DRYDEN'S SPACE EFFORTS HONORED.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE - California space advocates will honor the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center for its 50th space shuttle landing and continued support of the nation's space program.

The California Space Authority will present Dryden with a SpotBeam award at a banquet on Dec. 2 in Los Angeles. The award recognizes the center for supporting the Aug. 9 landing of the space shuttle Discovery, the latest in a long line of space efforts by the center.

``This was the nation's 'return-to-flight','' said Janice Dunn, CSA's deputy director. ``It was a major accomplishment.''

The Edwards Air Force Base landing capped a two-week mission that was the first shuttle flight since the loss of Columbia on Feb. 1, 2003. Discovery was to have landed in Florida, but poor weather prompted NASA to direct the shuttle to Edwards.

NASA prefers to land the shuttles in Florida because it saves about $1 million in costs for ferrying an orbiter cross-country, plus it reduces the amount of handling of the spacecraft.

However, about one out of every five missions ends at Edwards.

The award recognizes Dryden's work that dates back to the 1960s. The 1960s work included the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, which supported the Apollo moon missions, and the X-15 rocket planes that tested a number of space-related technologies, including the first use of a full-pressure suit for space flight, the first use of a reaction control system for maneuvering in space, and the development of thermal protection for hypersonic re-entry.

The award also recognizes a number of efforts that supported the space shuttle, including the lifting body craft that gave NASA confidence to land the shuttles unpowered; working testing flight control systems used by the orbiter; the approach and landing tests of the space shuttle prototype Enterprise; and tests on thermal protection systems.

``NASA Dryden Flight Research Center will continue to contribute to the space program by serving as a potential landing site for the Crew Exploration Vehicle,'' CSA said in its tribute to Dryden. ``The infrastructure at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center is likely to play a key role in carrying out the bold objectives set by the vision for space exploration.''

This is the second year for CSA's SpotBeam award. Last year, recipients included two from the Antelope Valley - the late state Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight, R-Palmdale, for his advocacy of space and the military, and the SpaceShipOne team, which made the first private, manned space flights.

The other SpotBeam recipients this year are Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Riverside; the California Council on Base Support and Retention; the late Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo; the Los Angeles Air Force Base Regional Alliance; the Chabot Space and Science Center; Lockheed Martin's work force; the Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Trimble Navigation LTD.; and QuakeFinder LLC.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com