Every month, Da Lat nuclear reactor in Lam Dong central highlands province operates continuously for 100 hours to conduct nuclear and neutron physics research and to produce medical isotopes used for treating cancer and other deadly diseases at some major hospitals country-wide.

Da Lat Nuclear Research Institute, which is the first and the sole nuclear reactor in Vietnam, was built on Nguyen Tu Luc Street near Da Lat Flower Garden in 1960 with American assistance.

The US technology-based reactor was officially put into operation for the first time on March, 3, 1963 at a capacity of 250kW.

It stopped operating in 1968 when the Vietnam War accelerated.

The reactor was restored in 1982 with assistance from the former Soviet Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

It was back in operation on March 20, 1984 at double capacity.

A chemist at Da Lat nuclear reactor is making up medical isotopes used in diagnosing and guiding treatment of deadly diseases.

Inside the nuclear reactor – a view from the reactor’s mouth.

Employees transport radioactive isotopes to laboratory where medical isotopes are produced.

Liquid nitrogen is used to cool down the neutron detector

Radiation leak is harmful to people’s health so all employees at Da Lat nuclear reactor have to wear special clothing for safety reasons.

Radioactive capsules, each weighs nearly 50grams, are stored in lead boxes (like the yellow one in this photo) weighing approximately 10 kilograms.

The laboratory where medical isotopes are produced.

A new day at Da Lat nuclear reactor