Carl Grillmair
| Name(s): | Carl Grillmair |
|---|---|
| Death Date: | February 16, 2026 |
| Occupation: | Astrophysicist |
| Website: | Article Link |
Astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, 67, was murdered on the front porch of his home on February 16, 2026. The California Institute of Technology researcher's work was heavily supported by NASA's JPL, and Grillmair was personally involved with major space telescope missions led by NASA.
As for the other JPL-connected scientist, Grillmair had contributed to the discovery of water on a distant planet, with colleagues calling his work 'ingenious' and adding that the research could point to signs of life less than 160 light-years from Earth.
According to his Caltech profile, he also worked on the NEOWISE and NEO Surveyor, infrared space telescopes that track asteroids. However, experts have also expressed concern that this technology has also been used in advanced missile designs.
Meanwhile, Grillmair's work with NEOWISE and NEO Surveyor has also been linked to the Air Force, as the NASA telescopes used the same systems the military relies on to track satellites and hypersonic missiles.
