GEORGE E MUELLER, FATHER OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM, TO RECEIVE 2002 ROTARY NATIONAL AWARD FOR SPACE ACHIEVEMENT

HOUSTON - Officials with the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation announced today that Dr. George E. Mueller, also known as the "father of the space shuttle program," will be honored with the 2002 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement for his distinguished contributions to the U.S. space program. Mueller will receive this award at the 16th annual awards banquet, to be held on March 8, 2002 at the South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center.

Mueller, 83, has spent nearly five decades in the aerospace industry. In 1963, Mueller joined NASA as head of the Manned Space Flight Program and led the effort to put a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. As leader of the Gemini, Apollo/Saturn and other related programs, he developed one of the most sophisticated and successful management systems ever devised, which synergized the activities of 20,000 industrial firms, 200 universities and colleges, and thousands of individuals into one concerted effort. He was the originator of Skylab, the first space station, and author of "An Integrated Program of Space Utilization and Exploration," which has been the guiding document for NASA for several decades following the Apollo program.

"For nearly 50 years, George has been a driving force in our nation's space programs, both manned and unmanned," said Aaron Cohen, former director of the NASA-Johnson Space Center. "Even today, in his 80's, he continues to remain active, daring and forward-looking as he pursues his dream to develop a reusable space launch vehicle for commercial purposes. The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement was created to recognize people like him."
After leaving NASA, Mueller became senior vice president of General Dynamics Corporation from 1969 through 1971, and then chairman and president of System Development Corporation from 1971 through 1983. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Science and three NASA Distinguished Service Medals. Mueller currently serves as the chief executive officer of Kistler Aerospace Corporation in Kirkland, Wash. The company is developing the K-1 aerospace vehicle to deliver satellites into low-Earth orbit and provide a low-cost alternative to single-use launch vehicles.

The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement is presented annually to a United States citizen who has made a preeminent contribution to the advancement of America's space program. The principal award, The National Space Trophy, is a seven-foot-tall, conical Steuben lead crystal that weighs 500 pounds and is permanently displayed at Space Center Houston. It is bestowed for important accomplishments in a space-related field such as research and development, operations management, program administration or legislation. Aerospace corporations, government agencies, professional organizations and individuals submit nominations for this prestigious award. Finalists are voted on by the Foundation's National Board of Advisors.

The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1985 by the Space Center Rotary Club of Houston. The Foundation was established to recognize outstanding individual achievement in space and to create greater public awareness of space exploration.

For more information on the 2002 awards banquet, call Floyd Bennett at (281) 212-6213.

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