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2012 PRESS/PHOTO INFORMATION

Press Release

RNASA donating $32,700 to NASA Aerospace Scholars

By Mary Alys Cherry

The RNASA Foundation continued its 26th anniversary celebration by passing out $25,000 in donations to the NASA Aerospace Scholars Program - supporting Texas students studying science, technology and engineering.

Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation President Rodolfo González made the presentation to NASA Aerospace Scholars Program Manager Linda Smith, noting that it represented the proceeds from the 26th Annual Rotary Space Gala honoring Johnson Space Center Director Mike Coats in April.

The $25,000, he told RNASA Foundation directors and guests at a dinner at Cullen's Upscale Grille, coupled with $7,700 given the program for student T-shirts earlier this year, brings the total donation this year to $32,700.

"By contributing to the Aerospace Scholars Program," he explained, "we are funding the Texas Aerospace Scholars, which consists of Texas middle-school, high school program and community college and internships; Women in STEM High School Aerospace Scholars (WISH), a nationwide program; and The National Community College Aerospace Scholars."

"With this generous RNASA donation, we are able to continue to positively impact the lives of young people here in the state of Texas as well as across the United States by offering NASA Aerospace Scholars," Smith said after the presentation.

To date over, 10,700 students and educators have participated in the projects, she added.

As the winner of the National Space Trophy, Mike Coats was allowed to designate the beneficiaries of $10,000 of the gala proceeds and asked that $5,000 go to the Texas High School Aerospace Scholars program and $5,000 to WISH.

Previous recipients of RNASA Foundation gala proceeds include Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., the University of Houston-Clear Lake, Space Center Houston, the U.S. Air Force Academy Endowment, Parks College of Engineering at St. Louis University, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., On Wings of Eagles Foundation of Bloomfield, Colo., and the National Flight Academy adjacent to the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Fla.

The RNASA Foundation was founded by the Space Center Rotary Club in 1985 to organize and coordinate an annual event to recognize outstanding achievements in space and create greater public awareness of the benefits of space exploration, González said.

The nonprofit foundation presents the National Space Trophy and Stellar Awards honoring outstanding space scientists and engineers each year. Two previous National Space Trophy winners, Chris Kraft and Glynn Lunney, and their wives were guests at the dinner at Cullen's.

Read the press release as a Word document.

Press Release

Rotary National Award for Space Achievement
For immediate release
April 30, 2012, May 4 corrected citation for Stellar Mid Career winner Watanabe-Sloan.
Media Contact: Marianne Dyson, 281-486-4747, dyson@rnasa.org

RNASA Foundation Recognizes Michael Coats with National Space Trophy

The Director of Johnson Space center, Michael Coats, was honored with the National Space Trophy at the 26th annual Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation gala on April 27, 2012. In addition, the Foundation recognized 21 individuals and seven teams with Stellar Awards.

Houston Mayor Annise Parker welcomed the 900 guests to the event at the Hyatt Regency, saying, "I'm a big fan of Mike Coats," and noting, to enthusiastic applause, that "Johnson Space Center is Houston, and Houston is Johnson Space Center."

Clear Lake High School JROTC Color Guard Cadets 1LT Dylan Culbreth, Commander; Cadet SFC Dara Rancifer, Cadet SFC Katelyn Ehmry, and Cadet 1LT Andrew Spicer, then presented the colors. The national anthem was performed by Julia Cole.

Rev. Steve Oglesbee, Lead Pastor of Clear Lake Presbyterian Church, provided the invocation. After a mouth-watering dinner, Space City Films dazzled the audience with a multi-media show displaying the highlights of space achievement during the previous year.

Elliot Pulham, CEO of the Space Foundation, served as emcee for the gala. He said, "Hollywood has its Oscars, and we in the space world have the National Space Trophy." He reminded attendees that, "The Trophy is presented each year to the U.S. citizen, who, as judged by his or her peers, has made the most significant contribution to the U.S. Space Program."

