Contact:

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

October 05, 2004 - Release 04-062

HUBBLE PROGRAM MANAGER PART OF TEAM TO RECEIVE IAA AWARD

Preston Burch at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. was one of 25 people selected to receive the International Academy of Astronautics' (IAA) 2004 Laurels for Team Achievement Award during a formal dinner in Vancouver, Canada on Oct. 3.

"I am honored to part of such a prestigious team," said Burch, Associate Director/Program Manager for the Hubble Space Telescope at Goddard. "The award is a reflection of the team's dedication, hard work, an innovative thinking for nearly three decades." In this position, Burch is responsible for the operation and on-orbit servicing of HST, the HST science program, and the development of future HST spacecraft components and instruments.

The citation in part 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…."

Burch graduated from Adelphi University, Garden City, N.Y., with a bachelor's in physics. During his two final years of undergraduate study at Adelphi, he was awarded a NASA Research Fellowship. After graduation, Burch worked for Grumman Aerospace Corporation on the Apollo Program and several other firms prior to coming to Goddard in 1991. In 1994, Burch was selected to receive NASA's Exceptional Service Medal for his contributions to the highly successful HST First Servicing Mission.

Burch and his wife, Martha, reside in Sykesville, Md. In his spare time, he enjoys flying and maintaining vintage sailplanes with the Mid-Atlantic Soaring Association.

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.

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 where members can contribute to international endeavors, and cooperate in the advancement of aerospace science.

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