Commerce Secretary Ross to be Featured Speaker at 34th Space Symposium

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 9, 2018) – The Space Foundation announced today the addition of The Honorable Wilbur R. Ross, Jr., United States Secretary of Commerce, as a featured speaker at its 34th Space Symposium, to be held April 16 – 19 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr., Acting Administrator of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), will also speak at the Symposium, immediately following the talk by Ross on Tuesday morning, April 17.

Thousands of space professionals and space leaders from more than 40 countries are expected to participate as speakers, panelists, attendees and exhibitors in the largest Space Symposium to date.

For 2018, the Symposium's sold-out Ball Aerospace Exhibit Center and expanded Pavilion features 200 displays of the latest in space technology, products and services, with 29 exhibitors from outside of the U.S., including companies based in Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Other highlights of the 34th Space Symposium will include:

• 34th Space Symposium Opening Presentation with Vice President Michael R. Pence
• Two classified programs, Cyber 1.8 and Space Classified
• Targeted workshops for New Generation space professionals, age 35 and younger, with multiple networking events
• The sold-out Technical Track, with experts sharing perspectives in their respective fields
• The Women's Global Gathering Luncheon, focusing on the accomplishments of, and opportunities for, women in the space industry – open to the general public

Presentation of prestigious space awards on April 16, will include:

• The General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award, to Christopher Columbus "Chris" Kraft, Jr., the first U.S. human space mission flight director
• The Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award, to Diego Martinez, Science Mastery Specialist, Delphian School
• The John L. "Jack" Swigert, Jr., Award for Space Exploration, to the Cassini Mission Team
• The Space Achievement Award, to the Space Security and Defense Program
• The Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award, to Margot Lee Shetterly, author of Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race

See the complete agenda and all of the exhibitors, speakers, panels and Symposium tracks by visiting www.SpaceSymposium.org for complete conference information.

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is a 501(c)(3) and the world's premier organization to inspire, educate, connect, and advocate on behalf of the global space community. It is a nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs, and major industry events, including the annual Space Symposium. Space Foundation headquarters is in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA, and 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 Certification^TM and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, recognizes space-based innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. Visit both of our websites – www.SpaceFoundation.org and DiscoverSpace.org – and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

# # #

Space Foundation Contact:
Carol Hively, Director - Public Relations & Team Communications
[email protected]