The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is a MW-class H-/H+ 800-MeV proton linear accelerator and storage ring that serves five distinct user facilities in support of LANL’s national security mission and DOE’s Office of Science medical isotope program. We will describe future directions of LANSCE over the next two decades, which includes revitalization and modernization of existing subsystems and upgrades with significantly increased operational capabilities. We will also be describing ongoing and future R&D activities will enable these enhancements. Some of this R&D is truly cross-cutting, leading to foundational technologies that broadly support multiple LANSCE directions, such as high-gradient normal-conducting RF, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and high-brightness, robust cathodes. Other R&D is more specific to particular applications, and include such topics as narrow bandwidth inverse-Compton scattering, short-range wakefield studies, and novel X-ray free-electron laser architectures.

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is a very flexible H-/H+ 800-MeV proton linear accelerator and storage ring that serves five distinct user facilities in support of LANL’s national security mission and commercial applications. It is unique because of the intensity and energy spectrum of the neutrons produced. The Isotope Production Facility (IPF) operates using an H+ beam line at 100-MeV. The Proton Radiography Facility uses the 800-MeV H- beam stripped to protons. The Ultra-Cold Neutron (UCN) Facility, the Lujan Center, and the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) Center all use spallation neutrons from tungsten targets with water and liquid hydrogen moderators for Lujan, a solid deuterium moderator for UCN, and no moderation at WNR. These spallation targets all receive 800-MeV beam each with a unique beam pulse structure specific to that target. LANSCE celebrated its 50-year anniversary of 800-MeV beam during the summer of 2022. We will summarize operational experiences and challenges at a half-century old accelerator facility, including recent improvements and current upgrade plans.

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is a highly versatile H-/H+ 800-MeV linear accelerator that serves five distinct user facilities. Currently, H+ is accelerated through the drift tube linac down a stub line for the Isotope Production Facility at 100 MeV. The other four user facilities at LANSCE use the H- beam accelerated to 800 MeV. The H+ beam had historically been accelerated to 800 MeV for Area A operations but has not done so for over two decades. There are potential benefits to accelerating the H+ beam to 800 MeV to serve the Proton Radiography and Ultra-cold Neutron facilities in terms of potentially higher peak currents, improved emittance, higher ion source reliability, etc. A study was commissioned this year to conduct a cost/schedule/benefit analysis of converting from H- operations to H+ operations for these two facilities. The status of that study will be discussed.