Orion is a large-scale, ultra-high power laser facility under construction for the Ministry of Defence at AWE Aldermaston. Due to be completed in 2010, Orion will be a dual-use facility, with 15% of its beam time available for use by the UK academic community. The talk will describe the laser technology involved, outline some of the physics opportunities at 10^21 W/cm^2, and give an update on progress with one of the UK’s most exciting science projects.

To be updated.