Space Foundation Selects United States Air Force as 2008 Space Achievement Award Recipient

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Mar. 5, 2008) — The Space Foundation has named the United States Air Force as the recipient of the 2008 Space Achievement Award. Each year this award recognizes an individual or organization for significant contributions in advancing the exploration, development, or utilization of space. The Air Force will be recognized during the opening ceremony of the 24th National Space Symposium, on April 7.  The premier annual gathering of the global space community, the symposium will take place April 7-10 at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.

The United States Air Force was selected to receive the Space Achievement Award for its unprecedented string of more than 50 consecutive successful national security space launches, providing 100 percent mission success for vitally important national security space missions.  Using the Delta II, Delta IV, and Atlas V launch vehicles, these successful launches from Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Air Force Base demonstrate continued U.S. superiority in providing assured access to space.

“The accomplishments of the United States Air Force are clearly worthy of this award,” said Elliot G. Pulham, Space Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer. “The consistent, exceptional performance of Air Force launches, including 23 successful launches from Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg in 2007, demonstrates the dedication, professionalism, and achievements of the men and women across the U.S. Air Force.”

The Space Achievement Award annually honors 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 Bigelow Aerospace; the Titan Launch Vehicle Team; the Inertial Upper Stage Team; the SpaceShipOne Team; the Arianespace-CNES Ariane 4 Launch Team; the Hubble Space Telescope Team; NASA/Industry Galileo Space probe team and the men and women of United States Space Command; the International Space Station Team; Gen Thomas S. Moorman, Jr., USAF (Retired); and Capt. James Lovell, USN (Retired).

The symposium brings together all sectors of space – civil, commercial, and national security – to highlight the accomplishments and address the opportunities and issues facing the space industry today. More than 7,500 registrants, guests, speakers, exhibitors, and media from across the United States and many foreign countries are expected to attend the 24th National Space Symposium.  Participants, who represent both the history and future of this $220 billion industry, include senior executive leadership from NASA, NOAA, and other civil space and government agencies; the commercial space and satellite broadcasting industry; the Department of Defense and military space commands; space entrepreneurs; universities and academia; and senior representatives from the global space industry.

Highlights of the 24th National Space Symposium include an extensive exhibit center representing more than 140 organizations and companies co-sponsored by Lockheed Martin; a spectacular Opening Ceremony, co-sponsored by United Space Alliance; Opening Night Fireworks and Late-night Reception, co-sponsored by Raytheon; the Corporate Partnership Dinner, co-sponsored by Northrop Grumman; the presentation of the Space Foundation’s highest honor, the General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award, at a luncheon co-sponsored by Boeing; and the Space Technology Hall of Fame Dinner, co-sponsored by Space Florida.

Additional co-sponsors of the symposium are AMERICOM Government Services, Analytical Graphics, Inc., ATK, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Cisco Systems, CSP Associates, Harris Corporation, Hitachi Consulting, Honeywell, Infinite Links, Intelsat General, ITT, Perot Systems Government Services, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, and Stellar Solutions. Media partners for the 24th National Space Symposium are Aviation Week, Space News, and Via Satellite. Frontier Airlines is the official airline of the conference.

Online registration and more information, including an updated program agenda, confirmed speaker list, and exhibitor list, are available at  www.NationalSpaceSymposium.org.

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983 and celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Space Foundation is an international nonprofit organization advancing space-related endeavors to inspire, enable, and propel humanity.  A leader in space awareness activities, major industry events, and educational enterprises that bring space into the classroom, the Space Foundation is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo.  It conducts research and analysis and government affairs activities from its Washington, D.C., office, and has field representatives in Houston and Cape Canaveral, Fla.  Along with partnering organizations, the Space Foundation also conducts Strategic Space and Defense 2008, scheduled 6-8 October in Omaha, Neb.  For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org.