Polaris Intelligence
Polaris
Intelligence
AboutNational IntelligenceOrganizationsProductsMissionsSpacecraftConstellationsForecastsLatest Information
Explore
© Polaris Intelligence 2026Admin

U.S. Department of Energy

US
gov civil
Washington, Washington D.C., United States
www.energy.gov
Admin Edit

All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

NASA planetary missions use RPS fueled by plutonium-238, and the Department of Energy produces only enough plutonium-238 to support key NASA missions.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative GeneralMay 18, 2023Zeno Power gets $30 million to build radioisotope-powered satellite for U.S. military

NASA is working with the U.S. Department of Energy to ensure it has sufficient plutonium-238 for missions projected to launch through the end of the decade.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyOrg RelationshipMay 3, 2023Plutonium availability constrains plans for future planetary missions

NASA and the Department of Energy expect to reach the 1.5 kg-per-year plutonium-238 production goal in 2026.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyOrg RelationshipMay 3, 2023Plutonium availability constrains plans for future planetary missions

Under NASA’s Fission Surface Power project, the Department of Energy awarded three commercial design efforts to develop nuclear power plant concepts for use on the lunar surface and potentially Mars.

Mentioned as: Department of EnergyOrg RelationshipFeb 1, 2023NASA and DARPA Collaborate to Demonstrate Nuclear Thermal Rocket Engine

The strategic forces subcommittee oversees missile defense, national security space, and Department of Energy nuclear weapons programs.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative GeneralJan 25, 2023Lamborn named chair of House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee

NASA has been working on nuclear thermal propulsion technologies through July 2021 awards made in cooperation with the Department of Energy to BWX Technologies, General Atomics, and Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies.

Mentioned as: Department of EnergyTechnical ProductJan 24, 2023NASA and DARPA to partner on nuclear thermal propulsion demonstration

The July 2021 NASA–DOE contracts to BWX Technologies, General Atomics, and Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies were valued at $5,000,000 each for one year and covered NTP reactor design.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative FinancialJan 24, 2023NASA and DARPA to partner on nuclear thermal propulsion demonstration

Descartes Labs was spun off from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2014.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative GeneralAug 4, 2022Geospatial analysis provider Descartes Labs sold to private equity firm

McQ has been supplying the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Energy, Department of Justice, and other U.S. government agencies and commercial customers with security and surveillance systems for over 35 years.

Mentioned as: Department of EnergyOrg RelationshipNov 2, 2021McQ CONNECT Small SATCOM Modem Debuts With Iridium Core Tech Transceivers

The U.S. Department of Energy provided the MMRTG to NASA through an ongoing partnership to develop power systems for civil space applications.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative GeneralFeb 18, 2021UPDATE 1: Perseverance Pays Off — ULA Lands NASA’s Rover Successfully Landing On Mars

The executive order directs the Department of Energy to complete a three-year effort to develop technology for the production of high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU).

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative GeneralJan 12, 2021White House executive order promotes development of space and defense nuclear power systems

The executive order directs NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other agencies to collaborate on a common technology roadmap coordinating terrestrial-based advanced nuclear reactor and space-based nuclear power and propulsion efforts through 2030.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyOrg RelationshipJan 12, 2021White House executive order promotes development of space and defense nuclear power systems

NASA has been working with the Department of Energy on the Kilopower project to develop surface nuclear reactors and has sought proposals to develop a reactor for use on the Moon.

Mentioned as: Department of EnergyOrg RelationshipDec 16, 2020White House releases space nuclear power strategy

NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy established a memorandum of understanding that was discussed during the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board meeting on 2020-10-20.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyOrg RelationshipOct 22, 2020NASA, Department of Energy expand on more than 50 years of collaboration

NASA and the Department of Energy established three working groups focused on lunar surface infrastructure, space nuclear power and propulsion, and science and innovation including space safety and planetary defense.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative GeneralOct 22, 2020NASA, Department of Energy expand on more than 50 years of collaboration

NASA–DOE collaboration provided the nuclear fuels that propelled Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 into interstellar space.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative GeneralOct 22, 2020NASA, Department of Energy expand on more than 50 years of collaboration

Jim Bridenstine and Dan Brouillette signed the memorandum of understanding between NASA and the Department of Energy on 2020-10-20.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyOrg RelationshipOct 21, 2020NASA and Energy Department sign cooperative agreement

The agreement creates an executive committee jointly chaired by NASA’s deputy administrator and the Department of Energy’s deputy secretary that will meet on a regular basis to implement the agreement.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative PlanOct 21, 2020NASA and Energy Department sign cooperative agreement

NASA’s Mars 2020 mission includes a radioisotope thermoelectric generator power source using plutonium provided by the Department of Energy.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyOrg RelationshipOct 21, 2020NASA and Energy Department sign cooperative agreement

NASA and the Department of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding on 2020-10-20 to expand cooperation between the two agencies.

Mentioned as: U.S. Department of EnergyNarrative GeneralOct 21, 2020NASA and Energy Department sign cooperative agreement
Page5of6