Avalanche Energy Awarded $5.2M DARPA Contract to Develop Radioisotope Power Technology

Rads to Watts program advances compact alpha-voltaic technology for next-generation nuclear batteries

SEATTLE, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Avalanche Energy, a fusion energy startup developing modular compact fusion machines, today announced it has been awarded a $5.2 million contract from the DARPA Rads to Watts program to develop next-gen technology for compact, resilient, nuclear batteries. The 30-month program will mature technologies that directly support Avalanche's mission to commercialize practical, portable fusion power.

DARPA's Rads to Watts program is one of the agency's flagship efforts to field compact, long-lived nuclear power systems for defense and space missions where traditional batteries, refueling, and solar power are not viable. Under this contract, Avalanche will develop solid-state, micro-fabricated cells that convert radioisotope-produced alpha particles into electricity - analogous to how a solar cell converts photons into electricity. The cells are designed to convert the kinetic energy of alpha particles from radioisotopes directly into electricity. The system aims to deliver more than 10 watts per kilogram — enough to continuously power a laptop-class system for months from a device weighing only a few kilograms — while maintaining performance in the harsh radiation environment of space, where conventional electronics would rapidly degrade. Avalanche will validate the device's operational resilience using both particle accelerators and active radioisotopes.

A Strategic Step Toward Direct Fusion Energy Conversion

While the device being developed by Avalanche for DARPA uses radioisotopes, the underlying physics is directly relevant to Avalanche's long-term fusion roadmap: converting energetic charged particles into electricity with high efficiency. The project will develop degradation-resilient micro-structures (micro-chips) that will first be used for radioisotope-produced alpha particles, but ultimately support direct energy conversion from the same particles produced in their fusion machines.

"The DARPA contract represents a critical milestone in our path to practical fusion power," said Robin Langtry, co-founder and CEO of Avalanche Energy. "The direct energy conversion technologies we're developing under Rads to Watts will be essential for extracting power from fusion reactions efficiently. We're building the capabilities today that will enable tomorrow's fusion systems to deliver reliable, portable energy for defense, space, and commercial applications."

Building the Supply Chain and Capabilities Required to make Fusion a Reality

The DARPA award advances energy conversion technology directly applicable to fusion, while accelerating demand for high-power radioisotopes. The very same fusion machines that produce high-energy alpha particles will also produce high-energy neutrons. The neutrons produced are also efficient at creating the same radioisotopes needed for the Rads to Watts program, creating a reinforcing supply-and-technology flywheel around Avalanche's core fusion platform.

Multi-Institutional Collaboration for Defense and Space Applications

Avalanche will lead a multi-institutional team that includes the University of Utah, Caltech, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and McQuaide Microsystems. Together, the team will deliver a near-term power technology that also advances the Avalanche's long-term goal: compact, manufacturable fusion systems capable of powering defense, space, and autonomous platforms.

Growing Government and Private Support for Compact Fusion Technology

The Rads to Watts contract is the latest sign of support for Avalanche's approach to modular fusion technology. The company announced a $29M funding round in early February 2026, as well as a $1.25M contract from the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force, AFWERX, to rapidly develop advanced materials for extreme environments.

Avalanche's modular compact fusion technology addresses critical energy needs for defense and commercial applications including:

• Remote military bases and forward operating locations
• Space propulsion and power systems
• Underwater unmanned vehicles (UAVs)
• Critical infrastructure including data centers, remote communities, and other grid-challenged settings that demand resilient, carbon-free baseload power

About Avalanche Energy

Avalanche Energy is a venture-backed fusion energy start-up based in Seattle, WA. Avalanche's modular design can be stacked for near-endless power applications and unprecedented energy density to provide clean energy for applications in austere and grid-challenged settings (space propulsion, underwater UAVs, data centers, military bases, etc.). This unique approach enables rapid iterations of design, build, test, and fix cycles for faster development and scalability. To learn more, visit avalanchefusion.com.

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SOURCE Avalanche Energy