14 November 2025
In a landmark undertaking for the UK science sector, Mace Construct has been appointed to ship a brand new facility to home a 20 Petawatt laser system—set to be the world’s strongest laser.
The laser, Vulcan 20-20, will probably be 100 instances brighter than its predecessor, and one million, billion, billion instances brighter than the Sahara Desert’s brightest daylight.
Lasers with this energy can ship adequate vitality to assist scientists recreate and examine the intense situations present in area in a single laser pulse, making a fourth state of matter known as plasma. This state will enable scientists to discover the potential of laser fusion as a clear vitality supply.
The constructing, on the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory campus in Oxfordshire, will comprise two seven-metre-tall focusing on bunkers. The partitions will probably be constructed from a radiation-resistant concrete combine.
The facility will function specialist shielding, vibration isolation and ultra-clean areas to help the efficiency of the laser system.
Construction is predicted to full in 2027, with commissioning and scientific operations to observe.
Mace has earlier expertise with scientific analysis amenities, having delivered the Rosalind Franklin Institute, the National Satellite Test Facility and the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre. Mace will proceed working with the identical undertaking group: Fairhurst Design Group, Glanville, Hoare Lea, BB7 and RSK.
Rob Lemming, Managing Director for Public Sector and Life Sciences at Mace Construct, stated: “Vulcan 20-20 is a landmark project for UK science and presents complex technical challenges, but our team’s experience at Harwell and our track record in delivering high-performance environments means we’re ready to meet them.”
Picture: an artist’s impression of the exterior of one of many Vulcan 20-20 buildings, a pale blue and gray industrial constructing. Image Credit: Science and Technology Facilities Council
Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 14 November 2025
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