Washington, DC – The National Space Club (NSC) is pleased to announce its annual award recipients. The Awards are selected by panels of experts from across the aerospace and defense industry, government and academia, and are a testament to the inspiring work of individuals across our nation. The Awards will be presented at the 57Th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner, taking place at the Washington Hilton Hotel on Friday, March 7, 2014.
Recipients are:
The Kepler Team will receive the Club’s preeminent award, the Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy. Kepler has revolutionized exoplanet science and stellar astrophysics by expanding the galactic census of exoplanet candidates and fundamentally altering our understanding of our place in the galaxy. This honor is afforded Kepler in recognition of their significant contribution to U.S. leadership in the field of rocketry and astronautics.
Emily Briere, Student, Duke University, is the winner of a national search and competition and will be the recipient of the Goddard Memorial Dinner Keynote Scholarship and will serve as the keynote speaker at the Goddard Memorial Dinner.
Dr. Craig Ferguson, Research Associate, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, SUNY Albany, receives the NOAA – David Johnson Award for addressing one of the most important and vexing scientific issues facing operational weather and climate models, namely determining whether the models correctly represent land-atmospheric coupling states.
Brian Grigsby, Science Teacher, Shasta High School, Redding, California, is the recipient of the Space Educator Award for his work in inspiring, educating and developing the next generation of students in space science.
William Harwood, Space Reporter, CBS News and Walter Cronkite, former Anchorman, CBS Evening News, will be recognized with the Press Award for their dedication and enthusiasm for space news.
David Korth and the Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Console Team, NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, will receive the Eagle Manned Mission Award for their ability to recognize hazards, analyze a situation, and recommend appropriate actions while under the immense pressure of a human spaceflight emergency.
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Little, Director of Operations, 45th Launch Support Squadron, 45th Launch Group, Air Force Space Command, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, will receive the General Bernard Schriever Award for successfully leading his squadron as they integrated and launched six Department of Defense satellites, provided Air Force support to three successful Falcon 9 launches and piloted the groundbreaking Global Positioning System III pathfinder satellite.
Michael Lotto, Student, University of Colorado, Boulder, will receive the Goddard Memorial Scholarship in support of his continued study in Bioastronautics aimed at the development of future Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) suits and hardware to support future human work in space and exploration of the planets.
Moira Miller, Student, Washington-Lee High School, Arlington, Virginia, is the recipient of the Olin E. Teague Memorial Scholarship,for her accomplishment as an intern at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center where she prepared a presentation for the Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference 2014.
Dr. Adam Steltzner, Fellow, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will receive the Astronautics Engineer Award for his outstanding leadership in the design and development of the Mars Science Lab’s Entry, Descent and Landing system that successfully landed the Curiosity Rover on Mars on August 5, 2012.
The X-51A WaveRider Team will receive the Nelson P. Jackson Aerospace Award, recognizing the barrier-breaking unmanned X-51A WaveRider autonomous flight demonstrator that is leading the way to hypersonic flight.
Dr. Darrell Zimbelman, Director, Electro-Optical System Program Office, Department of Defense/Air Force Civilian, will receive the Dr. Joseph V. Charyk Award for distinguishing himself as the Program Manager responsible for delivering two multibillion-dollar major system acquisitions and lead his team to overcome nearly insurmountable challenges in the reactivation of the Director of National Intelligence’s top priority intelligence program after a two-year hiatus.
Individuals and organizations interested in attending the 57th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner on Friday, March 7, 2014 at the Washington Hilton, may find more information on our website www.spaceclub.org. For specific questions please contact NSC at info@spaceclub.org or by calling 202-547-0060.
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The National Space Club is a non-profit organization devoted to fostering excellence in space activity through interaction between industry and government, and through a continuing program of educational support. Awards are offered to recognize significant achievements in space science and enterprise. Scholarships and other education support are a major focus of Club activity.
