HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Elected officials, business and community leaders from across North Alabama gathered this morning in the Davidson Center for Space Exploration at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., to celebrate accomplishments and better understand the future direction of the Marshall Space Flight Center at the annual Center Director’s Breakfast.
Acting Center Director Gene Goldman updated attendees on the status of major projects at the Marshall Center and recognized the workforce leading to the success of the center with the theme of this year’s event: “People, Progress, Partnerships.”
“Our theme this year is very appropriate,” said Goldman. “Our people and their skills make us unique, and these same people help the agency make progress towards our scientific and exploration goals. Plus, we are here today to honor the great partnerships between NASA and the space exploration industry.”
Goldman presented three companies with 2011 Marshall Center Contractor Excellence Awards for significant contributions to the Marshall Center’s mission.
Recipients of the contractor awards are Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne of Canoga Park, Calif.; SAIC of Huntsville; and HPM Corp. of Kennewick, Wash.
Eligible contractor companies were evaluated for the award on seven criteria: contract technical performance; schedule and cost performance; leadership and quality improvements; customer satisfaction; innovation; and a category that included safety, diversity and outreach.
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne was honored in the “Large Business – Product” category for providing propulsion products for NASA, including the Space Shuttle Main Engines and propulsion systems for the Atlas and Delta expendable launch vehicles. The company specializes in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines.
SAIC was honored in the “Large Business – Service” category. The company provides a wide spectrum of Information Technology services for Marshall and the agency. This includes software development and maintenance, mission-critical IT implementation, operations and maintenance, telecommunications and network management.
HPM Corp. was honored in the “Small Business – Service” category. The woman-owned company operates and manages occupational health services for the Marshall Center. This includes occupational medicine, emergency medical response, industrial hygiene, and respiratory protection.
Recipients of the Marshall Center’s Contractor Excellence Award may become nominees for NASA’s George M. Low Award. Named for the former NASA deputy administrator who served from 1969 to 1976, the Low Award is the agency’s oldest and most prestigious award for quality and performance in the aerospace industry.
For more information on the Marshall Space Flight Center, visit us on the web: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall
