`One Industry – Go for Launch!` at the 22nd National Space Symposium

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Apr. 3, 2006) — With record attendance expected and a program covering all aspects of the space industry – civil, commercial, and national security space – the 22nd National Space Symposium is set to begin Monday, April 3 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. The conference runs through Thursday, April 6. Space Foundation officials expect more than 7,000 people to participate in various aspects of the event. The National Space Symposium is the premier annual space industry conference and draws the most senior executive leadership from the global space industry. The Chairman and Ranking Member of the Space and Aeronautics Sub-committee in the United States House of Representatives The Honorable Ken Calvert and The Honorable Mark Udall are featured speakers. Additional featured speakers are The Honorable Maria Cino, deputy secretary, United States Department of Transportation; The Honorable Dr. Michael D. Griffin, administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); The Honorable Dr. Ronald M. Sega, under secretary of the Air Force; The Honorable Shana L. Dale, deputy administrator, NASA; Lt Gen Frank G. Klotz, USAF, commander, Air Force Space Command; The Honorable Marion C. Blakey, administrator, Federal Aviation Administration; Lt Gen C. Robert Kehler, USAF, deputy commander, United States Strategic Command; Mr. Elon Musk, chairman and chief executive officer, Space Exploration Technologies; and Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, chairman and chief executive officer, Zero-Gravity Corporation, and chairman and chief executive officer, X PRIZE Foundation. Attendees also will hear from Mr. Kaoru Mamiya, vice president, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA); and Mr. LUO Ge, vice administrator, China National Space Administration (CNSA), the highest-ranking space official from China ever to address a symposium audience. More than 135 companies and organizations will showcase exhibits in the Lockheed Martin Exhibit Center, representing an increase in the square footage of exhibits from last year by 40 percent. Education-related events are expected to draw more than 400 college students to the Space Career Fair and more than 500 K-12 students and educators for exclusive tours. The third flight of Space Foundation Teacher Liaisons, 81 educators from throughout the United States and Germany, will be recognized and begin a year of working closely with the Space Foundation to promote excellence in space science education. During the opening ceremony, co-sponsored by Northrop Grumman, the Space Foundation will present a number of awards for space achievement, space exploration, public outreach, and technology in education. On Wednesday, the Space Foundation will present its highest award, the General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award to Dr. Buzz Aldrin for his extraordinary and sustained impact in manned space exploration and his continual efforts to advance the interests of the United States through its space assets. The Hill Award Luncheon is co-sponsored by the Colorado Space Coalition and features Colorado Lt. Gov. Jane Norton as the distinguished host. The capstone event of the symposium will be the Space Technology Hall of Fame Dinner, co-sponsored by The Boeing Company, on Thursday, April 6. The 2006 inductees the iRobot PackBot Tactical Mobile Robot and Novariant AutoFarm RTK AutoSteer represent successful innovation and application of space-based technologies to Earth applications. Demonstrations of the technologies will take place Thursday at noon in the Lockheed Martin Exhibit Center South. The symposium Web site www.NationalSpaceSymposium.org will feature twice-daily summaries of the programs and sessions, a live webcam of the exhibit center, daily postings of photographs, a complete agenda, and lists of speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors. Onsite registration at The Broadmoor International Center is available for those interested in attending. Other sponsorship highlights include the opening night reception, co-sponsored by ITT; opening night fireworks and dessert reception, co-sponsored by General Dynamics; the Corporate Partnership reception, co-sponsored by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce; the Corporate Partnership dinner, co-sponsored by Raytheon Company; and the Space Technology Hall of Fame reception, co-sponsored by United Space Alliance. Additional co-sponsors include Analytical Graphics, Inc., ASRC Federal, ATK, BAE Systems, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Cisco Systems, Computer Sciences Corporation, CSP Associates, Inc., Florida Space Authority, Harris Corporation, Honeywell, Inmarsat, Integral Systems, MTC Technologies, The New York Times, Nortel Government Solutions, Space News, Space Systems/Loral, SpaceVest, Spherical Magic, Stellar Solutions, Sterling Computers, and Swales Aerospace. 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, Dec. 5-7, 2006, in Orlando, Fla. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org.