Measuring neutron capture cross sections of radioactive nuclei is a crucial step towards a better understanding of the origin of the elements heavier than iron. For decades, the precise measurement of direct neutron capture cross sections in the “stellar” energy range (eV up to a few MeV) was limited to stable and longer-lived nuclei that could be provided as physical samples and then irradiated with neutrons. New experimental methods are now being developed to extend these direct measurements towards shorter-lived radioactive nuclei ($$t_{1/2} t 1 / 2 < 1 y). One project in this direction is a low-energy heavy-ion storage ring coupled to the ISAC facility at TRIUMF, Canada’s accelerator laboratory in Vancouver BC, which has a compact neutron source in the ring matrix. Such a pioneering facility could be built within the next 10 years and store a wide range of radioactive ions provided directly from the existing ISOL facility, allowing for the first time to carry out direct neutron capture measurements on short-lived isotopes in inverse kinematics.