NASA Dryden Recognizes Arcata’s RF&ESS Employees

L to R – Mr. Jerry McKee, WATR Program Manager, Mr. Kevin Petersen, NASA Dryden Center Director, Jim Tilley, Arcata’s RF&ESS Program Manager and Dr. Victor Lebacqz, Associate Administrator -Aeronautics Research, NASA Headquarters

Over 50 Arcata employees were recognized at the NASA Dryden Honor Awards Ceremony that took place May 26, 2005 at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. Arcata’s Research Facilities and Engineering Support Services (RF&ESS) employees were acknowledged for three Public Service Group Achievement Awards recognizing their contributions to the Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR), the X-43A Flight Research Team, and the AIRSAR Central & South America Group Award. The awards were presented by Dr. Victor Lebacqz, Associate Administrator -Aeronautics Research NASA Headquarters and Kevin Petersen, NASA Dryden Center Director.

Jim Tilley, Arcata’s RF&ESS Program Manager accepted the award on behalf of the Arcata Contractor Team for “innovative cost saving contributions to the Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR) in support of the Agency’s Space Exploration and Aeronautics Missions.” Mr. Jerry McKee, NASA WATR Program Manager summed up the public service accomplishment by saying, “Arcata’s nomination for this award is based on their high level of performance, innovative technical solutions and cost savings initiatives.” He went on to say, " …the WATR has realized an approximate 40% cost reduction since Arcata won the contract three years ago. A good portion of those savings are due to Arcata’s leadership and the contributions of the Arcata team."

Arcata employees were also recognized for their support of the X-43A Flight Research Team, the first ever successful free flight of an Airframe-Integrated Supersonic Combustion Ramjet at Mach 7.

Finally, Arcata employees were named as recipients of the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) Central and South America Group Achievement Award for "exceptionally successful deployments supporting complex and highly important scientific missions to Chile, Costa Rica, and the US."

The Arcata RF&ESS team is credited with three Public Group Achievement Awards during the NASA Dryden Honor Awards Ceremony May 26, 2005