Spallation target design and system integration is critical for the success of accelerator‐based transmutation systems. Issues which must be considered in the design of spallation targets are identified, and represenative parametric studies on the system integration of a sample target are given. The results illustrate the importance of a systems‐driven target design approach due to the large effects that the target design can have on both the economics and physics performance of the system. ©American Institute of Physics 1995