Learn more about the ATR National Scientific User Facility.
The INL consists of the three major facility areas scattered across an 890-square-mile area in southeastern Idaho typically referred to as the "site." Several laboratories are also located approximately 45 miles east in the city of Idaho Falls. The facilities described below are specifically relevant to nuclear energy research.
Reactor Technology Complex
The Reactor Technology Complex (RTC) is dedicated to research supporting national DOE missions, including nuclear technology research. Its primary mission is operation of the world's premier test reactor, the Advanced Test Reactor, or ATR, which is used to study the effects of radiation on materials. It also produces rare and valuable medical and industrial isotopes. The RTC has six essential facilities, the ATR, Advanced Test Reactor Critical Facility, Hot Cell Facility, Radiation Measurements Laboratory, the Radiochemistry Laboratory, and the Safety and Tritium Applied Research Facility (STAR). More about INL's 52 reactors.
Safety and Tritium Applied Research (STAR)
The Safety and Tritium Applied Research (STAR) facility, located at INL's Reactor Technology Complex, is a multi-purpose research and development laboratory serving the needs of the fusion community for bench-scale and engineering-scale experiments in the area of fusion energy reactors. STAR is an expansion of capability and mission from the Tritium Research Laboratory (TRL) that began operations in 1987 at INL. Typical experiments in the STAR facility include the use of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, and other hazardous materials like fluoride salts, beryllium metal and beryllium compounds
Hot Cells and Transportation Cask
The Hot Cells and Transportation Cask will support all programs that make use of the Advanced Test Reactor or other nuclear facilities, such as the Contained Test Facility, for irradiation testing. Among these are DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy, Science & Technology Generation IV missions: development of the Supercritical Water Reactor System, Gas Fast Reactor System, Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor System, and the Very-High-Temperature Reactor System. These facilities also will support the Advanced Fuel Cycle Series 1 and 2 and development of space nuclear reactors.
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