NASIC member receives prestigious NASA award

  • Published
  • By By Senior Airman Justyn Freeman
  • National Air and Space Intelligence Center Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  A National Air and Space Intelligence Center member received the Silver Snoopy Award from a NASA astronaut in a ceremony Nov. 17 here.

NASIC team member Matthew Wright was presented the award by Col. Robert Behnken for his outstanding achievements in his work conducted at NASIC.

“I feel deeply honored and humbled,” Wright said. “Even though I was the one who was given the award, it was a team effort.”

The award had a more personal touch for Wright, as he and Behnken have worked together in the past.

“The Silver Snoopy Award is an astronaut's personal award,” Wright said. “I have worked with Colonel Behnken before and it meant a lot to me that he traveled from Houston to present the award.”

Behnken was selected by NASA in July 2000, and following the completion of astronaut candidate training was assigned to support launch and landing activities at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. He has accomplished more than 500 orbits of the Earth, traveled 10 million plus statute miles in space, and logged more than 708 hours in space. He currently works at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas.

The Silver Snoopy Award is a distinct honor given to NASA employees or contractors for exceptional work associated with human flight safety or mission success. The certificate states that the award is given “In appreciation … for professionalism, dedication and outstanding support that greatly enhanced space flight safety and mission success.” The Silver Snoopy is a result of NASA wanting to promote awareness among its employees to show that they are just as essential to the mission as anyone else.