Biography - Aviation-Related Awards
Young accepts National Space Trophy
Johnson Space Center Space News Roundup - March 24, 2000
JSC Associate Director (Technical) John Young,
veteran of Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle
missions, received the National Space Trophy at a
March 10 black-tie celebration at Space Center Houston.
Several JSC employees received Stellar Awards
from the non-profit Rotary National Award for Space
Achievement Foundation, established in 1985 by the
Space Center Rotary Club to recognize individuals who
have made outstanding achievements
in space, creating a greater public
awareness of the benefits of
space exploration.
Young was selected for
the NASA astronaut corps in
September 1962 after
serving 10 years in the U.S.
Navy. He made a total of six
space flights, Gemini 3,
Gemini 10, Apollo 10, Apollo 16
and STS-1, the first space shuttle
flight aboard Columbia in April
1981, and STS-9. From 1973 to
1987, he served as
chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office and
helped plan 25 space shuttle missions.
He later moved into space shuttle flight
safety, as well as new space shuttle and
space station development arenas. In
his current position he oversees engineering
and safety control for all center
programs and activities.
Other award winners included JSC
Flight Director Bob Castle Jr. who
received a Stellar Award for his outstanding
leadership in the development
of the flight control team operations
concept and Russian interfaces to
support the International Space Station.
JSC’s Kriss Kennedy was honored for his significant
contributions to the TransHab project, the design of the
ISS alternative crew quarters, and the Mars Combo-Lander
project.
JSC’s Dr. Helen Lane earned a Stellar Award for her
outstanding scientific accomplishments in nutrition and
food science that have advanced the
understanding and application of
nutritional concepts for life in space
and on Earth.
Dr. Dave Williams received a
Stellar Award for his achievements
and leadership in neuro-science
research and
excellent management
of the Space
and Life Sciences
Directorate at JSC.
Also receiving a
Stellar Award was
JSC’s Mark Bowman of Wyle Laboratories
for his commitment to a working
U.S-Russian partnership and his superior
performance in integrating U.S. hardware
into Russian space vehicles.
And JSC’s Dana Weigel, of Barrios
Technology, earned a Stellar Award for her
dedication, professionalism, and technical excellence in
developing the Extra-Vehicular Activity procedures and
conducting crew training for the successful third Hubble
Space Telese servicing mission.
Also receiving Stellar Awards were Del Freeman Jr. of
Langley Research Center, for outstanding technical and
leadership contributions to the development of
advanced space transportation systems; Dr. Martin
Weisskopf, of Marshall Space Flight Center, for scientific
expertise, technical insight, leadership, and dedication
as project scientist for the Chandra X-ray Observatory;
Lorin Blewett, of Boeing, for his expertise in staged
combustion rocket engines and successful management
of the Space Shuttle Main Engine Development and
Flight Operations Program; Larry Clark, of Lockheed
Martin, for pioneering efforts in developing in-situ
resource utilization technologies for use in reducing the
mass and cost of planetary exploration; Dave Cochran, of
Kistler Aerospace, for exceptional level of professional
responsibility and technical leadership as structures
manager for the K-1 Fully Reusable Launch Vehicle
Program; Jeff Kincaid, of Boeing, for engineering
leadership of the X-33 Linear Aerospike Rocket Engine
Development Program teams; Charlie Murphy,
of United Space Alliance, for establishing the NASA
Shuttle Logistics Depot in Florida and for his leadership
in transitioning it to United Space Alliance; and Dr. Kitt
Reinhardt, of the Air Force Research Laboratory, for
significant contributions to reducing the cost and
enhancing the capability of future space power systems.
Four teams received Stellar Awards: JSC’s
X-38 Project Team, NASA’s Chandra X-Ray
Observatory Team, the Variable Specific Impulse
Magnetoplasma Rocket Team, and the Student
Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite
for Heuristic International Networking
Experiment Team.
Finally, a special award was given to honor
the NASA KC-135 Reduced Gravity Student Flight
Opportunities Program for creating a unique and
highly innovative engineering and science education
initiative which inspires and
challenges hundreds of
students and
teachers across the
United States.
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