NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The most recent NESC Honor Award Ceremony was conducted on September 26, 2006.

NESC Honor Awards, Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 26, 2006: From left: Ralph Roe, Jr. (NESC Director/presenter), Michael Dube (GSFC), David Jordan (ARC), Edward Devine (Swales Aerospace), Dr. Stephen Smith (LaRC), Raoul Caimi (KSC), Frank Zimmerman (MSFC), Jay Leggett (JSC) accepting for Micahel Bay (Bay Engineering Innovations, Inc.), Steven Labbe (LaRC), Julie Kramer White (JSC), Dr. David Leckrone (GSFC), William Langford (LaRC), Paul Roberts (LaRC), Robert Cooke (SAIC), Dr. Henning Leidecker (GSFC), Leslie Curtis (LaRC), Jim Miller (LaRC), Mitchell Davis (GSFC) accepting for Richard Katz, and Dr. Charles Camarda (NESC Deputy Director for Advanced Projects/presenter).

The following individuals/groups were honored:

Michael Bay*	NESC Engineering Excellence Award in recognition of outstanding technical excellence and leadership in developing the innovative concept that enabled the successful completion of the Design Development Test and Evaluation Considerations for Robust and Reliable Assessment.
William Langford	NESC Engineering Excellence Award in recognition of innovative concept development and exemplary design and manufacturing expertise for the independent redesign of the External Tank (ET) Ice Frost Ramp.
Frank Zimmerman	NESC Engineering Excellence Award in recognition of exceptional technical service in the identification, development, and validation of the Orbiter OV-15 Rudder Speed Brake Conical Seal Panel repair techniques.
Edward Devine	NESC Leadership Award in recognition of outstanding technical excellence and leadership that enabled the successful completion of the Control Moment Gyro 1 Failure Root Cause Analysis Technical Assessment.
Raoul Caimi	NESC Director’s Award in recognition of personal determination and professional integrity in promoting the full and open discussion of the technical risks for the Pluto/New Horizons Launch Vehicle.
Robert Cooke	NESC Director’s Award in recognition of exceptional contributions to the analysis and investigation of the LH2 ECO Sensors malfunction.
Richard Katz*	NESC Director’s Award in recognition of exceptional contributions to the Field Programmable Gate Array Reliability Technical Assessment.
Dr. Henning Leidecker	NESC Director’s Award in recognition of exceptional technical contributions to the Orbiter avionics Tin Whiskers evaluation.
Dr. Stephen Smith	NESC Director’s Award in recognition of exceptional technical contributions to the Reaction Control Systems Injector Cracking Root Cause Analysis.

NESC Control Moment Gyro 1 Root Cause Assessment Team	NESC Group Achievement Award in recognition of technical expertise and leadership in the root cause assessment of the ISS Control Moment Gyro 1 failure.
NESC Design, Development, Test, Evaluation Consideration for Robust and Reliable Spacecraft Assessment Team	NESC Group Achievement Award in recognition of technical excellence and innovation in establishing the design, development, test, and evaluation considerations for robust and reliable spacecraft.
External Tank Liquid Hydrogen Tank Ice Frost Ramp Redesign Team	NESC Group Achievement Award in recognition of exceptional technical support and innovative concept identification for the independent redesign of the External Tank Liquid Hydrogen Ice/Frost Ramps.
Orbiter Rudder Speed Brake Conical Seal Panel Repair Evaluation Team	NESC Group Achievement Award in recognition of exceptional technical support for the evaluation of the Orbiter Rudder Speed Brake Conical Seal Panel repair techniques.
Solid Rocket Booster Holddown Post Stud Hang-Up Assessment Team	NESC Group Achievement Award in recognition of exemplary efforts in determining the root cause of SRB Holddown Post Stud Hang-Up.
Stardust Hypervelocity Entry Observing Campaign Team	NESC Group Achievement Award in recognition of outstanding technical contributions to the NESC Stardust Hypervelocity Entry Observing Campaign Team.
Steven Labbe	NESC Special Recognition for Engineering Excellence in recognition of outstanding leadership and engineering excellence in his role as the NESC Engineering and Safety Center’s Discipline Expert for Flight Sciences.
David Leckrone	NESC Special Recognition for Engineering Excellence in recognition of outstanding leadership and engineering excellence in his role as the NESC Engineering and Safety Center’s Chief Scientist.
Julie Kramer White	NESC Special Recognition of outstanding leadership and engineering excellence in her role as the NESC’s Discipline Expert for Mechanical Analysis.

