Bellwood native Sharon (Sager) Desch was honored last August, when it was announced she would be receiving a Silver Snoopy award for her outstanding support as a Guidance, Navigation and Flight Control analyst.
The Silver Snoopy is the astronauts\’ personal award to members of the workforce for outstanding and exemplary work. Above all, the Snoopy emblem reflects NASA and industry\’s sense of responsibility and continuing concern for astronaut flight safety.
The award consists of a Silver Snoopy lapel pin that has flown on a Space Shuttle mission, a certificate and a letter of commendation from an astronaut.
An astronaut always presents the Silver Snoopy because it is their own award for outstanding performance and for contributions to flight safety and mission success, according to NASA’s website.
It is always a special honor to receive this award and fewer than one percent of the space program workforce receive it annually.
According to information provided, Desch was given the challenge of leading an effort to update and enhance the Performance Test Reports typically generated by the Performance Verification process. All interim milestones were met, and the final delivery was achieved with little overtime.
Desch took charge of this task by first mastering a new testing philosophy and then condensing the verification into seven efficient test cases. Largely through her effort, this task was brought back on schedule.
According to NASA’s website, in order to be considered for the Silver Snoopy, employees must have significantly contributed to Shuttle Space Station or payload programs by achieving beyond their normal work output; accomplished a particular program goal; contributed to a major cost savings or series of lesser cost savings; been instrumental in developing modification that increase quality, reliability, safety, efficiency or performance; assisted in operational improvements that increase efficiency or performance or been a key player in developing a beneficial process.
To meet the criteria for this award, the individual’s job performance must demonstrate a commitment to flight safety and mission success. It must be of an outstanding nature to distinguish the individual in his or her particular area of responsibility.
Desch has been employed at United Space Alliance since 1997.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, United Space Alliance is one of the world’s leading space operations companies.
USA manages and conducts space operations work involving the operation and maintenance of multi-purpose space systems, including systems associated with NASA\’s human space flight program, Space Shuttle applications beyond those of NASA, and other reusable launch and orbital systems beyond the Space Shuttle and Space Station.
Desch is a graduate of Bellwood-Antis High School and Penn State University. She currently lives in Friendswood, Texas with her husband Devon and their son Dylan. They are expecting twins in May.
