On July 21-22, 2025, Idaho National Lab hosted the annual STAR FIRE Workshop at the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada. The workshop sought to bring together a cohort of undergraduate, graduate students, and recent graduates to “present research, forge connections, and delve into the latest advancements in space fission.”
The event fielded a diverse array of students with an interest in space nuclear and experience ranging from general interest in the field to a PhD focus in a space nuclear discipline. MIT graduate students Yana Charoenboonvivat, Taylor Hampson, and Carlo Sgorlon-Gaiatto attended the workshop. The guest speaker list included many of the major players in the space nuclear field, both in the private and public sectors.
Representatives from Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory presented on their work relevant to space nuclear. Moreover, NASA Glenn Research Center and Marshall Space Flight Center presented on space power and space propulsion respectively. The topics presented by these representatives ranged from the history of space nuclear technology to technologies being developed at their respective institutions. Finally, new and established companies gave presentations, including Dark Fission, BWXT, and XEnergy. The students also were treated to Astronaut Mike Fossum’s space stories. “It was the best presentation I’ve seen in my life,” Hampson said. At the end of the workshop, each student was invited to give a lightning talk on their research, giving a clear picture of the research areas concentrated at each university.
After the conclusion of the workshop, on July 23, 2025, Hampson and Charoenboonvivat were also selected by chance to tour the National Criticality Experiments and Research Center (NCERC), a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the facility located at the Nevada Test Site in the Mojave Desert.
All in all, the workshop provided a fruitful opportunity to bring together the youth of the space nuclear community and to learn about cutting-edge research in the space nuclear field across the public and private sectors.
