Ashtronaut Tribute: Dr. Willard F. Libby
Honoring Willard’s Journey to the Stars
As part of our Ashes to Space mission, we spotlight the lives and legacies of those who orbit with us—our Ashtronauts. Each tribute is submitted by loved ones who share a story, photos, and the spirit of someone worth remembering.
Today, we honor: Dr. Willard F. Libby
📍 From: Parachute, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; Leonia, New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Berkley, Los Angeles, California;
🧑🤝🧑 Shared by: Jennifer Gemmell, granddaughter
These stories remind us why this mission matters—not just for space exploration, but for love, remembrance, and connection.
Extraordinary American Chemist, Nobel Prize Laureate, Professor, Husband, Dad and Friend
Dr. Willard F. Libby was the pioneer of Radiocarbon dating and also appointed by President D. Eisenhower to the US Atomic Commission. He was also a Professor of Chemistry at UCLA and director of its Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics. He was the recipient to numerous awards , honors and honorary degrees. Today, radio carbon dating has changed the course of history and has helped transform fields from Archaeology to Oceanography. Thank you Grandfather Libby for your humble wisdom and your phenomenal dedication and education to Science.
Learn More:
http://nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1960/libby/biographical/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willard_Libby
https://chemistry.berkeley.edu/news/willard-frank-libby
https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/radiocarbon-dating.html
🌌 A Journey Beyond Earth
A portion of Willard’s ashes will be launched to space aboard our upcoming mission, where they will orbit Earth as part of a lasting celestial tribute.
Whether stargazing from home or tracking the spacecraft through the app, True’s loved ones will be able to follow the journey—knowing that their story is quite literally written in the stars.
🖼️ Tribute Gallery
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