November 5 - 8, 2007
Sheraton Gateway Hotel, LAX
6101 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
2007 California Space Authority SpotBeam Award Recipients
The Federal Leadership Award
Congressman Adam B. Schiff
The Federal Leadership award is being presented to Congressman Adam B. Schiff in recognition of his continuing support of California space enterprise, in general, and civil space, in particular as a member of the House Appropriations Committee. Congressman Schiff represents California's 29th Congressional District, which includes parts of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). During his tenure in Congress, Schiff has focused on bolstering national security, strengthening our communities, and introducing a "Kids First" agenda of initiatives to improve education, safety, and health care for our kids. Rep. Schiff has been a leader on national security efforts and has pushed for a broader strategy that emphasizes diplomacy, intelligence reform, and efforts to improve our nation's ability to stabilize countries to prevent future failed states from becoming havens for terrorists. He has pressed for the adoption of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission recommendations, cosponsoring a measure that implements the recommendations, which passed the House this year.
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State Leadership Award
Secretary Victoria L. Bradshaw
The State Leadership award is being presented to Victoria L. Bradshaw in recognition of her strong support for the California Innovation Corridor established under the Workforce Innovation Regional Economic Development (WIRED) program while serving within the Governor’s Cabinet as the Secretary for the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency. Since Governor Schwarzenegger has taken office, Secretary Bradshaw has overseen the only Agency in state government that coordinates labor and employment programs for both the employers and businesses of California. The budget for the Departments and Boards in the Agency totals $12.9 billion with 12,500 employees.
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Business Development and Retention Award
Mojave Air and Space Port
The Business Development award is being presented to the Mojave Air and Space Port in recognition of its entrepreneurial efforts that have significantly increased the number of commercial space companies and employees within the state of California. Beginning with the Rotary Rocket program, Mojave became a focus for small companies seeking a place to develop space access technologies. Mojave Spaceport has been a test site for several teams in the Ansari X Prize, most notably SpaceShipOne, which conducted the first privately funded human sub-orbital flight on June 21, 2004. Other groups based at the Mojave Spaceport include XCOR Aerospace, Masten Space Systems, Orbital Sciences Corporation, and Interorbital Systems. Mojave Air and Space Port is the nation’s first licensed inland spaceport and is led by General Manager Stuart Witt.
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The Buzz Aldrin Space Education & Workforce Awards
Raytheon
The Education award is being presented to Raytheon in recognition of its MathMovesU Program which provides grants and scholarships to teachers and students in order to encourage participation and enthusiasm in math doing and teaching. Since its inception in November 2005, the program has touched the lives of more than 500,000 students and teachers. Thusfar, the Math Move U program has provided more than $2 million to students, teachers and schools. About 750 students have been provided with $1,000 scholarships toward their college education and 65 teachers have been presented with MathMovesU Math Hero awards.
NOVA Workforce Board
University of California Extension, Santa Cruz
The Workforce award is being presented to the North Valley Workforce Board (NOVA) and to the University of California Extension at Santa Cruz in recognition of their creation of a curriculum for, and the training of, unemployed and underemployed software engineers in an aerospace/defense certificate program. The first graduation under the program of 30 software engineers took place on August 22, 2007. This effort is one of 25 projects within the Workforce Innovation Regional Economic Development (WIRED) program.
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Civil Space Award
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Program
The Civil Space award is being presented to the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) program in recognition of its debut at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center on June 27, 2007. NASA Ames Research Center is the host of SOFIA’s science and mission operations center. SOFIA is an international program led by NASA and DLR, the German Aerospace Center, which together created SOFIA — a Boeing 747 aircraft modified by L-3 Communications to accommodate a 2.5 meter reflecting telescope. SOFIA is the largest airborne observatory in the world and will make observations that are impossible for even the largest and highest of ground-based telescopes. The observatory is being developed and operated for NASA by a team of industry experts led by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA).
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National Security Space Award
U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin Corporation SBIRS Team
The National Security Space award is being presented to a joint U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin team for the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) program in recognition of the successful on-orbit deployment and checkout of SBIRS' High Elliptical Orbit payload. This critical national defense payload is the first of a new generation of SBIRS sensors and is providing the Air Force with new and vital capabilities for the warfighter. Lockheed Martin, Sunnyvale, CA, the SBIRS prime contractor, and Northrop Grumman, Azusa, CA., the payload subcontractor, are developing SBIRS for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.
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Commercial Space Award
Space Systems/Loral
The Commercial Space award is being presented to Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) in recognition of 50 years of success, including the Intelsat VII program SS/L manufactured all eight of the Intelsat satellites which have continued to operate successfully for more than a decade. The last of the Intelsat VII spacecrafts launched on June 15, 1996, and has exceeded 4,000 days on orbit. SS/L is one of the world's premier designers, manufacturers, and integrators of powerful geostationary satellites and satellite systems. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the company operates worldwide, working within many cross-national alliances, and in leading-edge facilities. A subsidiary of Loral Space and Communications, SS/L designs, builds, and tests satellites, subsystems, and payloads; provides orbital testing; procures insurance and launch services; and manages mission operations from Mission Control Center in Palo Alto. Beginning with three Courier military communications satellites built in 1960, SS/L has manufactured more than 220 satellites, delivering in excess of 1200 years of on-orbit service. SS/L has won the coveted Goddard Contractor Excellence Award from NASA, crediting the company's performance for the agency and its general philosophy of continuous improvement.
