Aug, 2026
Conference Paper
Publications
Showing 6 results for Author: Craig Gray
Aug, 2026
Journal
Applications of ultra-high resolution microcalorimeter gamma-ray spectrometry
Ultra-high energy resolution microcalorimeter gamma-ray spectroscopy—with energy resolution 5 to 10 times better than observed in spectra obtained by commercial-off-the-shelf high purity germanium detectors—is an enabling technology for ultra-precise isotope identification and quantification. Microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy complements measurements requiring high-accur…
Apr, 2026
ORNL Report
Effect of Surrogate Fission Products on Thermal Conductivity and Viscosity of NaCl-UCl3
Mar, 2026
Conference Paper
Space Nuclear Power Autonomous Control Algorithm and Control Element Test Bed
Nuclear thermal rockets are currently NASA’s preferred option for use in a manned mission to Mars in the 2040s. The communication delay between an Earth ground station and a spacecraft heading toward Mars can be up to 20 min. Therefore, controlling the nuclear rocket engine would require either a full-time reactor operator on the mission or an autonomous control system for…
Aug, 2025
Journal
Nuclear Thermal Rocket Emulator for a Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Bed
To support NASA’s mission to use nuclear thermal rockets for future Mars missions, an instrumentation and control test bed has been built at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The system is designed as a hardware-in-the-loop test bed for testing control elements and autonomous control algorithms for nuclear thermal propulsion rockets. The mock reactor system consists of a modu…