Mark Sirangelo, Corporate Vice President of Sierra Nevada Space Systems, gave the keynote address. He said, "I've never seen in my entire life, anything get done by pessimists." He rattled off a list of negative headlines about layoffs and cancellations, and pronouncements that the space program is dead. "The funny thing is, those stories were written in the 1970s." He said contrary to news reports, "NASA is doing more things now than they've ever done before. Space is just beginning its next phase." He described this new phase as including life-changing discoveries on the space station and Americans riding American-built spaceships into space.

Veteran NASA Astronauts K. Megan McArthur, PhD and her husband and fellow astronaut, Lt. Col. Robert Behnken, USAF, PhD then took to the podium to present the 2012 RNASA Stellar Awards. Five government and sixteen corporate aerospace workers were recognized with trophies. The seven teams recognized included two from Boeing and two from JSC, one each from Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, and one joint government-industry team of NASA JSC, Oceaneering, General Motors, and Jacobs. (See end of release for names and citations.)

Former NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, now a professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and former Director of Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Bill Parsons, now president of RD AMROSS, LLC, presented the National Space Trophy to Coats. Parson said that Coats, "has been a mentor and leader for many of us in this business."

Space City Films showed a film with photos and videos from throughout Coats' life. He joined NASA in 1978, flew on STS-41D in 1984, STS-29 in 1989, and STS-39 in 1991. He left NASA for the private sector in 1991, returning as JSC director in 2005.

Griffin apologized for only offering one minor piloting incident as fodder for the traditional "roasting" of the honoree. He explained the lack of material, saying, "what can you say about Mr. Perfect? A guy whose nickname some years back was Superman?"

Accepting the National Space Trophy, Coats said that a friend urged him to accept the credit for his leadership role instead of deflecting all the credit to the NASA team as he expected him to do. So tongue-in-cheek, Coats asked the assembled crowd to "bear with me for a few minutes while I pat myself on the back." He then proceeded to describe accomplishments of the NASA team such as the safe and successful conclusion of the Shuttle program last year. He accepted credit for having told the program managers to "Fly these last missions safely," saying that "Now when you have guidance and direction like that, implementation and execution are much easier." The audience roared with laughter.

He also jokingly took credit for asking insightful questions such as "Where the heck is everyone?" that he claimed inspired the Human Resources team at JSC to identify all the employees affected by Hurricane Ike and get help for them.

He tooted the aid and advice that JSC engineers and scientists provided to the Chilean government that helped sustain and rescue the 33 miners trapped underground. Coats then added, "Now a good leader knows when to stay out of the way. I demonstrated my brilliant leadership by staying out of the way really well."

Astronaut Dan Burbank, returning from the International Space Station (ISS), landed the morning of the gala. Coats praised the ISS and Flight Operations teams for their work supporting the programs, saying he has advice for all of them if they ever need it. "But they've never asked."

He said a good leader "has to hold his team accountable at all times." So every day, he asks the office staff, "Do you have everything under control?" They always do, so he said he deserves credit for recognizing talent and putting together an excellent staff.

Noting that leadership starts at the top, Coats said he was fortunate to work for "two terrific NASA Administrators and a first-class team of center directors and mission directors." He said when Griffin, whom he dubbed "Chief Engineer of the Universe," offered him "the best job in the world," to be director of JSC, it was an offer he couldn't refuse.

He then poked a little fun at his friend and fellow former astronaut Bob Cabana, current director of KSC, who was assigned to watch out for the Coats' family while Mike was in space. "He did such a good job, that when I landed, trying to tell the family all about the mission, they just wanted to talk about Bob." He said that now Cabana is taking care of the KSC family "and doing a wonderful job."

Finally, he said that "when it comes to outstanding examples of leadership, I have to put my wife Diane at the top of the list." He said she had "done a remarkable job raising a remarkable family while supporting me in my various careers." He said he has to take some credit for their happy marriage, though. He did after all recognize "a good thing when I first saw her, and finally convinced her to marry me 42 years ago."

He admitted to feeling guilty for being recognized with the award. He said, "Every member of the JSC workforce should be standing up here tonight. But if somebody has to take credit for their success, then I'm very lucky that it's me." He added that, "I'm particularly proud of the Stellar nominees and awardees here tonight. Many of them will be the leaders of the space program over the next half century of human space flight as we continue to lead the world in our exploration of the solar system and the universe."

