Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame

Declaration of Enshrinement

November 17, 2012

Robert W. Bussard

In 1955, Robert William Bussard, while serving as a mechanical engineer on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s aircraft nuclear propulsion project, became alternate group leader over Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory’s nuclear rocket program to include Kiwi and NERVA reactor development for testing at the Nevada Test Site.

Mr. Bussard, who with R.D. DeLauer, authored Nuclear Rocket Propulsion in 1958 and Fundamentals of Nuclear Flight in 1965 and edited Nuclear Thermal and Electric Rocket Propulsion in 1967, contributed articles to numerous professional journals and technical papers. He held several significant patents on nuclear fission power and propulsion systems, radioisotope powered systems and several patents on fusion power devices and systems.

For his pioneering efforts in the development of nuclear rocket engines tested at Jackass Flats, Nevada during the Rover and Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) nuclear rocket projects, Robert William Bussard earned his place in the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame.

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TD Barnes, Executive Director

Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame