OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. –  Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, was awarded a California Space Authority SpotBeam Award at the 2007 Transforming Space Conference in Los Angeles, yesterday.

Chilton was chosen for the California Astronaut Hall of Fame (Former Astronaut) award in recognition of the 20^th anniversary of his joining NASA's astronaut program. At NASA he flew on three space shuttle missions and served as the Deputy Program Manager for Operations for the International Space Station Program

�Space has become critical to our everyday way of life and improved our standard of living, not just in the United States, but around the world,� Chilton said. �I am honored to continue to be a part of this endeavor.�

�The SpotBeam Awards draw attention to those individuals, organizations, and programs that excelled in space enterprise and exploration efforts,� said CSA Executive Director Andrea Seastrand in a press release announcing the winners.

The nonprofit California Space Authority supports California's commercial, civil and national security space community. The CSA is governed by a statewide board of directors and works closely with the State of California, industry, other government, education, workforce entities and academia to support space enterprise development and expansion statewide.

Chilton is currently Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, where he is responsible for the development, acquisition and operation of the Department of Defense's space and missile systems. The general oversees a global network of satellite command and control, communications, missile warning and launch facilities, and ensures the combat readiness of America's nuclear forces.