Space Foundation Press Releases

Colorado Space Heroes Hall of Fame Honorees Announced by Space Foundation

Written by: developer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 8, 2016) – The Space Foundation announced today the first honorees to be inducted into the Colorado Space Heroes Hall of Fame. Those to be honored for their contributions to the development and success of Colorado’s space economy, are:

  • General James V. Hartinger, USAF (Ret.), for his work as Commander in Chief, North American Air Defense Command, Commander in Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command, and as the first Commander of U.S. Air Force Space Command
  • Ronald M. Sega, Ph.D., for his work as a NASA astronaut; Professor and Director, Systems Engineering Programs, Colorado State University; Director of Defense Research & Engineering; and leadership in the U.S. Air Force Reserve (retired Major General)
  • Alan Stern, Ph.D., for leading NASA’s New Horizons mission to the Pluto system and the Kuiper Belt, his work as a planetary scientist, space program executive, aerospace consultant and author; named to the Time 100 in 2007 and 2016
  • The Honorable Peter B. Teets, for his work on space programs at Martin Marietta; for his leadership as President of Martin Marietta Denver Aerospace, and President of Martin Marietta Space Group; his global industry leadership as President and Chief Operating Officer of Lockheed Martin Corp.; and his service as 13th Director of the National Reconnaissance Office and Under Secretary of the U.S. Air Force

The Space Foundation, a global non-profit organization headquartered in Colorado Springs, created the Colorado Space Heroes Hall of Fame to celebrate the contributions of the honorees, and to highlight Colorado’s role as as a hub for all things space, including:

  • ranking first in the U.S. in number of aerospace employees;
  • having the nation’s third-largest aerospace economy; and
  • serving as the U.S. center for military space.

The Space Foundation issued a public call for nominations in June, resulting in a pool of prospects that included astronauts, aerospace executives, government officials, engineers and military leaders. The nominations were reviewed by a volunteer selection committee, which included:

  • Vicky Lea, Director Aerospace & Aviation, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
  • Maj. Gen. Jay H. Lindell, USAF (Ret.), Colorado Aerospace and Defense Industry Champion
  • Andrew Merritt, Chief Defense Industry Officer at Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance
  • Col. Gary Eugene Payton, USAF (Ret.), former NASA astronaut and instructor, U.S. Air Force Academy

A black tie gala in Denver, at Mile High Station during World Space Week on Oct. 7, 2016, will celebrate the first honorees to be inducted into the Colorado Space Heroes Hall of Fame. It will also serve as a fundraiser to support the STEM education programs, and related space awareness activities, of the Space Foundation.

See ticket information and sponsorship availability at www.ColoradoSpaceHeroes.org.

The Colorado Space Heroes Hall of Fame will live virtually on the internet, and may later find a permanent physical presence at the Space Foundation Discovery Center space museum and education center in Colorado Springs.

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is the foremost advocate for all sectors of space, and is a global, nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs and major industry events, including the annual Space Symposium, in support of its mission “to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity.” Space Foundation World Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA, has a public Discovery Center, including El Pomar Space Gallery, Northrop Grumman Science Center featuring Science On a Sphere® and the Lockheed Martin Space Education Center. The Space Foundation has a Washington, D.C., office and field representatives in Houston and the Florida Space Coast. It publishes The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, and through its Space CertificationTM and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, recognizes space-based innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. Visit www.SpaceFoundation.org, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Flickr and YouTube, and read our e-newsletter Space Watch.


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