RNASA Foundation honors NASA Administrator Charles Bolden
2014-05-07
The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation presented the 2014 National Space Trophy to NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr., retired Major General with the United States Marine Corps and former NASA astronaut. Bolden is a veteran of shuttle missions STS-61-C, STS-31, STS-45 and STS-60.
The 2014 Space Communicator Award went to former Canadian Space Agency astronaut (STS-74, STS-100 and International Space Station mission Soyuz TMA-07M), author and musician Chris A. Hadfield. In addition, Stellar Awards were presented to 25 individuals and 10 teams at the RNASA Gala on April 11 at the Houston Hyatt Regency.
After a reception featuring pianist Victoria Riva-Dorsch, RNASA Foundation Chairman Rodolfo González welcomed the 800 guests to RNASA's 28th annual gala.
“RNASA’s mission is to encourage, recognize, honor and celebrate U.S. space achievements from across the entire country and across all sectors,” González said.
The RNASA program kicked off with a year-in-review film by Space City Films. The master of ceremonies, former CNN correspondent John Zarrella, introduced keynote speaker Frank L. Culbertson, senior vice president of Orbital Sciences and a former astronaut.
Zarrella said, “During his 18 years as a NASA astronaut, Frank flew three missions, and as part of the Expedition 3 crew, he spent 129 days on orbit on the International Space Station in 2001.”
Culbertson urged the members of the aerospace community in the audience, especially the younger people, “to enthusiastically support human spaceflight.”
“You can certainly take inspiration and confidence from the courage and leadership ability of people like Charlie Bolden and Dave Thompson and the other giants of aerospace you are sitting with tonight,” Culbertson said. “Without the same such courage, such foresight and such commitment from all of you, we will gradually lose leadership in the world. And worse, we will lose the future that our predecessors established while breaking the barriers, forcing through the hard programs such as Apollo, shuttle and station, taking huge risks, and by building the organizations that make our industry successful.”
Veronica McGregor, the 2013 Space Communicator Award winner and manager of News and Social Media at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, presented the 2014 Space Communicator Award to Hadfield via video recording. McGregor said that Hadfield used social media extensively during his space missions.
“I accept it, of course, on behalf of me and my family, but much more so on behalf of all of the other people that worked so hard to communicate the experience of spaceflight, specifically during the five months that I was on board the International Space Station,” Hadfield said.
The Stellar Award winners were announced by NASA astronauts Dr. Karen LuJean Nyberg (STS-124) and Col. (Ret.) Douglas G. Hurley (STS-127 and STS-135), who then presented them with engraved marble trophies. The Stellar Awards were presented in four categories: Early Career, Mid-Career, Late Career and Team.
Col. Robert Cabana, director of the Kennedy Space Center and former astronaut (STS-41, STS-53, STS-65 and STS-88), presented the 2014 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement to Bolden. Cabana said, “There is no one more passionate about what we do and the need for us to be successful and remain a world leader.”
Bolden said that he was “honored and humbled” by the award.
“But when I remind myself that this award is actually an affirmation of the incredible work done by the NASA family, both civil servants and contractors, over many decades now, I’m honored to accept it on behalf of each and every one of the members of our superb team. I’m blessed to be surrounded by the best leadership team in any organization anywhere,” Bolden said.
Click here for more images from the event.
The 2014 Space Communicator Award went to former Canadian Space Agency astronaut (STS-74, STS-100 and International Space Station mission Soyuz TMA-07M), author and musician Chris A. Hadfield. In addition, Stellar Awards were presented to 25 individuals and 10 teams at the RNASA Gala on April 11 at the Houston Hyatt Regency.
After a reception featuring pianist Victoria Riva-Dorsch, RNASA Foundation Chairman Rodolfo González welcomed the 800 guests to RNASA's 28th annual gala.
“RNASA’s mission is to encourage, recognize, honor and celebrate U.S. space achievements from across the entire country and across all sectors,” González said.
The RNASA program kicked off with a year-in-review film by Space City Films. The master of ceremonies, former CNN correspondent John Zarrella, introduced keynote speaker Frank L. Culbertson, senior vice president of Orbital Sciences and a former astronaut.
Zarrella said, “During his 18 years as a NASA astronaut, Frank flew three missions, and as part of the Expedition 3 crew, he spent 129 days on orbit on the International Space Station in 2001.”
Culbertson urged the members of the aerospace community in the audience, especially the younger people, “to enthusiastically support human spaceflight.”
“You can certainly take inspiration and confidence from the courage and leadership ability of people like Charlie Bolden and Dave Thompson and the other giants of aerospace you are sitting with tonight,” Culbertson said. “Without the same such courage, such foresight and such commitment from all of you, we will gradually lose leadership in the world. And worse, we will lose the future that our predecessors established while breaking the barriers, forcing through the hard programs such as Apollo, shuttle and station, taking huge risks, and by building the organizations that make our industry successful.”
Veronica McGregor, the 2013 Space Communicator Award winner and manager of News and Social Media at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, presented the 2014 Space Communicator Award to Hadfield via video recording. McGregor said that Hadfield used social media extensively during his space missions.
“I accept it, of course, on behalf of me and my family, but much more so on behalf of all of the other people that worked so hard to communicate the experience of spaceflight, specifically during the five months that I was on board the International Space Station,” Hadfield said.
The Stellar Award winners were announced by NASA astronauts Dr. Karen LuJean Nyberg (STS-124) and Col. (Ret.) Douglas G. Hurley (STS-127 and STS-135), who then presented them with engraved marble trophies. The Stellar Awards were presented in four categories: Early Career, Mid-Career, Late Career and Team.
Col. Robert Cabana, director of the Kennedy Space Center and former astronaut (STS-41, STS-53, STS-65 and STS-88), presented the 2014 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement to Bolden. Cabana said, “There is no one more passionate about what we do and the need for us to be successful and remain a world leader.”
Bolden said that he was “honored and humbled” by the award.
“But when I remind myself that this award is actually an affirmation of the incredible work done by the NASA family, both civil servants and contractors, over many decades now, I’m honored to accept it on behalf of each and every one of the members of our superb team. I’m blessed to be surrounded by the best leadership team in any organization anywhere,” Bolden said.
Click here for more images from the event.
Space communicator presenter Veronica McGregor, the 2013 Space Communicator Award winner and manager of News and Social Media at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, takes a selfie with former astronaut Chris A. Hadfield, 2014 Space Communicator Award recipient, on the screen (left). Image credit: NASA
Hadfield was honored with RNASA’s 2014 Space Communicator Award at the RNASA Gala on April 11. Hadfield, who could not attend the event in person, accepted the award via video recording. Image credit: NASA
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden thanks the NASA team. Image credit: NASA
Bolden, left, accepts his award from NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Col. Robert Cabana. Image credit: NASA