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HONORING SPACE ACHIEVEMENT
The Space Center Rotary
Club of Houston, Texas has always enjoyed a close association with the space
program. In 1985 the club established the nonprofit National Award for Space
Achievement (RNASA) Foundation to organize and coordinate an annual
awards event to recognize outstanding achievements in space and create greater
public awareness of the benefits of space exploration. The first event was held in 1987. The 2008 event, honoring Captain Eugene Cernan (USN, Ret.) was held on Friday, April 25 at the Houston Hyatt Regency hotel. Please see the agenda for details on the program, and press page for photos.
Nominations for the recipient of the RNASA Foundation’s top award, the National Space Trophy, are submitted by leaders in government, industry, professional organizations, and the media. A ballot is voted upon by the Foundation's National Board of Advisors, all individuals intimately involved with the space program. These confidential votes are tabulated by an independent accounting firm. The winner is presented with the National Space Trophy at a black-tie gala held in the spring of each year.
STELLAR AWARDS
In addition to the National Space Trophy, nominations for
Stellar Awards for individual and team achievements are also solicited each
year from the government, military, and industry. In order to ensure
recognition of individuals at all stages of their careers, nominations are
solicited in four categories: early careers (up to age 35), mid-career (36-50),
late-career (51 and up), and teams. The nominations are reviewed by a committee
of distinguished scientists, engineers, managers, and academicians who select
the winners based on whose accomplishments hold the greatest promise for
furthering future activities in space. All nominees are invited for a special
day of activities at Johnson Space Center and the winners in each category are announced at the spring gala. The list of winners is posted on the Stellar Winners page.
COMMUNICATOR AWARD
The Foundation also selects individuals or a team for the Space Communicator Award. This award is for an important professional contribution to the public’s understanding of and appreciation for the accomplishments of the American space program. This category extends to communicators of all varieties including journalists, government public affairs professionals, industry public relations professionals, broadcasters, publishers, and public figures.
The RNASA Foundation selected renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, PhD, to receive the 2008 Space Communicator Award.
Tyson is the the Frederick P. Rose director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
SPONSORS/DONATIONS
The RNASA Foundation is supported
by sales of banquet tables and program book advertisements. Proceeds remaining
after each year’s event are donated to an organization involved in aerospace
education. The Foundation is grateful for the enthusiasm and support it has
received from sponsors in the aerospace industry, educational organizations, NASA, and the
Department of Defense. This support assures the continued recognition of
outstanding achievements by
The RNASA Foundation is not a 501(c)3 charitable organization.
Copyright © 2008, Rotary National
Award for Space Achievement Foundation
Send comments or corrections to: Marianne Dyson, webmaster@rnasa.org
Last Update: 4-26-08