, DOE/NNSA produced pits at Los Alamos between 2007 and 2011.
3. Deuterium is not radioactive; only Tritium is, with a half-life of 12.33 years.

We apologize for any confusion caused and appreciate Derek Williams for the corrections.