The National Ignition Facility Enhanced Yield Capability*

Since its completion in 2009 [1], the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has played a vital role in supporting the NNSA's Stockpile Stewardship mission by generating invaluable experimental data in the high-energy-density regime [2]. Notably, in a groundbreaking achievement [3], the NIF conducted the world's first controlled fusion experiment to achieve scientific energy breakeven, marking a significant milestone in scientific history. Recent engineering studies have revealed that the NIF has yet to reach its maximum capabilities. Minor facility upgrades have the potential to further boost the laser energy. Encouragingly, scaling studies benchmarked to recent ignition experiments suggest that these enhancements would significantly increase fusion yields. Given the remarkable results of the NIF's ignition experiments, investing in these upgrades would not only expand support for the evolving mission needs of the Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) but also enable the NIF to realize its full potential. In this work, we will outline our preliminary plans to upgrade the NIF to its full potential.