The Gazebo Gazette

NASA STENNIS SPACE CENTER (GG) — Eight employees at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near the Mississippi Gulf Coast, received the agency’s prestigious Space Flight Awareness Silver Snoopy award during a ceremony on  Aug. 11.

Their efforts contribute to the mission at the nation’s largest propulsion test site, which  supports both NASA’s return to the Moon through the Artemis program and a range of commercial aerospace companies.

NASA astronaut Nicole Mann presented the Silver Snoopy awards to the employees. Mann became an astronaut in 2013 as one of eight members of the 21st NASA astronaut class. In 2022, she launched to the International Space Station as the commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission. The crew spent 157 days in orbit and supported hundreds of experiments that advanced human spaceflight and benefited life on Earth. Mann executed two spacewalks, conducting upgrades to the space station’s solar arrays, totaling 14 hours, 02 minutes. 

In addition to the award, Mann also presented each recipient with a Silver Snoopy lapel pin flown aboard NASA’s Endeavour space shuttle on the STS-118 mission to the International Space Station in August 2007.  Employee honored was:

  • Jason Peterson from Pass Christian, Mississippi. Peterson, a resident of Biloxi, Mississippi, is the NASA range and aviation operations manager at NASA Stennis. He is recognized for his commitment, innovation, and leadership in advancing NASA’s human spaceflight program. His work has delivered significant contributions that enhance flight safety, mission success, and operational efficiency within Uncrewed Aircraft Systems operations.

NASA’s Space Flight Awareness Program recognizes outstanding job performances and contributions by civil service and contract employees throughout the year and focuses on excellence in quality and safety in support of human spaceflight. The Silver Snoopy Award is the astronauts’ personal award and is presented to less than 1 percent of the total NASA workforce annually. The award is presented by a member of the astronaut corps representing its core principles for outstanding flight safety and mission success.

Front Photo:  NASA Stennis Director Christine Powell speaks during the Silver Snoopy Award ceremony on Aug. 11 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Photo Credit: NASA/Chris Russell.  Inside Photo:  Silver Snoopy Award recipients are pictured at NASA’s Stennis Space Center following the award ceremony on Aug. 11. First row, left to right: NASA Shared Services Executive Director Anita Harrell; Felisha Jarrell; Alicia Bartee; NASA Astronaut Nicole Mann; Stacey Goodloe; Joseph Richard; NASA Stennis Director Christine Powell.  Second row, left to right: Jason Peterson, Huy Nguyen, Kenneth McCormack, and James Cain. Photo Credit: NASA/Chris Russell