Deployable Energy’s demonstration reactor, Unity, successfully achieved criticality, marking the fulfillment of President Trump’s executive order directing DOE to authorize three advanced reactors with the goal of achieving criticality in each by July 4, 2026.
July 1, 2026
Estimated Read Time min
WASHINGTON—As part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Energy Launch Pad initiative, Deployable Energy’s demonstration reactor, Unity, successfully completed a zero-power fueled criticality demonstration at Idaho National Laboratory. Unity, which achieved criticality late yesterday, is the third DOE-authorized advanced reactor to go critical by the July 4th deadline set by President Trump in his May 2025 executive order. This criticality marks DOE’s fulfillment of a precedent-setting directive to reignite nuclear energy innovation in the United States.
Earlier this month, Antares Nuclear’s Mark-0 and Valar Atomics’ Ward 250 reactors achieved criticality under DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program, making the United States the first country in history to achieve criticality in three unique advanced microreactor designs in a single month.
“Last week, I had the opportunity to see the Unity demonstration reactor firsthand and meet with the talented teams from Deployable Energy, INL and DOE whose work made this historic moment possible on the eve of our nation's 250th anniversary,” Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said. “America’s nuclear renaissance is underway because of President Trump’s bold vision and ambitious goals. Yesterday, we accomplished a significant milestone on a timeline many thought was unachievable. Advanced nuclear technologies like Unity will help power the next generation of American industry, strengthen our energy security, and ensure the United States remains the world’s nuclear innovation leader.”
Deployable Energy completed the Unity criticality experiment under the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad initiative, managed by the National Reactor Innovation Center at Idaho National Laboratory. The next evolution of the Reactor Pilot Program, Nuclear Energy Launch Pad leverages DOE authorization to expeditiously certify and construct first-of-a-kind advanced nuclear technologies for demonstration.
“We are proud to be a part of this historic achievement and I want to express Deployable Energy's gratitude to the administration for setting an audacious goal to have three reactors reach criticality before July 4th, the U.S. Department of Energy for ensuring our ability to meet this goal with safety, quality, and speed, and the Idaho National Laboratory for providing an incredible partnership in execution. I also want to thank my team and supply chain partners of dedicated professionals. We would not have been able to meet this moment without their brilliance, boldness, and grit,” said Bobby Gallagher, Co-Founder and CEO at Deployable Energy.
As the first Nuclear Energy Launch Pad project to achieve the criticality milestone, Unity demonstrates how leveraging the national laboratory’s resources can expedite critical experiments and reactor demonstrations.
Learn more about the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad.
###