* Did not attend awards ceremony. Award was accepted by Mitchell Davis (NESC Deputy Discipline Expert for Power and Avionics).

NESC Recipients of NASA Honor Awards, September 18, 2006, NASA Headquarters. From left: Ralph Roe, Jr. (NESC Director/presenter), Henry Rotter (Exceptional Service Medal), Dr. Charles Harris (Exceptional Service Medal), David Hamilton (Exceptional Service Medal), Steven Labbe (Exceptional Achievement Medal), John McManamen (Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal), Tim Wilson (Exceptional Achievement Medal), Chris Scolese (NASA Chief Engineer/presenter). Not pictured are Dr. Richard Gilbrech (Outstanding Leadership Medal) and Julie Kramer White (Exceptional Achievement Medal).

NESC Honor Awards, Orlando, Fla. January 31, 2006: From left: Jerry Ross (NESC Chief Astronaut/presenter), Dr. Vickie Parsons (LaRC retired), Phillip Hall (MSFC), Paul Roberts (LaRC), Steve Gentz (LaRC), Erin Moran (Swales Aerospace), Roy Hampton (ARC retired), Dr. Rebecca MacKay (GRC), David Lowry (JSC), Dr. John Lin (LaRC), Dr. Norman Knight (General Dynamics), Terresita Alston (Remtech Services), Ralph Roe, Jr. (NESC Director/presenter).

NESC Director’s Award:
Dr. Rebecca A. MacKay	In recognition for providing exemplary technical leadership in the pursuit of root causes associated with cracking and pitting in Orbiter Injector cracking and Rudder Speed Brake Conical Seal Panel Pitting.
NESC Engineering Excellence Award:
Terresita Y. Alston	In recognition for outstanding contributions as the NASA Engineering and Safety Center Academy Program Manager.
Roy W. Hampton	In recognition for lifelong technical service and exemplary support to the structural assessment of the International Space Station European Modules that did not receive a post proof non-destructive evaluation.
Dr. Norman F. Knight, Jr.	In recognition for outstanding contributions to the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon Impact Debris Assessment for the Return to Flight STS-114 mission.
Dr. John C. Lin	In recognition for outstanding technical contributions to the U.S. Navy in correcting flow-induced, unsteady loads on the advanced seal delivery system mini-submarine.
David R. Lowry	In recognition for exemplary contributions to the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon Impact Debris Assessment for the Return to Flight STS-114 mission.
Erin Moran	In recognition for outstanding contributions as a NASA Engineering and Safety center technical writer.
Dr. Vickie S. Parsons	In recognition of outstanding technical leadership and dedication to the improvement of data mining and trending across the Agency.

NESC Group Achievement Award:
International Space Station Internal Active Thermal Control System Cooling Water Chemistry Investigation Team	In recognition for outstanding support to the on-orbit International Space Station Internal Active Thermal Control System Cooling Water Chemistry Investigation.
Orbiter Rudder Speed Brake Gear Margins Team	In recognition for an outstanding job of independently assessing Rudder Speed Brake strength and fatigue margins with gear teeth exhibiting severe fretting and micro-cracking damage.
Space Shuttle Main Engine High Pressure Oxygen Turbo Pump Seal Cracking Assessment Team	In recognition for exceptional technical service in the independent evaluation of the Space Shuttle Main Engine High Pressure Oxygen Turbo Pump Turbine Outlet and Outlet Duct Knife Edge Seal High Cycle Fatigue Cracking Assessment.