New Centrifuge Spins Lasting Partnership
WETL’s centrifuge capabilities include simulating acceleration and deceleration for mission flight profiles. For example, submarine-launched ballistic missiles come up in a bubble, with steep acceleration and deceleration due to the ejection event. “Our centrifuges can simulate these unique transient events,” Larry said.
Testing capabilities like this make the WETL’s centrifuges indispensable to the nation. So, in 2012, when one of the two centrifuges broke down, causing a backlog of work, the seed was sown for improvements.
Partnership Was Key to Success
While teams worked on repairs, Sandia leaders worked with partners at NNSA to devise a plan to install a new centrifuge. In November 2022, Summit Construction broke ground to make room for the new equipment, about the same time that Ideal Aerosmith began building a centrifuge to meet weapon system surveillance requirements.
Tanya Chavez-Cropp, manager of the Ballistic Missile Tester Development group, emphasized the criticality of partnering with NNSA and Ideal Aerosmith.
“This whole team was very committed to the best outcome,” she said. “It took a great amount of partnership, not only to modify and expand the building, but to design and install a large centrifuge safely and ensure it worked as intended. I’m very proud of everyone involved in this effort — it truly exemplifies partnering to succeed.”
The new centrifuge not only provides additional capacity but incorporates slip-ring technology that significantly improves data acquisition.
The entire project was completed in October, and while it will take about six months to qualify the new centrifuge, there is no time for rest.
“With more modernization programs transitioning to the stockpile, we are booked solid. All systems go,” Jared said.
Spinning into the Future
To help with added work, NNSA has approved a future expansion project to add 4,000 square feet to WETL to house new equipment for testing W80-4, W87-1 and other programs.
“Every weapon has its own unique testing and collection equipment, so we need more room,” Larry said.
Since WETL needs two centrifuges up and always running, once the new centrifuge is ready for work, the two existing centrifuges will each, in turn, be replaced.
And so, on that day in October, a group of key project stakeholders gathered around Larry and watched as he cut the ribbon symbolizing the future of the facility and the continued dedication in a strong national nuclear deterrence posture.
When asked what has kept him at WETL for 25 years, Larry said something many Sandians have said over their career at the Labs: “I believe in our mission, and I have a lot of pride in what we do.”
Indeed, WETL was filled with pride that day — something that will fuel the vital work there for decades to come.
Justin Griffin is a Program Communications Specialist at Sandia National Laboratories. Whitney Lacy is a Program Communications Specialist at Sandia National Laboratories. The article was originally posted to the website of Sandia National Laboratories.
