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2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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Casting a wider net
Craig Piercycpiercy@ans.org
Recently, a colleague related to me a conversation overheard at an industry forum in which ANS was referred to as a group of “academics” who were of limited use in expanding the workforce needed to deliver a nuclear resurgence.
While not new, this criticism still gets me hypertensive when I hear it. Many still see ANS as a bunch of academics and “labbies” disconnected from the day-to-day commercial nuclear race.
Yet, I also understand the charge is not entirely without foundation. Pop your head into a technical session at an ANS national conference, and you’re bound to hear academics presenting research that, to nontechnical ears, sounds esoteric.
Technical Session
Tuesday, May 10, 2022|10:30AM–12:30PM EDT|Vanda
Session Chairs:
Michelle Rucker (NASA)
Laura Burke (NASA)
Session Organizers:
Alternate Chair:
Michael Chappell (NASA)
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1.9MWe Nuclear Electric Propulsion-Chemical Propulsion Piloted Mars Opposition Vehicle
Steven Oleson (NASA Glenn Research Center), Elizabeth Turnbull (NASA Glenn Research Center), Laura Burke (NASA Glenn Research Center), Thomas Packard (HX5), Lee Mason (NASA Glenn Research Center), James Fittje (Science Applications International Corp.), Anthony Colozza (HX5), Paul Schmitz (Power Computing Solutions), Steven McCarty (NASA Glenn Research Center), John Yim (NASA Glenn Research Center), Brandon Klefman (NASA Glenn Research Center), John Gyekenyesi (HX5), Brent Faller (NASA Glenn Research Center), David Smith (HX5), Lucia Tian (NASA Glenn Research Center), Caroline Austin (NASA Glenn Research Center), W. Peter Simon (NASA Glenn Research Center), Christopher Heldman (NASA Glenn Research Center), Onoufrios Theofylaktos (NASA Glenn Research Center), Christine Schmid (NASA Glenn Research Center), Thomas Parkey (NASA Glenn Research Center), Natalie Weckesser (NASA Glenn Research Center)
Paper
Subscale NTP Engines for Human Mars Missions
Christopher B. Reynolds (Aerojet Rocketdyne), C. Russell Joyner II (Aerojet Rocketdyne), Timothy Kokan (Aerojet Rocketdyne), Daniel J.H. Levack (Aerojet Rocketdyne)
Combined Nuclear Electric and Chemical Propulsion for Crewed Mars Opposition Missions
Laura Burke (NASA Glenn Research Center), Steven Oleson (NASA Glenn Research Center), David Smith (HX5)
A Dynamic Radioisotope Power System for a Pressurized Lunar/Mars Rover
Steve Oleson (NASA Glenn Research Center), Paul Schmitz (Power Computing Solutions), Michael B. Smith (ORNL), Tony Colozza (HX5), Lucia Tian (NASA Glenn Research Center), Brandon Klefman (NASA Glenn Research Center), Steven Korn (NASA Glenn Research Center), Max Chaiken (NASA Glenn Research Center), Tom Packard (HX5), Jim Fittje (Science Applications International Corp.), John Gyekenyesi (HX5), Elizabeth Turnbull (NASA Glenn Research Center)
Mass Modeling of NEP Power Conversion Concepts for Human Mars Exploration
William Machemer (Analytical Mechanics Assoc.), Matthew Duchek (Analytical Mechanics Assoc.), Christopher Harnack (Analytical Mechanics Assoc.), Emanuel Grella (Analytical Mechanics Assoc.), Dennis Nikitaev (Analytical Mechanics Assoc.), Corey D. Smith (Analytical Mechanics Assoc.)
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