Photo by Jamie Kidston, ANU

Congratulations to Heavy Ion Accelerators on the 50th Anniversary of the 14UD particle accelerator and on the inauguration of the new Space Irradiation Beam Line! It's fantastic to see the new space radiation capabilities from the the National Space Qualification Network open for business. Please see the news story from HIA below.

Happy birthday to the 14UD particle accelerator!
 
On the 15th of August, 1973, the first beam tests of the 14UD Tandem Accelerator were conducted. An analysed beam of protons was successfully obtained, marking the beginning of half a century of world-leading scientific investigation.  HIAF's 14UD accelerator has been utilised by researchers across the world in a variety of fields, including quantum technologies, climate and environment, fundamental science including dark matter and astrophysics, cancer therapies, and space science.
 
How does it work? The accelerator is fed by a negative ion source. These ions are accelerated towards a 15 MV positive high voltage terminal, in the middle of the accelerator. At the terminal they encounter a thin foil that strips the electrons off, turning the ions from negative to positive. They then accelerate away from the terminal towards the experimental beamlines.
 
As a birthday present, today our new Space Irradiation Beam Line is being officially inaugurated (and yes, there will be birthday cake!). This beamline is designed to diffuse the ion beam, allowing our researchers to simulate the conditions of outer-space for the testing of a variety of materials - really anything that can go in a vacuum!
 
Thank you to our wonderful community, new and old, for supporting us through 50 years of accelerating science. Here's to many more!