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Oak Ridge National Laboratory is expanding U.S. isotope capacity, but its new Stable Isotope Production and Research Center (SIPRC) is not a facility for making the plutonium-238 that powers NASA spacecraft. SIPRC is for stable isotopes. ORNL’s separate Pu-238 program supplies material for deep-space radioisotope power systems, as part of a multi-laboratory production chain.
What the new Oak Ridge center is designed to do
ORNL reported in March 2026 that SIPRC was under construction. It is planned as a stable-isotope production and research facility, with two different production approaches:
- Gas centrifuge: Planned for the first half of the center and suited to producing stable isotopes in bulk.
- Electromagnetic separator: Planned for the second half, offering the flexibility to enrich a wider range of isotopes in smaller quantities.
- Research: The center is also intended to rebuild and extend knowledge about the enrichment gases used in isotope production.
The broader capacity matters because stable isotopes have uses in medicine, industry, research and national security, as well as other fields. SIPRC is part of a wider expansion of isotope infrastructure at Oak Ridge, not a new spacecraft-fuel plant.
How SIPRC differs from Oak Ridge’s radioactive-isotope facilities
Stable isotopes and radioactive isotopes are not interchangeable categories. SIPRC is for stable isotopes; the radioactive Pu-238 used in spacecraft power systems follows a separate production route. ORNL is also planning a distinct Radioisotope Processing Facility for radioactive-isotope handling.
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| Facility or program | Isotope type and approach | Purpose | Status and timing in cited reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stable Isotope Production and Research Center (SIPRC) | Stable isotopes; planned gas centrifuge for bulk production and electromagnetic separation for a wider range at lower quantities. | Stable-isotope production and enrichment research. | Under construction in ORNL’s March 2026 report. No operating date was stated. |
| Radioisotope Processing Facility | Radioactive-isotope handling; the report describes a facility rather than a production method comparable to SIPRC’s centrifuge and separator. | Intended to help meet demand for more than 20 radioisotopes that ORNL said were not being produced in sufficient volume. | ORNL described a planned facility of approximately 90,000 square feet, with operations planned by 2039. |
| ORNL Pu-238 production program | Radioactive Pu-238 made through irradiation of neptunium-237 targets and subsequent chemical processing. | Supplies Pu-238 oxide for the fuel-clad and generator-assembly stages of NASA’s radioisotope power supply chain. | A separate, existing production effort; it is not SIPRC. NASA’s FY2025 justification set a 2026 production target, but the cited reports do not confirm whether it was achieved. |
ORNL also reported that U.S. stable-isotope production at the site now known as Y-12 ended in 1998. A separate Stable Isotope Production Facility, completed in 2025, produces xenon-129; it is not SIPRC.
How Pu-238 becomes power for deep-space missions
Radioisotope power systems convert heat from radioactive decay into electricity for spacecraft instruments and systems. Pu-238 is therefore a power source, not a chemical fuel burned in an engine. Producing the isotope is only one part of getting a working power system to a mission.
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- Prepare and irradiate targets: Neptunium-237 targets are irradiated in a reactor. NASA’s FY2025 budget justification describes INL supplying neptunium-237 and irradiating targets in the Advanced Test Reactor; ORNL’s account describes irradiation in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR).
- Process the material: ORNL chemically processes irradiated targets and produces Pu-238 oxide.
- Make fuel clads: The oxide goes to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), where material is managed and fuel clads are manufactured.
- Integrate the power system: Idaho National Laboratory (INL) integrates the clads with generator systems. ORNL’s 2023 account describes the assembled radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) moving on to Kennedy Space Center.
The accounts describe different parts of this chain: the NASA budget justification identifies INL’s target-supply and irradiation role, while ORNL’s 2023 report describes its own HFIR irradiation and processing work and the subsequent handoffs. Neither supports describing ORNL as the sole manufacturer of a finished spacecraft generator.
What the reported production figures do—and do not—show
ORNL said it shipped 550 grams of Pu-238 in June 2023, describing the shipment as a production quantity. NASA’s FY2025 Congressional Justification, published in 2024, reported output of approximately 700 grams per year and planned to ramp to full operational capability of 1.5 kilograms annually by 2026.
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The 1.5-kilogram figure was a target, not a confirmed result. The cited ORNL and NASA material does not establish whether that annual rate had been reached by October 2, 2026; the approximately 700-gram figure is likewise tied to NASA’s reporting period, not a verified current rate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the expansion matters beyond spacecraft
Space missions are one visible reason to care about isotope production, but they are not the only one. ORNL describes its isotope work as serving medical, industrial, research and national-security needs. Its planned Radioisotope Processing Facility is intended to help address demand for more than 20 radioisotopes, while SIPRC is aimed at expanding stable-isotope production and enrichment research.
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- 【Multifunctional】Traditional Geiger counter function to find the instantaneous radiation flux on a location/spot; Real-time & timeframe measuring function to display radiation data; Dosimeter function to obtain the real-time & accumulated radiation on human body; Radiation monitoring function to monitor radiation over time at a location.
- 【The measurement accuracy】is ensured via compliant design meets USA national standard (NIST & NRC). The calibration is done to further strengthen the accuracy and data quality. Easy access rechargeable & replaceable battery. Type C data transfer & charging cable. Light, thin & anti-drop. Handheld, stand on both sides, or lay down at the surface.
- 【Five types of radiation alarms】Visual LED, Audio, Vibration, Voice. Four alarm types provide everyone including vision-impaired & hearing-impaired users. The alarm level threshold can be set by users. Exclusive Advanced Features are integrated in. Built-in Clock, Memory for data storage up to 10 years. Free data processing software & firmware updates & open protocol & online data storage & history data preview. Navigate menu & submenu to explore.
- 【User Friendly Interface UI】Shorten learning curve, easy- to-navigate. The larger clear TFT color LCD display. Fast speed, immediate reading. Main screen simultaneously show reading in dosimeter units. User selectable color change scheme, customized light/dark mode for user preferences & visual comfort; Graphic, large font mode.
That distinction keeps the headline-scale story in perspective: Oak Ridge is expanding isotope capabilities across separate facilities and programs. The stable-isotope center contributes to that broader effort, while the Pu-238 supply chain—not SIPRC—supports NASA’s deep-space radioisotope power systems.
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Sources
- ORNL, “ORNL facilities will supercharge US isotope production,” March 12, 2026; updated March 26, 2026
- NASA, “Science: Planetary Science — NASA FY2025 Congressional Justification,” 2024
- ORNL, “Pu-238 shipment quantity ‘opens the tap’ for space missions,” September 15, 2023
- ORNL, “Isotope Development and Production”
- DOE National Isotope Development Center, “NIDC News”
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