The evening concluded with Gemini and Apollo veteran Lt. Gen. Thomas Stafford, USAF (Ret.) presenting an OMEGA professional Speedmaster watch to Coats. He lauded Coats' leadership during "some very difficult times." To laughter from the audience, he added, "Sometimes if you feel a little bit frustrated and decide to throw the watch against the wall, it'll survive. If it doesn't, give me a call."

RNASA President Rodolfo González ended the evening by thanking the corporate sponsors: The Aerospace Corp.; ARES Corp.; ATK Aerospace Group; Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.; Barrios Technology; Bastion Technologies, Inc.; The Boeing Company; Booz Allen Hamilton; Cimarron; DB Consulting Group; Draper Laboratory; Dynetics, Inc.; Eagle Applied Sciences, LLC; ERC, Inc.; Fisher Space Pen; GeoControl Systems, Inc.; Griffin Communications Group; Hamilton Sundstrand; Honeywell; Jacobs; JAMSS America, Inc.; JSC Federal Credit Union; L-3 STRATIS; Lockheed Martin; ManTech International; MEI Technologies, Inc.; Oceaneering Space Systems; OMEGA Watches; Orbital Sciences Corp.; Petrofac; Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne; Raytheon Technical Services, LLC; SAIC; Sierra Nevada Corp.; SpaceX; Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies (SGT); United Space Alliance; UHCL School of Business; and Wyle. Any proceeds remaining after the event will be donated to an organization involved in aerospace education.

About the RNASA Foundation: The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation was founded by the Space Center Rotary Club of Houston, Texas in 1985 to organize and coordinate an annual event to recognize outstanding achievements in space and create greater public awareness of the benefits of space exploration. The Foundation presents the National Space Trophy and Stellar Awards each year.

Visit http://www.rnasa.org/photos for images from the event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2012 RNASA Stellar Award Winners Announced

At the April 27, 2012, Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation gala honoring Johnson Space Center (JSC) Director Michael Coats with the National Space Trophy, Stellar Awards were presented to 21 exceptional individuals and seven outstanding teams.

The Stellar Award nominees and team representatives enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of JSC and a luncheon presentation by Astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson, PhD at the South Shore Harbor Resort on April 27 prior to the evening events. Dyson flew on STS-118 in 2007, and spent 176 days in space during Expedition 23/24 in 2010. She told the nominees, "On behalf of the entire Astronaut Office, I want to say congratulations. You didn't get where you are because you just do this 9 to 5. You've invested more than just your work day. Thank you for everything you've accomplished and given to the space program."

Each nominee received a Fisher Space Pen donated by the company and a copy of Wings In Orbit singed by Mike Coats. The also received a special commemorative certificate with an American flag that flew on STS-108 in December 2001.

A total of 127 nominations for these awards were received from government, military, and corporate leaders this year. The nominations were reviewed by a Stellar Awards Evaluation Panel consisting of Dr. Christopher C. Kraft Jr., Dr. Glynn S. Lunney, and Arnold D. Aldrich. They selected the winners based on which accomplishments hold the greatest promise for furthering future activities in space, the extent to which the nominee played a key role in the accomplishment, and the extent to which the nominee meets the goal of recognizing "unsung heroes."

The five USAF/NASA, and 16 individual corporate award winners, plus the team winners, were announced at the evening banquet by Astronauts K. Megan McArthur, PhD and her husband and fellow astronaut, Lt. Col. Robert Behnken, USAF, PhD.

McArthur is a veteran of the STS-125, final Hubble repair in 2009. She said, "The stellar awards are important because they honor those who often work behind the scenes and whose careers and accomplishments may not be as visible as others."

Behnken, who performed three spacewalks on STS-123 in 2008 and three more on STS-130 in 2010, added, "Without the contributions of all the folks involved in the space program, and particularly the stellar nominees whom we honor tonight, it would be impossible to ensure a strong space program for our future."

