Tours

Safety/Security Messages Please see the tour descriptions below.


NO personal electronic devices (PEDs) in the Limited Area.


PEDs include the following types of commercial off-the-shelf (COTs) devices, NONE of
which can be connected to Sandia-owned devices or networks:

  • Cellphones and smartphones
  • Smartwatches
  • Airpods/any Bluetooth headsets
  • Bluetooth shoes
  • Certain vehicle key fobs (TESLA)
  • MP3 players
  • Tablets, laptops, and ultrabooks
  • eReaders
  • Flash memory cards and sticks

What is a medical portable electronic device (MedPED)?

Medical portable electronic devices (MedPEDs) are…

  • medically necessary devices
  • prescribed or recommended by a licensed practitioner
  • part of a plan to treat a medical condition

For the purpose of this process, MedPEDs include electronic devices with prohibited technology*. This includes devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators, drug-releasing pumps, hearing aids, and diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves. MedPEDS can be external or internal (implanted) devices.

* Data storage, camera, microphone, Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth, etc.

The following items are prohibited on Sandia / Kirtland Air Force Base premises: audio and
visual recording devices, 2‐way radios, intoxicants, illegal drugs, and firearms.
Dress Code: Please wear comfortable clothing, close toed shoes, suitable for walking in
varied terrain (NO high heels).

*Depending on the season you'll be touring (for outdoor facilities) please consider sunscreen, a hat, jacket,
water and a light snack if you feel you'll need one.

Due to the nature of our work and location, please be aware of wildlife in the area.
Please do not touch or disturb any animals you see and notify your tour director of any
animals in your vicinity. This can include snakes, spiders, rabbits, bird nests, deer, coyotes,
mountain lions, etc.

1. Windshield Tour of Sandia National Laboratories Sites-06/25 (unclassified)

Get on the bus! (the air conditioned bus!)  We’ll be providing a quick tour of technical areas I, II, & IV with an emphasis on some of the history and evolution of the site along with some key, current projects in TA-I.  We’ll discuss current challenges with siting new projects and some potential approaches to mitigate this issue.  From TA-I we’ll take a drive-by of TA’s II & IV and discuss the proposed development of TA-II and finish up with an overview of TA-IV. 

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2. Data Center-06/25 (unclassified)

This tour will include a look into our newest HPC computing systems and supporting infrastructure. 725 East is a LEED gold data center purposely built to house our newest liquid cooled HPC systems. The building is 14,000 sq. ft built on a 3 ft raised floor with ~ 14 MW of power. The 725 East data center is an energy efficient center that features some unique supporting cooling infrastructure (Thermosyphons, Chilldyne negative pressure systems and an immersions system). The data center has been awarded several sustainability awards and is a showcase for modern energy efficient data centers.   

3a. Microsystems Engineering, Science & Applications (MESA)-06/26* (Q clearance)

*Offered on 06/26 in conjunction with NGE (below under 3b.)

Sandia’s Microsystems Engineering, Science and Applications (MESA) Tour informs members of the workforce about the extraordinary breadth of Sandia contributions that are made possible by the nation’s only proven trusted and strategically radiation hardened silicon and compound semiconductor fabrication facilities able to meet warhead environments.

  • A high-level overview of the Center 5200’s capabilities, with an emphasis on our co-located set of research, development, and production fabrication facilities for trusted and strategically radiation hardened microsystems that meet evolving national security needs.
  • An overview of MESA’s multidisciplinary capabilities to provide integrated microsystem solutions for the most challenging and important national security problems.
  • Examples of Sandia’s partnerships with business, industry, and academia to transfer innovative R&D and leverage complementary strengths in microelectronics.

3b. Neutron Generator Enterprise Tour (NGSA Production, ISA Production, &
Analytical & Material Sciences)-06/26 (Q clearance)

*Offered on 06/26 in conjunction with MESA (see 3a.)

The Ferro-Electric Neutron Generator (FENG) and Electronic Neutron
Generator (ELNG) groups develop and integrate state-of-the-art technologies to
produce a broad range of components and related assemblies used in neutron
generators for the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE).

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4. Explosives-06/26 (unclassified)

The Explosive Component Facility (ECF) provides unique capabilities allowing staff to design, test, and prototype a wide variety of energetic components in support of Sandia’s nuclear deterrence stockpile mission. The types of components include actuators, igniters supporting thermal batteries, spin rocket motors, and detonators/timers supporting neutron generators.

5. Agile & 860-06/26 (Q clearance)

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The Agile Facility, constructed in 2021, provides flexible high bay space that can be reconfigured to the needed laboratory capability for emerging and risk mitigating mission needs.  The first two capabilities residing in the facility are the Nonproliferation Detection Lab and Power Source Production Labs. The Power Sources build-out, funded by NA-193, is the bridging strategy to the Power Sources Capability (PSC) line-item facility.  It will provide dry room and other laboratory space for the highest risk activities that currently reside in building 894, Thermal Battery and Lithium Battery production capabilities.  This investment also includes the purchase and install of modern manufacturing equipment to increase design-to-manufacturing, material development and production, and other production processes to mitigate vendor risk. The labs are expected to be operational by end of FY24 based off construction completion this May. The dryers, all programmatic equipment, and other infrastructure will move to PSC.

6. Neutron Generator Enterprise Tour (NGSA Production, ISA Production, &
Analytical & Material Sciences)-06/27 (Q clearance)*

*See description (3b) above.

7. Emergency Operations Center (EOC)-06/27 (unclassified)

8. Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR)-06/27 (Q clearance)

The Saturn and SPHINX accelerators are versatile and unique x-ray sources. The HERMES III accelerator is a highly versatile and powerful gamma ray source. The information presented here should enable the reader to assess the applicability of a particular radiation facility to an experiment and to perform some pre irradiation calculations and planning.

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