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Space Innovation Award
XCOR Aerospace, Inc.
The Innovation award is being presented to XCOR Aerospace, Inc. in recognition of its efforts to develop a “green” fuel for rockets comprised of a mixture of methane and oxygen. XCOR tested this fuel in a prototype supersonic methane rocket engine (5M15) that generated 7,500 pounds of thrust. The company was named in August 2007 by Inc. magazine as one the nation’s “500 Fastest Growing Companies”. The company’s ranking of 446 was based upon the percentage increase of revenue over a three-year period. XCOR is a small, privately-held California corporation that was founded in 1999. Its headquarters and development facilities are located at the Mojave Spaceport and Civilian Aerospace Test Center in Mojave, California. XCOR engages in research, development, and production of reusable rocket-powered, horizontal launch vehicles for suborbital, and ultimately, orbital travel. XCOR is a leader in the development of reliable, low-cost rocket engines.
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Space Manufacturing Award
COM DEV USA
The Manufacturing award is being presented to COMDEV USA in recognition of their recent opening of a manufacturing facility in El Segundo, CA. The parent company of ComDev USA is ComDev, which is the largest Canadian-based designer and manufacturer of space hardware subsystems. COM DEV, with facilities in Canada and the United Kingdom, manufactures advanced products and subsystems that are sold to major satellite prime contractors for use in communications, space science, remote sensing and military satellites. The Company has been in business for 30 years and currently has 178 patents granted or pending.
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International Space Award
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
The International Space award is being presented to the German Aerospace Center (also known as DLR) in recognition of its successful efforts on both the SOFIA and GRACE programs. DLR is Germany's national research center for aeronautics and space. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, transportation and energy is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. As Germany's space agency, DLR is responsible for the forward planning and implementation of the German space program as well as international representation of Germany's interests.
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Space Science Research Award
Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Program
The Space Science Research award is being given to the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) program in recognition of the program’s fifth anniversary of conducting climate change research. The GRACE program is led by JPL and includes two satellites that were successfully launched in March 2002. In their first five years, the twin satellites have circled the globe using gravity to map changes in the Earth’s mass, including the ice sheets of Greenland. As such, the GRACE Program has made significant and early contributions to climate change research. The GRACE project scientist is Michael Watkins of JPL.
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Space Entertainment Award
Star Wars
The Entertainment award is being presented to Star Wars in honor of the 30th anniversary of the first Star Wars movie which was released in May 1977. There are a total of six Star Wars movies, the last of which was released in May 2005. In 2007, overall box office revenue generated by the entire Star Wars franchise over the course of its history is at around $4.3 billion, making it one of the most successful franchises of all time.
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California Astronaut Hall of Fame (Former)
General Kevin Chilton
The California Astronaut Hall of Fame (Former Astronaut) award is being given to Gen. Kevin Chilton in recognition of the 20th anniversary of his joining NASA's astronaut program. General Chilton is the first former astronaut to receive a four-star grade. Recently promoted to serve as Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, General Chilton is the senior commander of the joint military forces from all four branches of the military assigned to the command. His responsibilities include integrating and coordinating the necessary command and control capability to provide support for space operations; global strike; information operations; global missile defense; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR), in order to provide the most accurate and timely information for the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and to regional combatant commanders.
General Chilton became an astronaut in 1988. At NASA, he flew on three space shuttle missions and served as the Deputy Program Manager for Operations for the International Space Station Program. Among numerous awards General Chilton has received are the NASA Space Flight Medal with two oak leaf clusters, NASA exceptional Service Medal, and NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal.
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California Astronaut Hall of Fame (Current)
Barbara Morgan
The California Astronaut Hall of Fame (Current Astronaut) award is being given to Barbara Morgan, a native of California, in recognition of her being the first California teacher in space during the recent STS-118 space shuttle mission. Morgan was first selected as the backup candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space Program on July 19, 1985. From September 1985 to January 1986, Morgan trained with Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger crew at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. Following the Challenger accident, Morgan assumed the duties of Teacher in Space Designee. From March 1986 to July 1986, she worked with NASA, speaking to educational organizations throughout the country. In the fall of 1986, Morgan returned to Idaho to resume her teaching career. She taught second and third grades at McCall-Donnelly Elementary and continued to work with NASA’s Education Division, Office of Human Resources and Education. Her duties as Teacher in Space Designee included public speaking, educational consulting, curriculum design, and serving on the National Science Foundation’s Federal Task Force for Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering. Morgan was selected by NASA as a mission specialist in January 1998 and she reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1998. Following the completion of two years of training and evaluation, Morgan was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Space Station Operations Branch. She then served in the Astronaut Office CAPCOM Branch, working in Mission Control as prime communicator with on-orbit crews.
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