The Space Foundation announced today that the U.S. Titan Launch Vehicle Team is the 2006 recipient of the Space Achievement Award. The U.S. Titan Launch Vehicle Team includes Lockheed Martin, NASA, The Aerospace Corporation, and the United States Air Force. The award will be presented Monday, April 3 in Colorado Springs during the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd National Space Symposium.

The U. S. Titan Launch Vehicle Team is recognized for 50 years of lifting our nation with the strength of the mighty Titan family of launch vehicles. Through the course of some 368 launches, the U.S. Titan Launch Vehicle Team has provided the vital space transportation for strategic deterrence, early space exploration, and the key national security space capabilities that are the backbone of the defense of the United States. The first Titan 1 launch took place Feb. 6, 1959, and the final flight of Titan IVB was Oct. 19, 2005.

The Space Foundation 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.

Previous recipients of the Space Achievement Award include Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) teams from the United States Air Force, The Boeing Company and Lockheed Martin; the NASA/Industry Galileo Space Probe Team and the men and women of U.S. Space Command and its component organizations; the Hubble Space Telescope Team; Sea Launch; the NASA/Boeing International Space Station Team; and the Arianespace-CNES Ariane 4 Launch Team.

The National Space Symposium is the premier annual space industry conference and draws 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. More than 7,000 registrants, guests, speakers, exhibitors, and media are expected to participate at this year’s event April 3-6, 2006, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. The programming theme for the 22nd National Space Symposium is “One industry, go for launch.”

Featured speakers include Dr. Michael Griffin, administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, The Honorable Dr. Ronald M. Sega, under secretary of the Air Force, The Honorable Ken Calvert, United States House of Representatives, The Honorable Mark Udall, United States House of Representatives, and Lt Gen C. Robert Kehler, USAF, deputy commander, United States Strategic Command.

The Lockheed Martin Exhibit Center at the 22nd symposium features 40 percent more exhibit space than in 2005. An updated program agenda, exhibitor list, complete list of sponsors, and secure registration can be found online at www.NationalSpaceSymposium.org.

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 educational excellence. The Space Foundation has offices in Washington, D.C., and Cape Canaveral, Fla. In addition to the National Space Symposium, the Space Foundation annually conducts, along with its partnering organizations, Inside Aerospace, April 24-25, 2006; Strategic Space and Defense, 10-12 Oct. 2006, in Omaha, Neb.; and Florida Space, Nov. 13-15, 2006 in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org.