The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a MJ-class glass laser-based facility funded by the Department of Energy which has achieving thermonuclear ignition and moderate gain as one of its main objectives. In the summer of 1998, the project is about 40% complete, and design and construction is on schedule and on cost. The NIF will start firing onto targets in 2001, and will achieve full energy in 2004. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), together with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) have the main responsibility for achieving x-ray driven ignition on the NIF. In the 1990�s, a comprehensive series of experiments on Nova at LLNL, followed by recent experiments on the Omega laser at the University of Rochester, demonstrated confidence in understanding the physics of x-ray drive implosions. The same physics at equivalent scales is used in calculations to predict target performance on the NIF, giving credence to calculations of ignition on the NIF. An integrated program of work in preparing the NIF for x-ray driven ignition in about 2007, and the key issues being addressed on the current ICF facilities [(Nova, Omega, Z at Sandia National Laboratory (SNL), and NIKE at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)] are described
