RNASA crowd honors Gwynne Shotwell

MORE THAN 800 were on hand for the 2023 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Gala honoring SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell in the Downtown Houston Hyatt Regency Hotel Ballroom.

And hopefully no hotel guests were trying to sleep as Delalune Space founder and former president of Blue Origin Rob Meyerson presented her with the beautiful National Space Trophy before the cheering black-tie crowd as she became only the fourth woman to receive the trophy in RNASA’s 48-year history -- following Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Shuttle Cmdr. Eileen Collins and former Johnson Space Center Director Ellen Ochoa.

Both Eileen and Ellen sat with Gwynne and her husband, Robert Shotwell, as did Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche and her husband, George Wyche, Deputy NASA Administrator Robert Cabana and Meyerson

While introducing Gwynne, Rob noted that “launching America’s astronauts to space is an honor that has been entrusted to a small number of companies. The thought that a young startup, an outsider, could shatter the status quo and help America regain its leadership in human spaceflight…Gwynne and her team at Space X did just that.”

During her acceptance speech, she remarked “The partnerships that we have shared with NASA through the joy and tears has been extraordinary.” When speaking about one such joint partnership,

Gwynne said “It (Starship) represented an extraordinary success for us. We will look back on April 20, 2023 and realize that was the moment that we knew that we could go live on other planets. Now we all know we can go to the Moon but that was the day that we can look back and say we can go past the moon . . . and that’s actually why I work at SpaceX -- because I want to be part of the group of folks that have worked enough, demonstrated enough that we can ultimately get people flying out amongst the stars.”

It was a delightful evening from the opening reception to the welcome by RNASA Chairman Rodolfo Gonzalez to the invocation by the University Baptist pastor, the Rev. Dr. Will Rushing, to the mesmerizing Space City Films Year in Review, to emcee John Zarrella’s introduction of keynote speaker Michael Suffredini, leading up to the presentation of the Stellar Awards by astronauts Bob Hines and Kate Rebins, and finally presentation of the National Space Trophy to the smiling SpaceX president, along with the presentation of the Omega Watch to the honoree by USAF Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Thomas

Stafford, himself a former National Space Trophy recipient.

Other former Space Trophy recipients in the crowd included Michael Griffin, Tommy Holloway and the aforementioned Ellen Ochoa, Robert Cabana and Eileen Collins.

Looking around you might also have spotted a host of space dignitaries such as Lockheed VP Kirk Shireman, Boeing VP John Mulholland, Oceaneering VP David Cazes, Barrios Technology CEO Sandy Johnson and VP Kerri Knotts, MRI Technologies President and VP Debbie and Tim Kropp, SAIC VP Gabe Garrett, Bastion Technologies CEO Jorge Hernandez and Program Manager Trevor Howard, GeoControl President Michael Zarcaro, Jacobs VP and GM Joy Kelly, Aegis CEO Stephanie Murphy and President Bill Hollister, Nanorack CEO Tim Kopra – most with their spouses; along with Communications Director Barbara Zelon from NASA Headquarters and former astronaut and retired Glenn Research Center Director Janet Kavandi.

Plus, many members of Space Center Rotary that founded RNASA many years ago: Bob Wren, an early founder, and his wife Jordie; Adrienne and Dr. Vissett Sun, Gary and Karen Johnson, Karen and Trey Hall, Delia Stephens and Jon Haire, Mary Alys Cherry, Bill and Susan Taylor, Darrell Smith, Anangela and Rodolfo Gonzalez, Frank Perez and Priscilla Ennis, Linda and Duane Ross, Randy and Kathy Straach, John and Patty Branch, Richard and Jennifer Simmons and Wayne and Marilyn Musial