The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) announced on Tuesday that Dr. Arne Croell was awarded NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal. The honor was presented during a ceremony at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center on Jan. 28.
The medal, established in 1961, is given for significant scientific contributions to NASA’s missions. Dr. Croell’s work in crystallography and crystal growth processes has been pivotal, particularly in advanced technologies and space exploration.
“Dr. Croell’s recognition by NASA underscores the world-class research conducted at UAH, the Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center and the strength of our longstanding partnership with Marshall Space Flight Center,” Jerry Hendrix, director of the RSESC, said.
Dr. Croell’s research includes nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP), focusing on materials science challenges in extreme environments. He uses X-ray diffractometry to study uranium loss mechanisms in NTP, where hydrogen is heated to 3000K for space operations.
“I now work on materials for nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP),” Croell said. “The extreme environment of NTP is a fascinating challenge from a materials science perspective.”
His research builds on decades of foundational work, with modern equipment providing better insights into corrosion mechanisms. Dr. Croell remains optimistic about future advancements in materials science.
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Source: NASA