The winners received marble trophies donated by ATK Aerospace Group.

Six 2012 Stellar Award Winners in the Early Career Category

Dr. Andrew F. J. Abercromby of Wyle--Technical excellence and innovation in advancing the Lunar Electric Rover/Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle from concept to functional prototype.

Pamela A. August of United Space Alliance--Exceptional dedication and support to assembly and maintenance operations of the International Space Station (ISS).

Babak E. Cohanim of Draper--Outstanding technical leadership in the development, test and demonstration of autonomous precision guidance, navigation, and control for robotic landers.

Brian R. Crisp of United Space Alliance--Outstanding leadership of the U.S. Command and Data Handling Instructor and Onboard Data Interfaces and Network officer flight control teams supporting ISS flight operations.

Adam M. Schlesinger of NASA Johnson Space Center--Exceptional cross-agency and international contributions to network developments, space data standards, and integrated communication testing and analysis for Space Shuttle, ISS, and Orion.

Christopher R. Vande Zande of NASA Johnson Space Center--Significant contributions towards the execution of safe EVA operations and continued advancements in the development of continually evolving EVA suits.

Nine 2012 Stellar Award Winners in the Mid Career Category

Judith C. Blackwell-Thompson of NASA Kennedy Space Center--Superior leadership and unmatched dedication to NASA, the Space Shuttle program, and human spaceflight for launch and landing and as Processing and Operations chief.

Michael J. Burghardt of The Boeing Company--Exceptional technical expertise and leadership in positions of increasing responsibility in management in the Space Shuttle and Commercial Crew programs.

Nicholas P. Costen of MEI Technologies--Outstanding innovation in the advancement of detector technology including process development used in fabrication of the micro-shutter array for the James Webb Space Telescope.

Paul R. Hearn of Hamilton Sundstrand--Outstanding support of the ISS, including development of the common cabin air cooling system and fans inside the habitation modules, and as lead analyst for the water processor and oxygen generation assembly.

Anna M. Jarvis of United Space Alliance--Outstanding leadership, project management, and technical excellence in extravehicular activity throughout the entire ISS assembly sequence.

Kevin J. Lunde of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne--Technical excellence and exceptional leadership towards the advancement of the state-of-the-art in rotating machinery for rockets.

Nancy L. Rustemeyer of United Space Alliance--Outstanding contributions to the assembly and operation of the ISS.

Joan A. Singer of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center--Distinguished career including recent exceptional accomplishments in leading and guiding three highly visible, high priority human space flight efforts.

Julie H. Watanabe-Sloan of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne--For technical excellence and exceptional leadership towards the advancement of the state-of-the-art in Valve and Control Components for rockets.

Six 2012 Stellar Award Winners in the Late Career Category

Thomas M. Davis of USAF/DoD--Extraordinary accomplishments and far reaching impact in leading the development and demonstration of small satellites and space technologies including the pioneering ORS-1, TacSat-3, and XSS-10 programs for the Department of Defense.

Dennis Eads of SAIC--Storied aerospace career exhibiting strong leadership skills and unparalleled technical expertise that have significantly reduced risk, and strongly impacted NASA programs and projects.

Dr. Antonio L. Elias of Orbital Sciences Corporation--Exemplary career and outstanding technical excellence in the conception, development and execution of multiple new generations of Earth-to-orbit transportation systems.

Vernon P. Gregoire of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne--Exceptional leadership in the development of space propulsion systems for the military and human space programs.

David Hartman of Hamilton Sundstrand--Demonstrated expertise, technical solutions, and leadership in fluid and thermal control systems for manned and unmanned space applications, including the ISS and Space Shuttle.

Bradley Johnson of ATK--Extraordinary engineering contributions and team building, leading rocket motor teams to innovative, reliable, high performance solutions for the Orion launch abort system.

Seven 2012 Stellar Award Winners in the Team Awards Category

Boeing Advanced Recycle Filter Tank Assembly (ARFTA) Project Team--ARFTA hardware deliveries accelerated to allow for ULF-7 (Utilization and Logistics Flight 7, STS-135) launch of reusable tanks for improved urine processing treatment for the ISS. Mohammed Nasrullah accepted for the team.

