Space Foundation Press Releases


Space Foundation Announces Capt. James Lovell, Jr., USN (Ret), will receive General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award

Written by: Space Foundation Editorial Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 12, 2003) — Capt. James Lovell, Jr., USN (Ret), president of Lovell Communications and former NASA astronaut, will receive the Space Foundation’s highest award – the General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award – during the 19th National Space Symposium held April 7-10, 2003, at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. The presentation will take place at a special luncheon on Tuesday, April 8. As spacecraft commander, Lovell and his crew successfully modified their lunar module into an effective lifeboat when their cryogenic oxygen system failed. Eugene “Gene” Kranz, the legendary NASA mission controller who talked the Apollo 13 crew through their ordeal, will be master of ceremonies for the luncheon. The Discovery Science Channel will produce a special video tribute for the occasion. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the Space Foundation. It is presented in honor of the Foundation’s long-time chairman, Gen. James E. Hill. It annually recognizes outstanding individuals who have distinguished themselves through lifetime contributions to the welfare or betterment of humankind through the exploration, development and use of space, or the use of space technology, information, themes or resources in academic, cultural, industrial or other pursuits of broad benefit to humanity. Nominations are solicited from throughout the space industry worldwide, with the honoree selected by the board of directors of the Foundation. The award is being presented to Lovell for his storied accomplishments at NASA, continued commitment to education, aerospace engineering and the future of the space industry and nation. Following extensive experience as a naval aviator and a test pilot, Lovell was chosen in 1962 for the space program. He first flew on Gemini 7, Gemini 12, and then Apollo 8, man’s maiden voyage to the moon, where he and fellow crewman were the first humans to leave the Earth’s gravitational influence. His fourth and final flight was on the perilous Apollo 13 mission in 1970. After retiring from NASA, Lovell served as president and chief executive officer of Bay-Houston Towing and president of Fisk Telephone Systems. Through the mid-1990s Lovell was chairman of Mission HOME, a space awareness program supported by the Space Awareness Alliance: a coalition of more than 25 space companies and organizations. He has appeared extensively throughout the United States in public forums and media programs aimed at educating U.S. citizens about their space program. He is currently president of Lovell Communications, a business devoted to disseminating information about the U.S. space program. Lovell co-authored “Lost Moon,” the harrowing story of Apollo 13 upon which the award-winning Ron Howard/Tom Hanks motion picture was based. Lovell earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated from the University of Southern California Aviation Safety School and the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He has also received several honorary doctorates. The 2002 General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award was presented to Norman R. Augustine, chairman emeritus of Lockheed Martin and professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. Widely regarded as the premier conference for space professionals anywhere in the world today, the National Space Symposium is the only space-related conference to fully integrate all sectors of space – commercial, civil and national security – while attracting the most important and influential speakers and the national leadership of the space industry. Symposium program information and on-line registration are available at www.spacesymposium.org or by calling the Space Foundation at 1-800-691-4000. The 19th National Space Symposium’s opening ceremony is co-sponsored by Northrop Grumman Corporation; the exhibit center is sponsored by The Boeing Company; the media center and Space Career Fair for College Students Luncheon are both sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation; the 15th Anniversary Space Technology Hall of Fame Awards Dinner is co-sponsored by Northrop Grumman Space Technology; the Corporate Partnership Dinner is co-sponsored by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.; and the cyberspace center is sponsored by Oracle Corporation. Additional sponsors include Analytical Graphics, Inc., BAE Systems, Computer Sciences Corporation, Eastman Kodak Company, General Dynamics, Harris Corporation, Holland and Hart, Infinite Links, ITT Industries, ManTech, MicroSat Systems, Inc., Penwal Industries, Space News/SPACE.com, SpaceVest, Stellar Solutions and Veridian. In addition to the National Space Symposium, the Space Foundation and its partnering organizations will conduct the Space at the Crossroads Conference, Feb. 19, 2003, at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C.; the American Space Showcase at the Paris Air Show, June 15-22, 2003; and the International Space Symposium, Oct. 28-30, 2003, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC.


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