NASA Administrator Bolden to Speak at RNASA Banquet
NASA Administrator, Major General (USMC, Ret.) Charles Bolden, Jr., will give the keynote address at the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation’s annual awards banquet on April 30.
Veteran space journalist Miles O’Brien will emcee the black-tie event held at the Houston Hyatt Regency where the highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the National Space Trophy to NASA Associate Administrator for Human Spaceflight, Bill Gerstenmaier.
Gerstenmaier was nominated for “his unwavering commitment and remarkable contributions to human space flight and providing outstanding leadership and direction to the exploration of space through his contributions to the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs.”
Director of NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia, Mrs. Lesa B. Roe, former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin, Johnson Space Center Director Mike Coats, and RNASA Advisor and Apollo 17 Astronaut Harrison Schmitt nominated Gerstenmaier.
The evening will also feature the announcement of the winners of Stellar Awards that recognize the “unsung heroes” of the space program in early, middle, late career, and team categories. The winners are selected by an Evaluation Panel based on which accomplishments hold the greatest promise for future success in space. This year’s panel consists of former National Space Trophy winners Dr. Christopher Kraft, Jr. (1999) and Dr. Glynn Lunney (2005); and former NASA Associate Administrator for Space Systems Development, Arnold Aldrich. Astronauts Michael Foreman, Captain, USN, Ret., and K. Megan McArthur, PhD, will present the Stellar Awards.
The program agenda also includes Victoria Reva as the pianist for the reception, the presentation of the colors by Clear Brook High School Army JROTC Color Guard, the national anthem sung by Hans Stockenberger, a multimedia production by Space City Films, and presentation of an OMEGA watch by Apollo veteran Lt. Gen. Thomas Stafford, USAF (Ret.).
The deadline to reserve seats is April 2. See http://www.rnasa.org/tables or contact Bill Taylor, 281-488-2733 for ticket information.
Photos and profiles of speakers are online at http://www.rnasa.org/press.
