The Space Foundation is now seeking nominations for induction into the prestigious Space Technology Hall of Fame(R) in 2014. This international program honors innovations by organizations and individuals who transform space technology into commercial products that improve life on Earth.
The deadline is Saturday, Aug. 31, and anyone can submit a nomination of a technology that was developed anywhere in the world for use in space and then modified or adopted for use on Earth. Nomination information, including online and downloadable nomination forms, is available at www.spacefoundation.org/programs/space-technology-hall-fame.
Space Technology Hall of Fame Celebrates 25th Anniversary
This year is the 25th anniversary of the Space Foundation’s Space Technology Hall of Fame, and the occasion was recognized with the creation of a new, redesigned Space Technology Hall of Fame medallion for inductees.
The Space Technology Hall of Fame was established in 1988 to increase public awareness of the benefits that result from space exploration programs and to encourage further innovation. Since that time, 69 technologies have been inducted.
The 2013 inductees were: GATR Inflatable Satellite Communication System, a portable, rapidly deployed, inflatable antenna that targets a geostationary satellite to establish critical communications links; and Mediphan ultrasound technologies, compact low-power ultrasound devices that can be used as a diagnostic tool where large scanning equipment is impractical.
Other inductees have included energy-saving technologies, health improvement technologies, satellite and telecommunication technologies and practical commercial devices. Some examples are the automatic external defibrillator; non-invasive breast biopsy technology; anti-shock garments; LASIK eye surgery; implantable pacemakers and hearing aids; and technologies that power cellular phones, terrestrial networks and satellite broadcast television and radio communications, a low-density, light-weight flexible aerogel insulating material; and a high-resolution optical sensing system called FireWatch that detects forest firesbefore they can cause serious environmental damage.
Judging and Space Symposium Recognition
Each nomination is reviewed for completeness, assessed by technical experts and then ranked by a prestigious panel of judges who look at economic benefit, public awareness, societal benefit, longevity and public/private/partnership investment.
Award ceremonies for the 2014 inductees and honorees will be part of the Space Foundation’s 30th Space Symposium, which will be held at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 19-22, 2014.
Additional information about the Space Technology Hall of Fame(R), including a complete list of inducted technologies, is available at www.spacefoundation.org/programs/space-technology-hall-fame.
About the Space Foundation
The foremost advocate for all sectors of the space industry and an expert in all aspects of space, the Space Foundation is a global, nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs that bring space into the classroom and major industry events, including the Space Symposium, all in support of its mission “to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity.” The Space Foundation publishes The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity and provides three indexes that track daily U.S. stock market performance of the space industry. Through its Space Certification(TM) and Space Technology Hall of Fame(R) programs, the Space Foundation recognizes space-based technologies and innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. The Space Foundation was founded in 1983 and is based in Colorado Springs, Colo. Its world headquarters features a public Visitors Center with two main areas – the El Pomar Space Gallery and the Northrop Grumman Science Center featuring Science On a Sphere(R). The Space Foundation also conducts research and analysis and government affairs activities from its Washington, D.C., office and has a field office in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and read about the latest space news and Space Foundation activities in Space Watch.
