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NASA honors Spectrolab engineers
Space Fight Awareness, 'Snoopy' awards given
Feb. 19, 2020 3:12 pm CT
NASA on Monday recognized the engineers of Spectrolab for the work they have done to improve the efficiency, reliability and maintainability of the International Space Station’s power systems.
Astronaut Ricky Arnold presented International Space Station engineers with a Space Flight Awareness Team Award, and Product and Test Engineer William “Grif” Wise with the Astronaut Office’s highest honor, the Silver Snoopy Award.
Since the earliest days of the space program, Spectrolab solar panels have been a foundational element of safe human spaceflight. Founded in 1956, Spectrolab has developed high-efficiency solar cells for satellites, spacecraft and the International Space Station. The space station – currently in its 20th year of hosting astronauts in orbit – relies on state-of-the-art solar equipment for 100% of its energy needs. The station’s power systems support exploration technology, advanced life support systems and human and robotic interfaces that benefit life on Earth and prepare for deep space destinations.
Astronauts use the space station as a unique microgravity test bed and national laboratory. With crew safety top-of-mind, Spectrolab has for years developed the solar panel technology that provides the International Space Station and the crew onboard with a reliable, maintainable energy source.
“What we do as crew members on orbit, we do with confidence in teams like Spectrolab on the ground,” Arnold said to employees in Sylmar, CA. “It’s what allows us to sleep at night; the professionalism, dedication and commitment of people like you”.
With a commitment to safety and first-time quality, the Spectrolab team is working to ensure that the solar panel systems on board the International Space Station remain robust and efficient as the orbital complex begins its third decade in low Earth orbit. Building on the station’s legacy power systems, Wise and his colleagues have updated the custom technologies and processes necessary to maximize capabilities aboard the orbital laboratory for years to come.
Spectrolab President Tony Mueller (far left), Boeing International Space Station Program Manager Mark Mulqueen (second from left), and NASA Astronaut Ricky Arnold (far right) present William Wise (second from right, accompanied by his family) with a Silver Snoopy Award.
NASA Astronaut Ricky Arnold tours the Spectrolab factory in Sylmar, CA.