ward from NASA Astronaut Dominic Gorie. The award honors Johnson’s life-long work at Lockheed Martin for delivering exemplary quality and ensuring flight safety for the space program.
Also known as the Astronauts' Personal Achievement Award, the "Silver Snoopy" is among the few distinctions presented by astronauts to honorees they have chosen. Eligible recipients are those who have delivered outstanding contributions to the Space Flight Awareness program, which recognizes exemplary achievements in quality, safety and mission success. However, less than one percent of those eligible receive a "Silver Snoopy" award.
Gorie, a retired U.S Navy Captain, pinned the award on Johnson in a surprise presentation at the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control facility in Grand Prairie, TX. Johnson, senior manager – Space Programs, has worked at Lockheed Martin for 42 years, and has designed, manufactured and delivered precision-quality thermal protection equipment since the inception of the Space Shuttle program.
"It’s an honor to receive this award, but it is really a team effort," Johnson said. "I’ve never done anything single handedly; it’s because of the team that we’ve come this far."
Earlier this year, Johnson and this team received the Space Flight Awareness Supplier Award from United Space Alliance, NASA’s prime contractor for the Space Shuttle program. Glenn Miller, vice president of Technical Operations and Applied Research at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said it has been an outstanding year for the space programs team.
"No other person in our business has contributed to the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs like David Johnson has," Miller said. "He and his team have consistently put the emphasis on our customers; people who rely on our products to take human space flight to new frontiers. It’s great to see David and his team receive the honor they deserve."
The "Silver Snoopy" pin that Gorie presented Johnson flew in space on Gorie’s last mission, STS-123, in March 2008.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire control produces key systems for both the Space Shuttle orbiter and the International Space Station:
- Since the inception of the Shuttle program, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has produced the Space Shuttle wing leading edge, nose cap and chin panel out of a material known as Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC). The entire RCC subsystem must withstand the harsh environment of reentry, where temperatures can shift from -250 degrees to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 10 minutes.
- Missiles and Fire Control employees designed, built and tested the radiators and radiator flow control assemblies on the Space Shuttle. Nested inside the large payload bay doors, the eight radiator panels reject excess heat from the crew and equipment on board the orbiter. Each of the 10’ x 15’ radiators has a silver-Teflon coating that protects the aluminum honeycomb structure containing the network of coolant tubes.
- Lockheed Martin produces the photovoltaic radiators and heat rejection subsystems of the International Space Station. These radiators help the space station maintain its environmental system temperature and keep its mechanical elements from overheating. The radiators disperse heat from the station's power generation systems and habitat and laboratory modules.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.
Craig Vanbebber, 972-603-1615
e-mail craig.vanbebber@lmco.com
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