The International Space Hall of Fame (ISHF) and the New Mexico Museum of Space History announced that the members of the original Delta Clipper Experimental (DC-X) Team have been inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame (ISHF).
The DC-X Team will be the first group ever inducted into the ISHF. Every member of the DC-X team displayed the qualities required to be an inductee: imagination, achievement, and the dedication to further advance man’s knowledge of the universe, and his ability to explore and develop space for the benefit of all mankind. Many obstacles confronted the DC-X team as they worked towards making the dream of aircraft-like safety for affordable space travel a reality. From underfunding, to a seemingly impossible turn-around time, the team, inspired by famed astronaut and space visionary Pete Conrad, faced each obstacle with renewed determination.
“The success of the DC-X project was the result of a total-team effort encompassing industry, government, consultants and individual supporters and support groups from around the world. This total-team mounted an awesome rapid-prototyping, engineering, management, financial, and political “offensive” that focused on demonstrating that the cost of space travel could decrease while increasing safety and reliability. The program also demonstrated that multi-discipline projects could be carried out in short time spans and with reasonable budgets,” said Lt. Col. Jess Sponable (USAF Ret.), a Government Program Manager for the DC-X project, as he introduced the team at the DC-X/XA 15th Anniversary First Flight Reunion and Future Space Conference held in 2008.
The New Mexico Museum of Space History is a division of the NM Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information, call 575-437-2840 or toll free 1-877-333-6589 or visit the website at www.nmspacemuseum.org