Jackson, Barton, Henry, Jenkins, Milenkovic, and Thrasher Honored by NASA JSC Orion Project Vehicle Integration Office Nov. 3, 2009
At the Orion Vehicle System Performance and Analysis All-Hands meeting held at NASA Johnson Space Center on Nov. 3, 2009, several Draper employees were recognized for their work on the guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) subsystem for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. Each recipient was given a certificate and a model of the Orion vehicle. Draper Program Manager Ray Barrington congratulated them and expressed his own appreciation for their accomplishments: “Congratulations to all who were recognized. Thanks for your hard work, your quality product, and service to this very important customer.”
Mark Jackson was one of only three NASA team recipients of an Orion Project Special Commendation. The citation for his award reads, “Orion Project Management gratefully acknowledges the extraordinary contributions made to the Orion Project Development and Integration.”
Gregg Barton, Joel Henry, Scott Jenkins, Zoran Milenkovic, and Stephen Thrasher each received the Orion Project Office – Vehicle Integration Office Exceptional Contribution Award. Milenkovic’s citation reads, “For exemplary performance in the design and analysis of GN&C subsystem for the Orion Project.” Barton, Henry, Jenkins, and Thrasher each received a certificate that reads, “In recognition of the exceptional contributions which enabled the successful development of GN&C subsystem for the Orion Project.” The certificates were signed by Howard Hu, Manager, Vehicle Systems Performance & Analysis, and by John M. Curry, Manager, Vehicle Integration and Design Office.
Draper has 20 staff members in Houston and Cambridge who support the Orion design and development. Orion is the next-generation crew vehicle that NASA is developing to carry humans to explore the solar system. The first crewed flight of Orion is targeted for 2015.