ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Accelerator Applications
The division was organized to promote the advancement of knowledge of the use of particle accelerator technologies for nuclear and other applications. It focuses on production of neutrons and other particles, utilization of these particles for scientific or industrial purposes, such as the production or destruction of radionuclides significant to energy, medicine, defense or other endeavors, as well as imaging and diagnostics.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2025
Nuclear Technology
April 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
El Salvador: Looking to nuclear
In 2022, El Salvador’s leadership decided to expand its modest, mostly hydro- and geothermal-based electricity system, which is supported by expensive imported natural gas and diesel generation. They chose to use advanced nuclear reactors, preferably fueled by thorium-based fuels, to power their civilian efforts. The choice of thorium was made to inform the world that the reactor program was for civilian purposes only, and so they chose a fuel that was plentiful, easy to source and work with, and not a proliferation risk.
Andrew C. Klein, Allen Camp, Patrick McClure, Susan Voss, Elan Borenstein, Paul VanDamme
Nuclear Technology | Volume 207 | Number 6 | June 2021 | Pages 851-859
Technical Note | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2020.1843350
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
As consideration of launching fission reactors into space moves ahead, it is important to consider the issues related to the operation of various types of space nuclear power and propulsion applications. This technical note discusses some of these factors, including possible human and equipment radiation exposures that might occur during different types of missions and the operational stages within those missions, managing the approach to and working around space reactors, maintaining reactors for long-duration operations, controlling reactors and monitoring their availability and health, evaluating possible reactor accident scenarios, planning for planetary protection due to their operation, and post operation decommissioning and disposal. It also includes a number of suggested guidelines for mission and reactor designers to consider as these important utilizations of nuclear power move forward.