Contact:

Susan M. Hendrix
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone: 301/286-7745)

October 05, 2004 - Release 04-058

SENIOR HUBBLE SCIENTIST PART OF TEAM TO RECEIVE IAA AWARD

Dr. David Leckrone at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. is one of 25 people selected to receive the International Academy of Astronautics' (IAA) 2004 Laurels for Team Achievement Award.

"Working on the Hubble team has been the most rewarding experience of my life," said Leckrone. "The team has made history-more than once and we're very proud of that."

The IAA Laurels for Team Achievement award was presented to the Hubble Space Telescope Team October 3 in Vancouver. In part, the citation reads, "From its spectacular launch and dramatic repair and upgrades to its regular revelations about our Universe, Hubble has captured the public's imagination and provided the scientific community with a tool of unprecedented discovery…."

Leckrone has worked for the HST project since 1976. He currently serves as senior scientist for HST, responsible for scientific leadership for all aspects of the project, as well as management, operations, development of flight instruments, and on-orbit servicing.

His academic credentials include a bachelor's in physics from Purdue University, a master's and doctorate in astronomy from the University of California at Los Angeles, and a master's in management from the Johns Hopkins University. Leckrone is a veteran space astronomer, specializing in the ultraviolet spectroscopy of hot starts and the abundances of the chemical elements, and has authored more than 80 scientific publications.

Theodore Von Karmen founded the IAA in 1960 during the 11th International Astronautical Congress in Stockholm, Sweden. The organization's main focus is to foster development of astronautics for peaceful purposes, recognize individuals who distinguish themselves in a related branch of science or technology, provide a program whereby members can contribute to international endeavors, and cooperate in the advancement of aerospace science.

Previous IAA Laurels for Team Achievement Awardees include the Russian Mir Space Station team; the U.S. Space Shuttle team; and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory team.

For more information about NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope, visit: www.nasa.gov