Sir
Martin Sweeting, founder and executive chairman of Surrey Satellite
Technology Limited (SSTL) and Director of the Surrey Space Centre at the
University of Surrey, has been presented with the International von
Kármán Wings Award for his contributions to aerospace.
As
the 2012 recipient, Sir Martin Sweeting has been recognised for his
technical and leadership contributions to aerospace academia and
industry – in particular pioneering the concept of rapid-response,
low-cost and highly capable small satellites for Earth observation,
communications and space science.
Since
1985 the International von Kármán Wings Award has been presented to
aerospace pioneers who have made outstanding contributions in the field
of science and engineering over a sustained period of time. Previous
recipients of the prestigious award include science fiction writer and
inventor Arthur C Clarke, NASA Apollo astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and
aircraft designer Burt Rutan.
The
Aerospace Historical Society, and the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories
of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) presented the award
in a ceremony on 13th September at the Athenaeum. Special guests
including Dr. S. Pete Worden, Center Director of NASA Ames Research
Center, and Mr. Elon Musk, CEO and Chief Designer at SpaceX, spoke of
Sir Martin’s contribution to space.
Sir
Martin commented: “It is a privilege to be recognised in the von Kármán
Wings Award, and to share this accolade with visionaries and innovators
that I greatly admire. During my career, small satellites have
developed from being a research curiosity to become instrumental in
scientific research, understanding our planet, and satellite navigation
–I am thrilled to have played a part to make this all possible.”
David
Willetts, Science and Universities Minister, praised Sir Martin and
congratulated him on his award. He said: “Look at what he’s achieved.
You begin with an idea in a university department, you then spin it out
from the university, you then grow it as an independent company, you
then accept that it is going to be bought by a very large operation like
EADS Astrium but you are able to maintain the distinctive identity of
SSTL within the wider business family. Each one of those transitions is
so hard to manage and many companies come a cropper at each one. The
fact that he has managed each one of these transitions tells me that he
is a very successful business leader indeed.”
Professor
Sir Christopher Snowden, vice chancellor of the University of Surrey,
added: “Martin has enormous energy. He inspires everyone around him, in
terms of being a leader but also an innovator, he has all the
characteristics of a space entrepreneur. Martin’s work setting up SSTL
and at the Surrey Space Centre was extremely important to the
university. For many people space and Surrey are synonymous. He has
created a legacy that will go on for many, many decades to come.”
As
a leading authority on satellite technology Sir Martin is recognised in
NASA, ESA and throughout the world. He was knighted by Her Majesty the
Queen in the 2002 British New Year Honours for services to the small
satellite industry and is a Distinguished Professor at the University of
Surrey and a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Sir
Martin founded SSTL with a vision to change the economics of space,
making space more accessible to all. Utilising modern commercial
off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, SSTL has developed a new market for
small but advanced satellites and provides innovative and reliable cost
effective solutions for established space agencies, emerging nations
space programmes, commercial and research organisations.
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