More than 70 astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Shuttle programs are helping the United States retain its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships for college students who exhibit motivation, imagination, and exceptional performance in the science or engineering field of their major. To date, the foundation has awarded nearly $2.5 million in scholarships to 226 deserving students.
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Scholar Spotlight: Derek Lang
As the world watches the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Astronaut Scholar Derek Lang can proudly sit back knowing that his project at the Stramler Group launched a satellite to broadcast direct satellite-to-mobile hand set television services during the games. Lang, a Senior Engineering Consultant with the aerospace consulting firm Stramler, provides in-factory monitoring for customers who are procuring communication satellites.
Before working in his current job Lang held a position at TGV Rockets and helped complete preliminary vehicle design and analysis for a rocket that could be transported and operated within a few days of demand anywhere around the world to support military forces.
Lang received the Astronaut Scholar from the University of Washington from 1996–1999.