Boeing Solar Alpha Rotary Joint-Full Redundancy (SARJ-FR) Project Team--Successful design, manufacturing, and integration of SARJ-FR hardware (electronic controller, mechanical attachments, cabling, soft goods), mitigating top program risk for future SARJ failures. Gary Wedekind accepted for the team.

Lockheed Martin Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV)-Ground Test Vehicle Production and Integrated Testing Team--Production of the Orion MPCV crew module and successful integrated testing with the launch abort system. Brian Sompayrac accepted for the team.

NASA Johnson Space Center Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM) Team--Outstanding technical excellence in the development and demonstration of Orion relative navigation sensor technologies for use in future crewed and un-crewed rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking capabilities. Howard Hu accepted for the team.

NASA Johnson Space Center WB-57 Halo Viper Team--Outstanding team performance in the completion of the High Altitude Observatory (HALO) Viper mission in support of operations in Southwest Asia for NATO. Joe Gerky accepted for the team.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne J-2X Engine Program Team--Successful development, assembly, and test of the first J-2X upper stage rocket engine system. Vernon Gregoire accepted for the team.

Robonaut 2 (R2) Team of NASA Johnson Space Center, Oceaneering, General Motors, and Jacobs--Outstanding team contributions to advancements in the field of dexterous humanoid robotics. J.D. Yamokoski accepted for the team.

Visit http://www.rnasa.org/stellar.html for photos of Stellar Award winners.

Read the press release as a Word document.

Press Release

Rotary National Award for Space Achievement
For immediate release
April 26, 2012
Media Contact: Marianne Dyson, 281-486-4747, dyson@rnasa.org

Space Foundation CEO, Elliot Pulham, to Emcee RNASA Gala

The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation is pleased to announce that a member of their Board of Advisors and former Space Communicator Award winner, Elliot Pulham, will serve as emcee of the RNASA gala tomorrow night. Rodolfo González, president of the Foundation, said, "Veteran reporter Miles O'Brien had been on tap to emcee the event, but bad weather and technical troubles unexpectedly stranded him outside the country. Mr. Pulham discovered our need, and he graciously volunteered to serve. We are extremely fortunate to have someone of his obvious ability available on such short notice."

Named chief executive officer of the Space Foundation in 2001, Elliot Pulham leads a premier team of space and education professionals providing services to educators and students, government officials, news media, and the space industry around the world. He is widely quoted by national, international, and trade media in their coverage of space activities and space-related issues. Before joining the Space Foundation, he was senior manager of public relations, employee communication and advertising for all space programs of Boeing, serving as spokesperson at the Kennedy Space Center for the Magellan, Galileo and Ulysses interplanetary missions, among others. Pulham is chairman of the Hawaii Aerospace Advisory Committee, a former Air Force Civic Leader and advisor to the Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Air Force, and a recipient of the USAF Distinguished Public Service Medal.

The RNASA event at the Houston Hyatt Regency will honor Johnson Space Center Director Michael Coats with the National Space Trophy. Former NASA Administrator Dr. Mike Griffin and former Director of Kennedy Space Center William Parsons nominated Coats and will present the trophy to him.

The event also recognizes individuals and teams with Stellar Awards. STS-125 (Hubble) Astronaut K. Megan McArthur, PhD, and STS-130 Astronaut, Lt. Col. Robert Behnken, USAF, PhD will present trophies to the winners at the evening gala.

Houston Mayor Annise Parker will welcome attendees to the black-tie event, and Corporate Vice President of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), Mark Sirangelo, will give the keynote address.

Sirangelo is a recognized leader of the growing commercial space sector. SNC is a multi-billion dollar U.S. company that employs more than 2,300 people in 16 states. SNC Space Systems, which recently opened an office in Houston, has participated in more than 400 space missions, including a dozen to Mars. They are currently developing the SNC Dream Chaser to fly humans to space. Sirangelo also is a trustee for the Aeronautics Industries Association, chairman emeritus of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, and he is the founding and current chairman of eSpace, a nonprofit organization that supports STEM education and the development of entrepreneurial space companies.

