Music, awards, fireworks kick off 20th National Space Symposium

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Mar. 11, 2004) — A twentieth anniversary is always something to celebrate, and the Space Foundation’s 20th National Space Symposium — to be held here March 29-April 1 at the world renowned Broadmoor Hotel -is `go for launch` with hoopla befitting the space industry’s premier annual gathering. The National Space Symposium’s Platinum Anniversary will open with musical performances featuring a live symphony orchestra, a video retrospective on the 20-year history of the event, the presentation of awards, a reception and an awesome fireworks display set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Record attendance is expected. The Opening Ceremony of the 20th Anniversary National Space Symposium is Monday night, March 29 and is co-sponsored by Lockheed Martin. The festivities will begin at 6:00 p.m. with performances by the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and guest vocalist Amy Sue Hardy. The ceremony features the presentation of four prestigious Space Foundation awards: the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award, Space Achievement Award, Education Achievement Award, and the newly created Jack Swigert Award for Space Exploration. Following the opening ceremony, a festive reception, co-sponsored by Eastman Kodak Company, will take place in the Northrop Grumman Exhibit Center at 7:00 p.m., where the largest exhibition in symposium history, featuring displays from more than 100 companies, agencies and organizations, will showcase the latest in civil, commercial and national security space technology. To bring the evening to a glittering close, Inmarsat will present a 20th anniversary fireworks spectacular beginning at 9:00 p.m. The pyrotechnic show above the Broadmoor Golf Course will feature more than 300 firework displays, which guests will enjoy from viewing areas at the Lake Terrace and Lakeside Terrace. Following the fireworks, Inmarsat co-sponsors a Dessert Reception in the Lake Terrace Dining Room. The 20th National Space Symposium features a totally integrated program of speakers and panelists focused on civil, commercial, and national security space issues. Educational activities including a Space Career Fair 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 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 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, 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 will host the second annual Space Career Fair for College Students at the 20th National Space Symposium; and recently created a Web site just for kids with fun space activities. 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.