The National Space Society ISDC Will be Held in Orlando, FL in June
Former NASA astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave will receive the prestigious Robert A. Heinlein Memorial Award for his efforts toward making humanity a spacefaring civilization this June at the National Space Society International Space Development Conference® (ISDC®). The conference will be held June 19-22 in Orlando, Florida, at the Rosen Centre Hotel.
Musgrave was an active astronaut during the Apollo, Skylab, and shuttle programs. He flew into space six times and aboard all five shuttle orbiters. He is also a medical doctor and holds six academic degrees in mathematics and statistics, business administration, chemistry, physiology and biophysics, literature, as wll as his M.D. degree. Musgrave served in the U.S. Marine Corps and has flown 17,700 hours in a wide variety of aircraft including 7,500 hours in jets.
“Story Musgrave is a legend in the astronaut corps,” said Isaac Arthur, president of NSS. “Besides his stunning academic accomplishments, he is also a pilot, has practiced medicine, and is deeply educated in literature. He is a true polymath, and his contributions to core ideas of long-term spaceflight and settlement are impressive, making him a truly deserving of the prestigious Heinlein Memorial Award.”
Musgrave was selected as an astronaut in 1967 during the height of the Space Race and initially worked on the design and development of the Skylab program. He served as a backup science pilot for Skylab 2 crew flight, then moved on to the space shuttle program, working on spacesuits, life support systems, airlock design, and the Manned Maneuvering Unit. During the shuttle program he flew on STS-6, STS-51F, STS-33, STS-44, and STS-80, accruing 1,282 hours of spaceflight time and 27 hours of EVAs (spacewalks).
Musgrave has received a variety of awards including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Exceptional Service Medal, and Spaceflight Medal, as well as a National Defense Service Medal. He has been inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame and the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
The Heinlein Memorial Award will be presented to Musgrave on Sunday, June 22, at the closing dinner of the ISDC. The conference runs from June 19-22 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida, and more information can be found at the conference website, isdc.nss.org.
