The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) recognized the team of Lockheed Martin engineers who played a significant role in the successful destruction of an errant United States satellite in 2008, preventing it from an uncontrolled and unpredictable reentry and potential crash to Earth.

"The success of this effort was a direct result of the enduring partnership between our engineers and our customers," said Orlando Carvalho, president of Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Sensors business unit. "The tremendous adaptability of the Aegis Weapon System, especially our SPY-1D radar, allowed us to perform flawlessly in the execution of this new mission."

The team worked with U.S. Navy, MDA, national laboratory and other industry engineers and scientists to modify the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Weapon System to specifically take on this one-time emergency mission. Lockheed Martin employees Anthony J. DeSimone, Ph.D. and Joseph Rappisi received the award on behalf of the team.

Lt. Gen. Patrick J. O'Reilly, director, MDA said, "The success of this mission speaks to this team's flexibility, ingenuity and drive to achieve the seemingly impossible. When the nation needed an extraordinary capability, they stepped up and delivered it."

The Ronald W. Reagan Missile Defense Award is given annually to individuals or organizations for outstanding support, innovation, and engineering or scientific achievement associated with technologies designed to defend against ballistic missile attack.