NRL News

Naval Research Lab Tracking Station Steers Space Operations, 70 Years of Eyes in the Skies
July 31, 2026 — In early 1956, in a remote corner of Southern Maryland, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) began constructing the facility that would help define the American Space Age. From tracking the world's first satellite, Sputnik I, to serving as today’s complex mission operations hub, NRL’s Blossom Point Tracking Facility (BPTF) remains a bedrock of naval innovation and the U.S. Navy’s gateway to the stars... MORE

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) personnel, family and alumni gather for a group photo outside Blossom Point Tracking Facility (BPTF), commemorating the facility’s 70th anniversary in Welcome, Md., July 30, 2026. (U.S. Navy Photo by Sarah Peterson)

NRL Advances the Navy’s Quantum Future as America Accelerates Quantum Innovation
July 24, 2026 — As a recent Executive Order declares, “the United States stands at the cusp of a quantum revolution.” At the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) that future is already taking shape as researchers advance the Navy’s quantum research enterprise through groundbreaking science, technology development and strategic partnerships. The order identifies quantum information science and technology (QIST) as a critical driver of innovation, economic growth and national security, reinforcing the importance of work underway across NRL... MORE

Adam Black, Ph.D., director of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s Quantum Science Institute, stands in front of a quantum research experiment at NRL. The institute coordinates quantum research across the laboratory to advance technologies supporting future Navy capabilities. (U.S. Navy photo by Jonathan Steffen)

U.S. Naval Research Lab Advances Continuous Biomanufacturing for On-Demand Production of Critical Materials
July 23, 2026 — U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scientists are developing continuous biomanufacturing technologies designed to produce critical materials more efficiently, sustainably, and closer to where they are needed, strengthening supply chain resilience and expanding future operational capabilities... MORE

Matthew Yates, Ph.D., U.S. Naval Research Laboratory research scientist, adjusts the flow rate of gas for material generation in the mobile biomanufacturing system in Washington, D.C., June 23, 2026. Scientists at NRL are developing continuous biomanufacturing technologies designed to produce critical materials more efficiently, sustainably, and closer to where they are needed. (U.S. Navy photo by Sarah Peterson)

Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites Launches into Orbit
July 21, 2026 — The Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellite (RSGS) payload, on board SpaceLogistic’s Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) has successfully launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral U.S. Space Force Station at about 5:15 pm on July 21, 2026. It is the first privately owned, operational robotic in-space servicing mission that extends the life and resilience of satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) through on-orbit servicing... MORE

The Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellite (RSGS) payload, on board SpaceLogistic’s, a Northrop Grumman company, Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV), launches from the U.S. Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., July 21, 2026 . RSGS is the first privately owned, operational robotic in-space servicing mission that extends the life and resilience of satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) through on-orbit servicing. (U.S. Navy photo by Sarah Peterson)

From Sketch Pad to Launch Pad: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s Space Robotics Revolution
July 16, 2026 — Over two decades ago, a group of U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scientists, engineers, and researchers put pen to paper, brainstorming what would eventually become the first enduring robotic satellite servicing mission... MORE

First draft sketch of RescueSat by U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Mike Brown, Sept. 12, 2002, from original concept proposal to Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This sketch represents one of the earliest visions of what ultimately became the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) payload. (U.S. Navy historical document)

Naval Research Lab Chemist Receives Krupshaw Award, Inducted as Washington Academy of Sciences Fellow
July 15, 2026 — U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Chemist Darryl Boyd, Ph.D., received the Washington Academy of Sciences Krupshaw Award for Non-Traditional Teaching during an awards ceremony held at the Center for Naval Analysis in Arlington, Virginia, May 7... MORE

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) NRL Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering Research Chemist Paul Charles (left) supports NRL Chemist Darryl Boyd, Ph.D., (right) who received the Washington Academy of Sciences Krupshaw Award for Non-Traditional Teaching during an awards ceremony held at the Center for Naval Analysis in Arlington, Virginia, May 7, 2026, for his extensive and comprehensive efforts as a science teacher, mentor and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) advocate in the Washington, D.C., metro area. (U.S. Navy photo)

Forging the Fleet Since 1923
July 1, 2026 — For 103 years, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has stood as the premier scientific engine for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and the Department of War (DoW). From the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space, NRL scientists and engineers consistently push the boundaries of what's possible. By delivering unmatched science and technology, the laboratory ensures a decisive, asymmetric technological edge for the warfighter and provides groundbreaking solutions to our most complex global security challenges... MORE

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Distributed Autonomous Systems Group demonstrates how a hexapod can maneuver through different terrains at NRL in Washington, D.C., Jul. 20, 2021. The hexapod tracks human movement in order to fulfill military communication needs. (U.S. Navy photo by Sarah Peterson) RELEASED

NRL Demonstrates Dual-Use Laser System for Power Beaming and Counter-UAS Operations
June 17, 2026 — U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scientists successfully demonstrated a dual-use laser system capable of wirelessly transmitting power over long distances and rapidly transitioning to perform defensive missions, advancing expeditionary energy and defense capabilities for future warfighters... MORE

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) partners and observers gather for a group photo while testing a dual-use in power beaming and aerial defense systems. NRL continues to work with Boeing and the U.S. Army to test the capability of a dual-use laser system. (U.S. Navy photo by Jonathan Steffen-Arnold)

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