US Navy Veteran Retires After 35-Year Career in Nuclear Innovation and Space Exploration at INL
Dave Hendricks, a US Navy veteran, has retired after a 35-year career at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), where he contributed significantly to nuclear innovation and space exploration. Hendricks began his career at INL in 1991, working on the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II, a pioneering nuclear reactor. His work at INL included roles in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility and the Fuel Conditioning Facility, where he studied nuclear fuel post-reactor use. Following the 9/11 attacks, INL's mission expanded to include national security, leading to the relocation of space-power work to Idaho. Hendricks played a crucial role in assembling radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) for NASA missions, including the New Horizons spacecraft and the Mars rovers Curiosity and Perseverance. These RTGs provide long-lasting power for spacecraft, essential for missions where solar energy is unreliable. 
