Nominations Open for Three Prominent Space Awards

The Space Foundation is now accepting nominations through Oct. 31 for three annual space awards to be presented at the 29th National Space Symposium, April 8-11, 2013, at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The awards recognize outstanding accomplishments in three categories: space exploration; creating a positive public environment for space; and space achievement.

The awards are:

The John L. "Jack" Swigert, Jr., Award for Space Exploration
The John L. "Jack" Swigert, Jr., Award for Space Exploration honors astronaut Jack Swigert, a Colorado native who served with retired U.S. Navy Captain James A. Lovell, Jr., and Fred Haise on the legendary Apollo 13 lunar mission, which was aborted en route to the Moon after the perilous rupture of an oxygen tank. The Space Foundation, founded in 1983 in part to honor Swigert's memory, created the Swigert Award in 2004 in tribute to his lasting legacy of space exploration.

The award is given to an individual or organization for extraordinary accomplishment in the field of space exploration. To be eligible, the nominee must have either accomplished or completed the activity or completed the analysis of the activity during the 2011-2012 timeframe.

The Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award
The Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award's namesake was an Academy Award^® winning writer and producer, space advocate and Space Foundation Board member.

The award recognizes an individual or organization that has created a positive public environment for space and increased understanding, awareness and interest in space to a significant segment of the general populace, either through a specific activity or a body of work.

The Space Achievement Award
The Space Achievement Award is presented annually to an individual or organization for significant contributions in advancing the development or utilization of space. To be eligible, the nominee must have made a major contribution to space, such as releasing a new technology, significantly improving the performance or capabilities of an existing technology, creating new opportunities for space employment or advancement, or significantly advancing or improving space policy within the 2011-2012 timeframe.

To Submit Nominations
The general public may submit nominations until Oct. 31, 2012, to [email protected]. Please include details about why the nominee should be considered and contact information for the person submitting the nomination.

See information about previous winners here.

About the 29th 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. The 29th National Space Symposium will feature forums, panels, presentations, speeches, special events and ample opportunity to hear from and network with the space community's most influential leaders.

Pictured: Dr. Junichiro Kawaguchi, Senior Fellow at Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA),  receives the 2012 Space Achievement Award at the 28th National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo.

This article is part of Space Watch: September 2012 (Volume: 11, Issue: 9).