Report from Headquarters


Space Technology Hall of Fame® Judges Named

Written by: developer

Space Technology Hall of Fame®  Judges Named An impressive panel of judges has been named to select the 2010 Space Technology Hall of Fame® inductees. The group includes a senior NASA advisor, U.S. and European space policy experts, executives of major aerospace companies, the superintendent of one of Colorado’s largest school districts, a famed aerospace journalist, and a senior member of Germany’s national research center for aeronautics and space.

The Space Foundation’s prestigious Space Technology Hall of Fame honors innovations by organizations and individuals who transform space technology into commercial products that improve life on Earth.

The 2010 judges, chosen for their diverse and wide-reaching perspectives on space and technology, are:

  • Jeff Carr, director of communications and public relations, United Space Alliance
  • Jurgen Drescher, Ph.D., head of the Washington, D.C., office of DLR, Germany’s national research center for aeronautics and space.
  • Nicholas Gledich, Ed.D., superintendent of Colorado Springs School District 11
  • Alan Ladwig, senior advisor to the NASA Administrator
  • Agnieszka Lukaszczyk, co-chairperson of the Space Generation Advisory Council and space policy consultant, European Space Policy Institute
  • Miles O’Brien, aerospace journalist
  • Kay Sears, president, IntelSat General
  • The Honorable Robert Walker, former congressman and executive chairman, Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates

The Space Foundation, in cooperation with NASA, established the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 1988 to increase public awareness of the down-to-Earth benefits that result from space exploration programs and to encourage further innovation. Since that time, 61 technologies have been inducted.

The judges select inductees based on economic benefit, public awareness, societal benefit, longevity, and public/private/partnership investment.

Inducted technologies include energy-saving technologies, life-saving medical devices, health improvement technologies, satellite and telecommunication technologies, and practical commercial devices. Some noteworthy examples are the automatic external defibrillator; non-invasive breast biopsy technology; MRI and CAT scan imaging; anti-shock garments; LASIK eye surgery; implantable pacemakers and hearing aids; and technologies that power cellular phones, terrestrial networks, and satellite broadcast television and radio communications.

The 2009 inductees were a life-saving food supplement derived from algae and space-shuttle-based aerodynamic vehicle design that has revolutionized large trucks.

Award ceremonies for the 2010 inductees and honorees will be part of the 26th National Space Symposium, which will be held at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 12-15, 2010. Conducted by the Space Foundation, the symposium is the premier annual gathering of the global space community.

The Space Certification Program, a companion effort of the Space Technology Hall of Fame, further communicates the positive impact of spin-off technologies by providing special recognition to companies with products and services that are tied to space exploration. Qualified products display an official seal, clearly identifying them to the public as examples of how everyone benefits from space programs. For more information and lists of certified products representing the technology, education, and entertainment sectors, click here.

This article is part of Space Watch: October 2009 (Volume: 8, Issue: 10).


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