AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise)
Provided unmatched pulsed power for high-energy density liner implosion experiments.
01 Definition
A high-energy pulsed power capacitor bank facility at Kirtland AFB used for solid liner implosions and plasma compression.
02 Detailed_Analysis
Shiva Star is a 10-megajoule pulsed-power capacitor bank facility operated by the Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. Originally developed for advanced high-energy weapons and plasma physics, it became the primary US platform for driving electromagnetic cylindrical liner implosions to compress magnetized target plasmas (FRCHX) to fusion-relevant densities and temperatures.
03 Key_Facts
- ▸ 10-megajoule pulsed-power capacitor bank capable of generating tens of megamperes.
- ▸ Located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, operated by AFRL.
- ▸ Specialized in solid liner electromagnetic implosions and plasma flow switches.
- ▸ Served as the compression driver for the joint AFRL/LANL FRCHX experiment.
04 Deep_Dive_Intelligence
Overview
Intelligence asset in the FRC Technical Lineage (LANL to Skunk Works®).
Entity Type: Concept — AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise) is a technical concept or theoretical framework.
Research Findings
AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise) appears in 10 research analysis documents:
AFRL Air Delivered Effects 2025:
Findings: AFRL Air Delivered Effects 2025
Source PDF: [AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_2025.pdf](/archive/AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_2025)
Date range: 1972-2025
Source org: AFRL
Summary
The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) issued this Broad Agency Announcement to solicit research in 'Air Delivered...
AFRL Air Delivered Effects 2025:
Findings: AFRL Air Delivered Effects 2025
Source PDF: [AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_2025.pdf](/archive/AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_2025)
Date range: 1972-2025
Source org: AFRL
Summary
The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) issued this Broad Agency Announcement to solicit research in 'Air Delivered...
AFRL Air Delivered Effects BAA 2024:
Findings: AFRL Air Delivered Effects BAA 2024
Source PDF: [AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_BAA_2024.pdf](/archive/AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_BAA_2024)
Date range: 1972-2024
Source org: AFRL
Summary
The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) issued this Broad Agency Announcement in 2024 to solicit research a...
AFRL Air Delivered Effects BAA 2024:
Findings: AFRL Air Delivered Effects BAA 2024
Source PDF: [AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_BAA_2024.pdf](/archive/AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_BAA_2024)
Date range: 1972-2024
Source org: AFRL
Summary
The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) issued this Broad Agency Announcement in 2024 to solicit research a...
AFRL FRCHX Plasma Lifetime 2011:
Findings: AFRL FRCHX Plasma Lifetime 2011
Source PDF: [AFRL_FRCHX_Plasma_Lifetime_2011.pdf](/archive/AFRL_FRCHX_Plasma_Lifetime_2011)
Date range: 1976-2013
Source org: LANL
Summary
This 2011 report by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) investigates the trapped-flux lifetime...
06 Related_Terms (2)
07 Related_Entities (5)
08 Timeline_Mentions (10)
MAGO project begins at VNIIEF (Russian nuclear weapons lab)
Russian MTF program at weapons lab. Communist Party decree. Same dual-use pattern as US.
defense-programsReagan launches SDI — Shiva Star re-directed to 'Star Wars'
SDI directed energy: x-ray laser, FEL, NPB, Brilliant Pebbles. Shiva Star → MARAUDER precursor.
defense-programsMARAUDER program begins — AFRL fires compact toroid plasmoids as weapons
Shiva Star facility. 100 billion g acceleration. Explicitly NOT fusion. Same facility as FRCHX. The critical link.
defense-programsMARAUDER (August 1993): USAF compact toroid weapon, 100 billion g acceleration, Shiva Star, went dark mid-1990s
USAF Phillips Lab compact toroid weapon. 100 billion g acceleration. 9.5 MJ Shiva Star. 'Not a fusion program' — weapons. Physics identical to FRC. Went dark mid-1990s. Lineage: SHIVA I → MARAUDER → F
uap-researchAtlas Pulsed Power Facility Commissioned
Atlas commissioned at LANL. Received Shiva Star technology (capacitors, rail-gap switches). Supports SSP. Turchi liner experiments. Later relocated to Nevada Test Site.
Classified ProgramsFRCHX Program at Shiva Star
The Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX) at AFRL Shiva Star attempts to compress FRCs using magnetically imploded solid liners.
defense-programsFRCHX Operations Begin
The Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX) begins at AFRL Shiva Star to demonstrate FRC compression by solid liners.
defense-programsFRCHX Design and Assembly Begins at AFRL
The Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX) begins at Shiva Star, leveraging AFRL's pulsed-power expertise.
defense-programsFRCHX Design and Assembly
The Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX) begins assembly at AFRL's Shiva Star facility.
fusion-physicsFRCHX Integrated System Tests
The Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX) is conducted at AFRL's Shiva Star facility, attempting end-to-end MTF demonstration.
defense-programs09 FAQ
What is AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise)? ▾
Why does AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise) matter? ▾
How does AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise) relate to other concepts? ▾
When did AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise) appear in the research timeline? ▾
Which entities are associated with AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise)? ▾
Is there a detailed dossier for AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise)? ▾
Quick_Facts
- Category
- Facilities
- Aliases
- AFRL Shiva Star Facility (Liner Implosion Expertise), afrl-shiva-star-facility-liner-implosion-expertise, Shiva Star, AFRL Shiva Star Pulsed Power Facility
- Sources
- 0
- Related Terms
- 2
- Graph Entities
- 5
- Timeline Events
- 10