NASA honors Cold Atom Laboratory team with agency awards

NASA has presented agency honor awards to members of the Cold Atom Laboratory team for leadership and scientific achievements connected to the Cold Atom Laboratory on the International Space Station.

Kamal Oudrhiri received the NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal for outstanding leadership of the Cold Atom Laboratory, described as NASA’s first quantum laboratory in space.

Jason Williams was awarded the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for exceptional scientific achievements that enabled and performed the first pathfinding experiments in quantum sensing of inertial forces with atom interferometry in space.

Ethan Elliott received the NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for exceptional achievement in generating the first quantum gas mixtures in space and using them to demonstrate dual species matter-wave interferometry for quantum tests.

Sarah Rees was honored with the NASA Early Career Achievement Medal for early career achievement in anomaly recovery and complex operation efforts in support of the Cold Atom Laboratory on the International Space Station.

The announcement names the recipients and cites their specific accomplishments; it does not provide further details about timing or next steps for the program in the material provided.

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