“Biggest and best” say
Space Foundation officials in describing the recently concluded 18th National
Space Symposium.
The symposium, which ran from April 8-11 at The Broadmoor
hotel, brought more than 3,800 total participants to Colorado Springs for
panel discussions, networking opportunities and to visit the 90 companies in
the 26,000 square foot Boeing Exhibit Center.

“Our number of paid registrants was off just slightly from last year,”
said Steve Eisenhart, Space Foundation Vice President for Public Affairs and
Policy, “but our total attendance actually increased.”
Eisenhart said that
more exhibitors and media participated in this year’s symposium.

“We have a reputation for being the premier U.S. space policy and programs
conference anywhere,” said Eisenhart, “and the overflow audiences for space
leaders such as NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, Under Secretary of the Air
Force Peter Teets, and General Ed Eberhart of U.S. Space Command are testimony
to that reputation.”

One of the most popular events of the week was “A Salute to America’s
Military Astronauts” where 26 past and present astronaut heroes were honored
at a luncheon.
Other special events for the week included the presentation of
Space Achievement Awards to the men and women of U.S. Space Command and the
NASA/Industry Galileo Team.
Gene and Majel Barrett Roddenberry, creators of
“Star Trek,” were awarded the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award.
The
inaugural General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award was presented
to Norman R. Augustine, chairman emeritus of Lockheed Martin.
Satellite Radio
Technology, and pioneering companies Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Radio
Inc., were inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame.
The increasing
popularity of the event is also marked by the early commitments for
sponsorships of the 2003 Symposium.
TRW has signed on to co-sponsor the Space
Technology Hall of Fame Dinner, Ball Aerospace and Technology will co-sponsor
the Corporate Partnership Dinner, Spectrum Astro will co-sponsor the Opening
Ceremony and Eastman Kodak will co-sponsor the Opening Reception.
Oracle will
sponsor the Internet CyberCenter with Space.com, who is also the Web site
sponsor.
The Boeing Company will again sponsor the Exhibit Center and
SpaceVest returns as sponsor of the Official Poster.
Space News is the
symposium’s Official Sponsoring Publication, while Analytical Graphics Inc. is
the Official Software of the 19th National Space Symposium.

The symposium is conducted annually by the Space Foundation, a national
non-profit organization advancing space endeavors and space education.
For
more information and to order symposium proceedings, visit
www.spacefoundation.org .