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Division Spotlight
Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Feb 2025
Jul 2024
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
February 2025
Latest News
Colin Judge: Testing structural materials in Idaho’s newest hot cell facility
Idaho National Laboratory’s newest facility—the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL)—sits across the road from the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), which started operating in 1975. SPL will host the first new hot cells at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) in 50 years, giving INL researchers and partners new flexibility to test the structural properties of irradiated materials fresh from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) or from a partner’s facility.
Materials meant to withstand extreme conditions in fission or fusion power plants must be tested under similar conditions and pushed past their breaking points so performance and limitations can be understood and improved. Once irradiated, materials samples can be cut down to size in SPL and packaged for testing in other facilities at INL or other national laboratories, commercial labs, or universities. But they can also be subjected to extreme thermal or corrosive conditions and mechanical testing right in SPL, explains Colin Judge, who, as INL’s division director for nuclear materials performance, oversees SPL and other facilities at the MFC.
SPL won’t go “hot” until January 2026, but Judge spoke with NN staff writer Susan Gallier about its capabilities as his team was moving instruments into the new facility.
Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (NETS-2024) Plenary SPeaker
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Nix, United States Space Force, Space Nuclear Power Lead and Senior Military Advisor, Spacecraft Technology Division (RVS), Air Force Research Laboratory( AFRL), Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. As Senior Military Advisor, Lieutenant Colonel Nix provides leadership and direction for over 120 personnel (24 Military, 100 Civilians) conducting world class research across multiple portfolios to advance spacecraft technologies and oversight of a $238M annual budget across 33 technology programs. As Space Nuclear Power lead, Lt Col Nix provides oversight for $103M program advancing multiple technical areas including heat dissipation, power conversion, and nuclear power systems.
Lt Col Nix graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and earned his commission in 2002. He began his career at Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) at Laughlin AFB, TX as a student pilot. Assignments following that include at Materials Directorate and Headquarters, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base where he worked on advanced ceramics, polymers, and multiple aircraft material upgrades for F-22, JSF, C-17, RQ-4, and A-10. He also was the AFRL program lead for rapid runway expansion testing, USAF Body/Vehicle Armor Subject Matter Expert, X-51 Material Insertion, and the Executive Officer for the AFRL Commander during his tenure.
Following that assignment, Lt Col Nix transferred to Vandenberg AFB, CA where he worked on the initial Minotaur IV rocket launch along with 12 additional Minotaur I/IV launches to include Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) and Hypersonic Test Vehicle (HTV) 1 and 2, along with Group and Wing staff rotations. From there, he transferred to Los Angeles AFB, CA; where he was the Requirements Chief for the Global Positioning System (GPS) enterprise, balancing 4 ACAT- I program requirement changes and leading a $255M Systems Engineering support source selection and $32M/yr FFRDC support contract. Following that assignment, he was selected as technical lead for the Multi-Int Fusion Processing System and Sentient Operations Branch Chief at the National Reconnaissance Office in the Ground Enterprise Division. There he oversaw the development and execution of $238M/year budget and lead the transformation of Intelligence Community processing to the cloud and the adoption of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to enhance the National Overhead Systems Future Ground Architecture. Later, he transferred to Kirtland AFB, NM to lead the advanced analytics division at the Air Force Inspection Agency as well as deploying to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait as the Inspector General and Chief of External Oversight for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve before transferring to his current assignment in AFRL.
EDUCATION
2002 B.S, Aeronautical Engineering; United States Air Force Academy, CO
2002 B.S, Mechanical Engineering; United States Air Force Academy, CO
2003 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2005 M.S. Aeronautical Engineering, Auburn University, AL
2008 M.S. Data Analytics, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, CA
2008 Undergraduate Space Training (UST), Vandenberg AFB, CA
2008 Undergraduate Missile Maintenance Training, Vandenberg AFB, CA
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2011 Space 200, National Space Security Institute, Colorado Springs, CO
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL (by correspondence)
2017 Space 300, National Space Security Institute, Colorado Springs, CO
2021 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL (by correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
2006 Advanced Materials Achievement Awards, Advanced Ceramics Group, AFRL/ML
2006 AFRL CGO of the Quarter x2
2006 Air Force Achievement Medal
2008 Air Force Commendation Medal
2009 30th Space Wing CGO of the Year
2011 Air Force Commendation Medal
2013 GPS Program Office FGO of the Year
2014 Joint Service Commendation Medal
2014 Defense Meritorious Service Medal
2017 Office of the Director of National Intelligence IC Team Lead of the Year
2017 Office of the Director of National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation, Sentient Operations Group
2020 Defense Meritorious Service Medal
2021 Armed Forces Service Medal
2022 Joint Service Commendation Medal
2022 Meritorious Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, 29 May 2002
First Lieutenant, 29 May 2004
Captain, 29 May 2006
Major, 1 May 2011
Lieutenant Colonel, 1 Mar 2017
Last modified November 6, 2023, 1:10pm MST