Following the award presentations, Apollo veteran Lt. Gen. Thomas Stafford, USAF (Ret.) will present an OMEGA watch to Mr. Coats. Visit http://www.rnasa.org for more information.

Read the press release as a Word document.

Press Release

Rotary National Award for Space Achievement
March 5, 2012, updated March 14, 2012
Media Contact: Marianne Dyson, 281-486-4747, dyson@rnasa.org

Space Workers to be Recognized at RNASA Gala

Houston Mayor Annise Parker will welcome attendees, and veteran reporter Miles O'Brien will emcee the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) annual awards banquet Friday April 27 at the Houston Hyatt Regency.

The RNASA Foundation, based in Houston, was created in 1987 by members of the Space Center Rotary Club and presents an American citizen with the National Space Trophy each year. Rodolfo González, president of the Foundation, said, "We expect a crowd of at least 800 this year to witness Johnson Space Center (JSC) Director and former Astronaut Michael L. Coats receive the Trophy." Former NASA Administrator Dr. Mike Griffin and former Director of Kennedy Space Center William Parsons nominated Coats and will present the trophy to him at the black-tie event.

The gala also features the announcement of the winners of Stellar Awards that recognize the "unsung heroes" of the space program. González reports, "We received nominations for 99 individuals and 28 teams this year." ARES, ATK, Barrios, Boeing, Draper, ERC, Inc., Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell, Jacobs, L-3, Lockheed Martin, MEI Technologies, National Space Biomedical Research Institute, Oceaneering, Orbital Sciences, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, SAIC, United Space Alliance, and Wyle all have nominees; as well as the Air Force and NASA's Johnson, Kennedy, and Marshall Space Flight centers.

The Stellar Award nominees and team representatives will enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of JSC and a luncheon presentation by Astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson, PhD at the South Shore Harbor Resort on April 27. Dyson flew on STS-118 in 2007, and spent 176 days in space during Expedition 23/24 in 2010.

Stellar Award winners are chosen by an Evaluation Panel consisting of space program veterans Dr. Christopher Kraft Jr., Dr. Glynn S. Lunney, and Arnold D. Aldrich. STS-125 (Hubble) Astronaut K. Megan McArthur, PhD, and STS-130 Astronaut, Lt. Col. Robert Behnken, USAF, PhD will present the trophies at the evening gala.

The reception begins at 6 p.m. with music by pianist Victoria Reva. The welcome by the mayor is at 7 p.m., followed by presentation of the colors by Clear Lake High School Army JROTC. After dinner, Space City Films will delight the audience with an original multimedia show. Following the award presentations, Apollo veteran Lt. Gen. Thomas Stafford, USAF (Ret.) will present an OMEGA watch to Mr. Coats.

The event is open to the public. Tickets are $300, and tables range from $2,000 to $5,000. To make reservations, visit http://www.rnasa.org or contact Bill Taylor at 281-488-2733 by March 30.

Read the press release as a Word document.

Press Release

Rotary National Award for Space Achievement
January 18, 2012
Media Contact: Marianne Dyson, 281-486-4747, dyson@rnasa.org

Download high resolution.
National Space Trophy Winner Mike Coats (NASA Photo)

The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation has selected former astronaut, Captain (USN, Ret.), and NASA Johnson Space Center Director Michael L. Coats to receive the 2012 National Space Trophy.

Coats was jointly nominated by two RNASA advisors: previous Trophy winner and former NASA Administrator Dr. Mike Griffin; and former NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Mr. William Parsons. In nominating him, they cited his management as the tenth director of Johnson Space Center "NASA's leading human space flight center," and his "leadership to the retiring Space Shuttle Program, the International Space Station Program, and his advancement of the capability for human exploration and utilization of space research development."

"We are thrilled that the Board of Advisors has selected Coats for recognition this year," Rodolfo González, President of the RNASA Foundation, said. Coats will receive the award at a gala at the Houston Hyatt Regency on April 27.

