Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA HQ in Washington, accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of NASA at The Observatory at the America’s Square on October 19 during the opening ceremony for Nuclear Science Week.
National Museum of Nuclear Science and History Director Jim Walther, honored NASA and the Department of Energy with the 2021 Nuclear Lifetime Achievement Award for their work in nuclear science, space exploration, and discovery.
Glaze remarked on the successful partnership between NASA and the Department of Energy that has enabled more than 25 space science missions carrying a nuclear power system.
As the scientific community continues to benefit from these missions, NASA is building on the success of nuclear in space and investing in new technology to enable a robust human presence on the Moon and eventually human missions to Mars.
This June marked 60 years since the launch of the United States’ first nuclear-powered spacecraft, Transit IV-A. Find out more about the history and future of nuclear power in space by reading “After 60 Years, Nuclear Power for Spaceflight is Still Tried and True.”
Image Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani