Space Foundation Names Dr. Charles Elachi Recipient of 2011 General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 2, 2010) — As the Space Foundation’s highest honor, the General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award is presented annually to only the most distinguished life-long achievers and role models in the space community. In 2011 the honor will go to Charles Elachi, Ph.D., director of the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) and vice president of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif.

The award will be presented at a special luncheon on April 13, 2011, at the Space Foundation’s 27th National Space Symposium at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo. William F. Ballhaus, Jr., Ph.D., chairman of the board of the Space Foundation, will present the award to Elachi. The luncheon is sponsored by Raytheon.

“Dr. Elachi ideally exemplifies the spirit of the Hill Award. He is the first NASA center director to be selected and joins an illustrious list of former recipients,” said Ballhaus. “We set exacting criteria and solicit nominations from space leaders around the world for this award. It is our highest honor and can only be conferred by unanimous vote of our board of directors.”

Previous recipients of the Hill Award include:
2010 Capt. John W. Young, USN (Retired)
2009 The Honorable Peter B. Teets
2008 Hans Mark, Ph.D.
2007 Simon Ramo, Ph.D.
2006 Buzz Aldrin, Ph.D.
2005 The Honorable Edward C. Aldridge, Jr.
2004 The late Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, USAF (Retired)
2003 Capt. James A. Lovell, Jr., USN (Retired)
2002 Norman R. Augustine

About Elachi
Elachi joined JPL in 1970 and was named its director in 2001.He has been a principal investigator on a number of research and development studies and flight projects sponsored by NASA, including the Shuttle Imaging Radar series, the Magellan Imaging Radar and the Cassini Titan Radar. As the director for Space and Earth Science Programs at JPL from 1982 to 2000, he was responsible for the development of numerous flight missions and instruments for Earth observation, planetary exploration and astrophysics.

In 1988, the Los Angeles Times selected Elachi as one of “Southern California’s rising stars who will make a difference in L.A.” In 1989, Asteroid 1982 SU was renamed 4116 Elachi in recognition of his contribution to planetary exploration. In 2006, he was selected as one of America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report and the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Born in Lebanon, Elachi received a bachelor’s degree in physics from University of Grenoble, France; the Diplome d’Ingenieur in engineering from the Polytechnic Institute, Grenoble; and a master’s degree and doctorate in electrical sciences from the California Institute of Technology. He also earned a master’s degree in geology from the University of California Los Angeles and an MBA from the University of Southern California.

About the Award
The Space Foundation annually presents the Hill award in honor of its late, long-time chairman, Gen. James E. Hill, USAF (Retired). The award recognizes outstanding individuals who have distinguished themselves through lifetime contributions to the welfare or betterment of humankind through exploration, development and use of space, or through use of space technology, information, themes or resources in academic, cultural, industrial or other pursuits of broad benefit to humanity. Tickets to the luncheon can be purchased by Symposium attendees, but sell out quickly.

About the 27th National Space Symposium
The annual Space Foundation National Space Symposium brings together all sectors of space to highlight accomplishments and address opportunities and issues facing the global space community today.

A special event at this year’s 27th National Space Symposium will be the Industry Salutes the Space Shuttle luncheon, to be held on April 12, 2011, the 30th anniversary of the initial Space Shuttle launch. The luncheon, co-sponsored by the Space Foundation and United Space Alliance, will include a presentation to NASA in honor of the men and women who contributed the nation’s longest-duration and most productive space program.

New to the 27th National Space Symposium will be expanded exhibit space with the extraordinary Boeing Exhibit Center occupying three halls in 2011.

Returning for 2011 will be the popular cyberspace and new generation events. Cyber 1.1 will be held on Monday, April 11, and requires separate registration. An expanded New Generation Space Leaders program for young, up-and-coming space professionals, age 35 and younger, will be offered throughout the four-day Symposium.

Register Now
Online registration and more information, including agenda, speakers and exhibitors, are available at www.NationalSpaceSymposium.org. Industry attendees who register before Jan. 14, 2011, can save up to $500 with the Super Early Bird rate.

27th National Space Symposium Co-Sponsors
Confirmed co-sponsors of the 27th National Space Symposium include a.i. solutions; Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI); ATK; Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.; The Boeing Company; Booz Allen Hamilton; Cisco Systems, Inc.; General Dynamics; Integral Systems; International Space University; Lockheed Martin; Northrop Grumman; Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne; Raytheon; SpaceX; Stellar Solutions; and United Space Alliance. Space News International and Aviation Week are official media partners. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available; interested companies should contact [email protected].

About the Space Foundation
The Space Foundation is a global, nonprofit organization and the foremost advocate for all sectors of the space industry – civil, commercial, military and intelligence. Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is a leader in space awareness activities, educational programs that bring space into the classroom, and major industry events, including the National Space Symposium, all in support of its mission “to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity.” An expert in all aspects of the global space industry, the Space Foundation publishes The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity and provides three indices that track daily performance of the space industry. Through its Space Certification and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, the Space Foundation recognizes space-based technologies and innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation conducts research and analysis and government affairs activities from its Washington, D.C., office and has field representatives in Houston, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Fla. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, and read about the latest space news and Space Foundation activities in Space Watch.

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