NRL News

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 (U.S. Navy historical document)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)

Joint Service Program Delivers Genetic Intelligence for the Modern Battlefield
June 12, 2026 — The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in partnership with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and multiple Army and Navy research commands, has advanced a new generation of DNA and RNA sequencing technology designed to quickly identify biological threats in the field... MORE

An end user loads a flow cell on a modified field sequencing device during Beholder’s Gaze training, Oct. 24, 2024. The event was attended by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Chemical Biological Center military operators Far-Forward Advanced Sequencing Technology (F-FAST) team who conducted training and provided the technology/system. The effort brings sophisticated laboratory capability into austere environments, giving forward-deployed units the ability to detect and identify harmful pathogens in less than 30 minutes. Unlike conventional sequencing systems, Far-Forward Biological Sequencing (FFBS) is tailored for military personnel who may not have formal laboratory training. (U.S. Navy photo)

Naval Research Laboratory Receives Space Force Antenna to Expand Joint Space Test Capabilities In, From, and To Space
June 10, 2026 — The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has received a transportable satellite tracking antenna system from the U.S. Space Force’s (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) System Delta 81 (SYD 81) to expand joint space testing, training and operational support capabilities at NRL’s Blossom Point Tracking Facility during the first quarter of calendar year 2026... MORE

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and L3 Harris engineers raise the antenna pedestal for the first time at the Blossom Point Tracking Facility, 1Q CY 26, as part of unstowing the antenna following transportation across the country and prior to assembling the reflector. (U.S. Navy photo)

NRL Leads NASA Wildfire Research Mission to Better Predict Pyrocumulonimbus Storm Hazards
June 2, 2026 — The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is leading a NASA airborne science mission to better understand dangerous wildfire-generated thunderstorms known as pyrocumulonimbus storms, or pyroCb, and the cascading hazards they create for firefighting operations, aviation, weather forecasting and national security... MORE

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory research meteorologist David Peterson, Ph.D., is the principal investigator for Injected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment, or INSPYRE. The major NASA airborne science mission hopes to better understand dangerous wildfire-generated thunderstorms known as pyrocumulonimbus storms, or pyroCb, and the cascading hazards they create for firefighting operations, aviation, weather forecasting and national security. (U.S. Navy photo)

Unlocking Secrets of Plasma Turbulence in Space
May 27, 2026 — U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Senior Scientist for Intense Particle Beams & Plasma Processes, Gurudas Ganguli, Ph.D., pioneered and directed an experiment that has deepened our understanding about the evolution of electromagnetic turbulence in space... MORE

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