Peter B. Teets Award Dinner

Description

The National Defense Industrial Association’s (NDIA) Space Division is pleased to announce it will present the Honorable Peter B. Teets Award on the evening of Tuesday, July 31 at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, VA to Lieutenant General David Thompson, Vice Commander, Air Force Space command and Dr. Antonio Elias.

Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson is Vice Commander, Air Force Space Command, Washington, D.C. He is responsible to the Commander of Air Force Space Command in carrying out Air Force space missions and integrating space policy, guidance, coordination and synchronization of space-related activities, and issue resolution for Air Force Space Command and the Department of the Air Force. General Thompson was commissioned in 1985 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a career space officer with assignments in operations, acquisition, research and development, and academia. He has commanded operational space units at the squadron, group and wing levels. The general is also an Olmsted Scholar, graduate of the Senior Acquisition Course and Level III-Certified Program Manager. Prior to his assignment as Vice Commander, General Thompson was the Special Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

Dr. Elias recently culminated his career as Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of Orbital ATK.  Under Dr. Elias’ leadership, Orbital ATK successfully developed the Pegasus, Taurus and Antares space launch vehicles and the Minotaur, Orbital Boost Vehicle and IRBM/ICBM target strategic launch systems, which together have accounted for nearly 200 vehicles being produced over the last 30 years.  Upon the merger between Orbital and ATK in 2015, Dr. Elias was instrumental in integrating the combined capabilities and programs into a Fortune 500-class industry leader in the aerospace and defense sector.  Prior to Orbital Sciences Corporation, Dr. Elias has held various teaching and research positions in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he worked on the design of the Space Shuttle Orbiter avionics system at Draper Laboratory.  Dr. Elias holds B.S., M.S., E.A.A. and Ph.D. degrees from M.I.T.  He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Astronautical Society and the International Academy of Astronautics.

The Honorable Peter B. Teets Award is the Space Division’s highest honor and recognizes public and private sector leadership or achievement that results in significant contributions to the development, introduction, operational contribution or support of space systems. Each year the division recognizes an individual from government and an individual from industry.