As director of Johnson Space Center (JSC), Coats provides management and administration of NASA resources, programs, projects, and research activities in support of NASA's strategic goals. He's responsible for a team of more than 3,200 civil servants and an annual budget in excess of $4.5 billion dollars.

In the award citation, former KSC Director Parsons wrote that, "Coats worked diligently to effectively balance institutional and program demands, ensuring the safe and successful fly out of NASA's Space Shuttle Program." During 2011, he directly contributed to the successful completion of the International Space Station (ISS) assembly, the final three Shuttle flights, four automated cargo flights, Progress flights, and Soyuz flights. These flights delivered critical spares, supplies, crew, and the final elements to sustain and position the ISS for the coming decade of utilization.

Former NASA Administrator Griffin called Coats, "a naturally gifted leader with excellent communication and people skills." He noted that this past year has been extremely demanding, as well as an emotional one for JSC. "Leading the close-out of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program, a program which has in many ways defined the workforce at JSC, was possibly his most challenging leadership task to date," Griffin said. "Coats was successful because of his abilities as a leader and his consistent approach of proactively sharing information with the entire workforce about on-going program transition activities. He has proven to be an absolute standout among a group of very talented and intelligent directors."

Under Coats' leadership, JSC implemented 80 partnerships with other NASA centers, industry, federal agencies, and academia. With the Greater Houston Partnership, Coats hosted the Innovation and Successful Partnerships Summit to map aerospace skills into non-aerospace industries. The summit included 50 to 70 CEO's from industry along with JSC senior executives. He also worked with contractor and community leaders to ensure those facing job losses had ample resources to find new work by hosting three community job fairs such as a June 2011 event attended by more than 80 employers and 1,000 displaced workers.

His commitment to improving the work environment for civil servants and contractors while maintaining NASA's future leadership capabilities was demonstrated through three significant programs: the Program Project Management Development Program, Space Systems Engineering Development Program, and the Project Leadership Program. His other initiatives included a Joint Leadership Team to advance teamwork at all organizational levels, an Employee Leadership Team to engage lower-level employees, a Formal Mentoring Initiative to develop junior employees, and the Innovation and Inclusion Consortium to promote diversity and innovation throughout the workforce. His Young Professionals Group provided the younger workforce access to senior managers.

Originally from Riverside, California, Coats has spent most of his life serving his country. He earned his BS degree from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1968. His highly decorated career in the Navy included 315 combat missions in Southeast Asia. He holds a master's degree in administration of science and technology (George Washington University, 1977) and in aeronautical engineering (U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, 1979).

Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1978, Coats first flew as pilot of STS 41D in 1984. He commanded STS-29 and STS-39 in 1989 and 1991, respectively. He assumed his first leadership role at NASA in 1989 by serving as the acting chief of the Astronaut Office. Following his third flight, Coats left NASA in 1991 to pursue a successful career in private industry. He was vice president of Avionics and Communications Operations for Loral Space Information Systems, vice president of Civil Space Programs for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space, and vice president of Advanced Space Transportation for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. He returned to NASA in 2005 as the director for JSC.

Coats has been recognized with numerous awards and honors throughout his distinguished career including induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2007. A man who has publicly noted the importance of maintaining a balance between work and family, he is happily married to the former Diane Carson of Oklahoma City. They have two grown children and identical twin granddaughters.

The RNASA Foundation invites members of the public and aerospace community to attend the black-tie event on April 27 at the Houston Hyatt Regency where Mike Coat's will be recognized with the National Space Trophy. Please see http://www.rnasa.org for information about sponsorships and tickets.

About RNASA: The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation was founded by the Space Center Rotary Club of Houston, Texas in 1985 to organize and coordinate an annual event to recognize outstanding achievements in space and create greater public awareness of the benefits of space exploration. The nonprofit Foundation presents the National Space Trophy and Stellar Awards each year.

The RNASA Foundation, P.O Box 58009, Houston, Texas 77258-8009

Read the press release as a Word document.

Coats' biography is posted on the 2012 National Space Trophy Recipient page.

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