The Space Foundation announced today that Bigelow Aerospace is the 2007 recipient of its Space Achievement Award. The award will be presented Monday, April 9 during the opening ceremony of the 23rd National Space Symposium, the premier annual space industry conference, scheduled for April 9-12, 2007, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
The Space Achievement Award annually recognizes an individual or organization that has demonstrated space achievement, breakthrough space technology, or program or product success deemed to represent a critical milestone in the evolution of space exploration and development.
“We are thrilled to recognize the entrepreneurial achievements of Bigelow Aerospace” said Elliot G. Pulham, president and chief executive officer of the Space Foundation. “Bigelow’s successful endeavor is paving the way for a robust commercial space market.”
Bigelow Aerospace was chosen for the successful design, development, production, launch and in-space test of Genesis I – the world’s first purely commercial space station module. Launched July 12, 2006, from the ISC Kosmotras Space and Missile Complex in the Orenburg region of Russia, Genesis I ushered in a new era of private space vehicles. The spacecraft was designed to enter space and expand to increase its volume. A one-third scale prototype, Genesis I deployed and expanded successfully and sent back extensive data and images to Bigelow’s North Las Vegas, Nev., Mission Control Center.
In addition to receiving the award Monday, April 9 during the opening ceremony, Mr. Robert Bigelow, president and founder of Bigelow Aerospace, will participate in the panel discussion “Why People Who Could Invest in Anything Are Investing in Space” on April 12.
Previous recipients of the Space Achievement Award include the Titan Launch Vehicle Team; The Inertial Upper Stage Team, the SpaceShipOne Team; the Arianespace-CNES Ariane 4 Launch Team; the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) teams; the NASA/Industry Galileo Space Probe Team; the Hubble Space Telescope Team; Sea Launch; and the NASA/Boeing International Space Station Team.
The opening ceremony during which Bigelow Aerospace will receive the Space Achievement Award is co-sponsored by Northrop Grumman. It will be followed by an opening reception, co-sponsored by the Colorado Space Coalition, and opening night fireworks and dessert reception, co-sponsored by United Space Alliance. Featured speakers and panel discussions during the remaining three days of the 23rd National Space Symposium will address civil, commercial, and national security space issues.
The most senior executive leadership from NASA and other space and government agencies, the commercial space and satellite broadcasting industry, research universities and academia, space tourism concerns, the Department of Defense, military space commands and the global space industry participate. More than 7,000 registrants, guests, speakers, exhibitors, and media are expected. Confirmed featured speakers at the conference are Under Secretary of the Air Force The Honorable Dr. Ronald M. Sega, NASA Administrator The Honorable Dr. Michael D. Griffin, Director of the National Reconnaissance Office Dr. Donald M. Kerr, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen T. Michael Moseley, Commander of Air Force Space Command Gen Kevin P. Chilton, and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation Mr. Robert J. Stevens. Highlights of the 23rd National Space Symposium also include an extensive exhibit center showcasing more than 140 companies and organizations, co-sponsored by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.; the Corporate Partnership dinner, co-sponsored by Raytheon Company; the presentation of the Space Foundation’s highest honor, the General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award, at a luncheon co-sponsored by The Boeing Company; and the Space Technology Hall of Fame dinner, co-sponsored by Lockheed Martin. Additional sponsors of the symposium are Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI), ATK, BAE Systems, BearingPoint, Cisco Systems, CSP Associates, General Dynamics, Infinite Links, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Stellar Solutions, and ITT. Media partners for the 23rd National Space Symposium are Aviation Week and Space News. Frontier Airlines is the official airline of the conference.
Visit www.NationalSpaceSymposium.org for secure online registration and a complete agenda and list of speakers.
About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that vigorously advances civil, commercial, and national security space endeavors and inspires, enables, and propels tomorrow’s explorers. The Space Foundation also has an office in Washington, D.C., and Field Representatives in Houston, Tx. and Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Space Foundation is a leader in space awareness activities, trade association services, research and analysis for the global space industry, and educational enterprises that bring space into the classroom. Along with partnering organizations, the Space Foundation also conducts Strategic Space and Defense (Oct. 9-11, 2007), in Omaha, Neb. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org.
