Theresa Keeney of Cocoa Beach, Fla., recently received the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award for her service to Space Shuttle astronauts. She is a Logistics Process Control Lead Engineer at the Kennedy Space Center.
The award was presented to Keeney as a surprise by astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Bob Behnken during an office meeting. The recognition is for her efforts in developing the processes to loan Space Shuttle Columbia debris for research and educational purposes.
Keeney said, “I feel very honored to receive this award. It completely gratifies the work I put into the Shuttle.” Keeney also mentioned that she is very excited about the Vision for Space Exploration, Return to Flight and what both will mean for Shuttle operations.
Astronauts created the award to honor those who contribute the most to the safety and success of human space flight. The award is a silver pin depicting Snoopy, the famous “Peanuts” character, wearing a space suit. All pins have flown on previous Space Shuttle missions. Awardees also receive a framed certificate and congratulatory letter signed by the presenting astronaut. Only 1 percent of all KSC employees are awarded annually.
Keeney has been a KSC employee since 1979. She is responsible for managing Space Shuttle Logistics processes. Keeney was awarded for the exceptional manner in which she carries out her responsibilities and for exceeding normal requirements, therefore demonstrating pride in her work. She is currently working hard to prepare Shuttle hardware for Return to Flight.
Keeney is from Manchester, Conn., where she graduated in 1975 from East Catholic High School. She attended the University of Connecticut and was awarded a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1979. She then relocated to the Space Coast for the opportunity to work at KSC. In 1985, she earned a master’s degree in computer science at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla. Keeney has worked directly on the Shuttle since joining KSC.
