Space Technology Hall of Fame Inductees Honored at Three Events

The Space Foundation honored two 2013 Space Technology Hall of Fame® inductees at the 29th National Space Symposium with three special events:

• The Space Technology Hall of Fame Private Induction Ceremony, co-sponsored by Intelsat (pictured, left)
• The Space Technology Hall of Fame Cocktail Reception, co-sponsored by Inmarsat
• The Space Technology Hall of Fame Dinner, co-sponsored by SpaceX

The Space Technology Hall of Fame, which is celebrating its 25th year, recognizes technologies originally developed for - or dramatically improved by - space applications that now improve life on Earth. The new inductees are:

• GATR Inflatable Satellite Communication System, a portable, rapidly deployed, inflatable antenna that targets a geostationary satellite to establish critical communications links
• Mediphan ultrasound technologies, compact low-power ultrasound devices that can be used as a diagnostic tool where large scanning equipment is impractical

Full details about the inductees, which bring the total number of inducted technologies to 69, can be found here.

---

Private Induction Ceremony Honors Organizations and Individuals

The Private Induction Ceremony, an exclusive event co-sponsored by Intelsat, was held Thursday afternoon preceding the reception and dinner. It provided a forum for the formal induction of the organizations and individuals responsible for developing the technologies and adapting them for commercial use.

Host Space Foundation Director - Space Awareness Kevin Cook was assisted by Intelsat General President Kay Sears and former NASA Astronauts Mark Polansky and Michael Lopez-Alegria when he presented Space Technology Hall of Fame medals and trophies to the 2013 inductees.

GATR Organizational:

• GATR Technologies, represented by Paul A. Gierow, P.E., president and CEO, GATR Technologies
• NASA Glenn Research Center, represented by former NASA Astronaut Mark Polansky

GATR Individual:

• Paul A. Gierow, P.E., president and CEO, GATR Technologies
• William R. Clayton, chief scientist, GATR Technologies (pictured, left, with Sears)
• Robert Romanofsky, Ph.D., senior research engineer, NASA Glenn Research Center, Communications, Instruments and Controls Division
• Kevin M. Lambert, Ph.D., senior research engineer, Vantage Partners, LLC

Mediphan Organizational:

• Mediphan, Inc.,  represented by Mike Sandler, president and CEO, Epiphan Systems, Inc. & Mediphan, Inc.
• NASA Johnson Space Center,  represented by former NASA Astronaut Dr. Leroy Chiao

Mediphan Individual:

• Scott A. Dulchavsky, M.D., Ph.D., chairman and surgeon-in-chief, Henry Ford Hospital (pictured, left)
• Mike Sandler, president and CEO, Epiphan Systems, Inc. & Mediphan, Inc.
• Leroy Chiao, Ph.D., chemical engineer, former consulting NASA astronaut lead on technology and special advisor - human spaceflight, Space Foundation.  

Wyle Laboratories received a Commendation Award for contributions to technology training of astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS).

Pictured, above right, Polansky places the Space Technology Hall of Fame medal around Sandler's neck, while Lopez-Alegria looks on.

To see more photos of the Private Induction Ceremony, click here.

---

Reception Features Displays

The Space Technology Hall of Fame reception, co-sponsored by Inmarsat, featured - for the first time ever - physical displays of the winning technologies for guests to view as they networked.

Pictured, right, Dulchavsky demonstrates the Mediphan technology to former NASA Astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

---

Sigourney Weaver and P.J. O'Rourke Entertain at Gala Dinner

The Space Technology Hall of Fame dinner, co-sponsored by SpaceX, was the final formal event of the Space Symposium. 

The dinner, which filled the International Center to capacity, featured a welcome by corporate host SpaceX Vice President - Government Sales Adam Harris and public recognition of the inductees along with videos documenting their accomplishments.

Pictured, right, Gierow celebrates GATR's induction.

The entertainment for the evening was a "fireside chat" featuring actor Sigourney Weaver and author, satirist and Space Foundation Board Member P.J. O'Rourke. They discussed Weaver's career and her interest in the environment, science and education.

Pictured, above, left, O'Rourke, right, asks Weaver about her interest in space.

To see a video of the event, click here. To see photos, click here.

Pictured below, left to right, Space Foundation CEO Elliot Pulham, Gierow, Polansky, Lopez-Alegria, Sandler, Romanofsky, Chiao, Harris, Cook.

---

25th Anniversary Unveils New Looks

The Space Technology Hall of Fame was established in 1988 to increase public awareness of the benefits that result from space exploration programs and to encourage further innovation. Since that time, 69 technologies have been inducted. In celebration of the 25th anniversary, the Space Foundation unveiled a new logo.

The 2013 inductees were the first to receive medals (pictured, right) with the new look.

Additional information about the Space Technology Hall of Fame®, including a complete list of inducted technologies, is available at here.

The event ended with a "reveal" of the look for the 30th Space Symposium - note that we have dropped the "National" to better reflect our global reach. The 30th Space Symposium will be held May 19-22, 2014, at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. Pictured below, the new look is revealed at the end of the dinner. 

---

Nominations Open for 2014 Induction

The deadline to submit nominations for induction during 2014 will be Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. Anyone may submit a nomination of a technology that was developed anywhere in the world for use in space and then modified or adopted for use on Earth. Nomination information, including online and downloadable nomination forms, is available at here.