Marc Gibson

Recognized under Tier 5 — Energy Systems & Power Generation, Marc Gibson played a pivotal role in developing the Kilopower space fission power system at NASA Glenn Research Center. As lead systems engineer for the Kilopower project — which culminated in the successful KRUSTY reactor experiment, demonstrating a compact, flight-ready nuclear fission power system for the first time in decades — Gibson was instrumental in translating the reactor concept into a fully integrated space power system. On Mars, where solar energy is limited and dust storms can persist for months, compact and reliable nuclear fission power is among the most enabling technologies for a permanent human settlement, and Kilopower represents a concrete, tested path to providing it.