NASA officials, aerospace industry executives, military commanders and elected officials will soon gather to address the crucial space policy and program issues of the day at the 20th National Space Symposium, March 29-April 1 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Among the hottest topics at the event, hosted each year by the Space Foundation, will be the new U.S. space exploration policy and the application of space technologies for homeland security and defense.

CNN News Anchor Miles O’Brien will moderate a special panel discussion, “The New NASA Vision – How We Got Here. What It Means.” Panelists include Bretton Alexander, senior policy analyst, Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), The White House; James W. Kennedy, director, John F. Kennedy Space Center, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA); Maj Gen Paul D. Nielsen, USAF, commander, Air Force Research Laboratory; and RADM Craig E. Steidle, USN (Retired), associate administrator for Exploration Systems, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA).

The National Space Symposium addresses the full spectrum of space programs and activities — civil, commercial and national security — in an action packed four-day event, which annually draws space industry leadership from around the world. Among this year’s featured speakers at the symposium are

  • James (Jim) F. Albaugh, Executive Vice President, The Boeing Company and President & Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
  • Lt Gen James R. Clapper, Jr., USAF (Retired), Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
  • Gen Ralph E. Eberhart, USAF, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) & Commander, United States Northern Command
  • ADM James O. Ellis, Jr., USN, Commander, United States Strategic Command
  • Gen Lance W. Lord, USAF, Commander, Air Force Space Command
  • Dr. Charles E. McQueary, Under Secretary for Science & Technology, United States Department of Homeland Security
  • The Honorable Sean O’Keefe, Administrator, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
  • Thomas Young, Chairman, Defense Science Board/Air Force Scientific Board Joint Task Force on Acquisition of National Security Space Programs

The 20th National Space Symposium also offers a spectacular opening ceremony with music, awards, fireworks and a historical look back. Other networking events include the Corporate Partnership Dinner, General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award Luncheon, and Space Technology Hall of Fame Dinner. Educational activities, including a Space Career Fair for College Students, are also planned. Visit www.spacesymposium.org for on-line registration and conference details or call the Space Foundation at 1-800-691-4000.

The 20th National Space Symposium’s Opening Ceremony is co-sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation; the Opening Night Reception is co-sponsored by Eastman Kodak Company; the Opening Night Fireworks and Dessert Reception is co-sponsored by Inmarsat; the Corporate Partnership Reception is co-sponsored by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce; the Corporate Partnership Dinner is co-sponsored by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.; the General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award Luncheon is co-sponsored by Spectrum Astro; the Space Technology Hall of Fame Reception is co-sponsored by Computer Sciences Corporation; the Space Technology Hall of Fame Dinner is co-sponsored by The Boeing Company; the exhibit center is sponsored by Northrop Grumman; the media center is sponsored by Sun Microsystems, Inc.; the proceedings and transportation to satellite hotels are sponsored by ITT Industries; and the cyberspace center is sponsored by Hewlett Packard and Oracle Corporation. Additional sponsors include Air Force Research Laboratory, Analytical Graphics, Inc., BAE Systems, Cisco Systems, CSP Associates, Inc., Harris Corporation, Honeywell Aerospace, Infinite Links, Inmarsat, Iridium Satellite System, ITT Industries, Network Appliance, Penwal Industries, Raytheon Company, SI International, SPACE.com, Space News, Space Systems Loral, SpaceVest, and Stellar Solutions. A pre-conference law seminar is sponsored by Holland & Hart, LLP.

About the Space Foundation

The Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Space Foundation is a national non-profit organization, which vigorously advances civil, commercial, and national security space endeavors and educational excellence. In addition to the National Space Symposium, the Space Foundation annually conducts, along with its partnering organizations, Strategic Space 2004, scheduled Oct. 5-7, in Omaha, Neb.

The Foundation recently created a Web site just for kids with fun space activities: www.discoverspace.org. The Foundation also manages an on-site NASA Educational Resource Center; offers two distinct Master’s in Space Studies Degrees in conjunction with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Regis University; and has trained more than 30,000 teachers since 1986 on Teaching With Space through Space Discovery graduate courses and national conferences. For more information, visit www.spacefoundation.org.