The Department of Energy has an accomplished history in these efforts – of reaching to, and beyond the horizon...in many ways, DOE actually stands for the Department of Exploration.

Dan Brouillette
Secretary of Energy

Energy for Space Strategy

Department of Energy's Strategy to Advance American Space Leadership (FY 2021–FY 2031) 

Through this Energy for Space strategy, DOE will build on its support to U.S national space policies and programs, and contribute to advancing U.S. leadership in space exploration, security, and commerce via a more strategic approach to DOE’s work with the space community. This strategy also demonstrates the connections between DOE’s spacerelated contributions and DOE’s pursuit of its own core missions in science, energy, security, and the environment.

Download the Energy for Space Report

Virtual Roundtable Discussion

DOE held a virtual roundtable Department of Exploration! Because You Can’t Get to Space without the U.S. Department of Energy on September 10th, 2020.

This event highlighted how DOE cooperates with NASA and the National Space Council to support the President’s Space Policy and to understand how cutting-edge DOE and National Labs research is an essential part of space travel and exploration.

Listen to a recording of the event here.

Keynote speakers:

  • Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette
  • DOE Under Secretary for Science Paul Dabbar

Award-winning science writer and space reporter, Alan Boyle from GeekWire led a roundtable discussion with space experts:

  • Tracey Bishop, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Infrastructure Programs, DOE Office of Nuclear Energy
  • Dr. Kevin Greenaugh, Assistant Deputy Administrator for Strategic Partnership Programs, NNSA
  • Dr. Ralph McNutt, Chief Scientist, Space Department, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
  • Dr. Ben Reinke, Executive Director, DOE Office of Strategic Planning and Policy
  • Eric Stallmer, President, Commercial Spaceflight Federation
  • Former Congressman Bob Walker, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, moonWalker Associates

Podcasts

Direct Current is DOE's free podcast, which recently aired two episodes about DOE technology onboard the Mars Perseverance Rover. Check out the Direct Current podcasts below.

Department of Exploration Articles

America is on the verge of a new era of space exploration, and America’s leadership in the space domain will be due to its courage to go and its conviction to stay.  DOE, by many measures the “Department of Exploration,” is proud to be playing an essential part in rising to these challenges.

Paul M. Dabbar
Under Secretary for Science