Slidell man propels space exploration

A Slidell man whose work with space crafts resulted in better safety, faster development and significant cost cuts was recognized with a coveted award Oct. 22 at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

Lester Langford received the Silver Snoopy Award given by astronauts themselves to less than 1 percent of all NASA employees.

For more than a decade, Langford, a senior engineer with Jacobs Technology NASA Test Operations Group, has developed enhancements to space shuttles’ main engine.

“His personal efforts have significantly contributed to the success and safety of the Space Shuttle program,” Gene Coleman, spokesman of John C. Stennis Space Center said in a press release.

Astronauts James Dutton Jr. and Stephen Robinson presented the award. Langford received a Silver Snoopy lapel pin flown on space shuttle Discovery during mission STS-95, along with a letter of commendation and certificate signed by Dutton and Robinson.

Dutton was the ascent/ entry capsule communicator for space shuttle missions STS-122 in February and STS-123 in March.

Robinson, whose flown three separate space flights, has logged more than 830 hours and 14.1 million miles in space.