For Release: June 24, 2010
CXC
Dr. Harvey Tananbaum, director of the Chandra X-ray Center, has been selected as the recipient of the 2010 Massey Award for his career accomplishments in high-energy astrophysics in space.
The Massey Award is given by the Royal Society of London and the Committee of Space Research (COSPAR) in memory of Sir Harrie Massey, past Physical Secretary of the Society and member of the COSPAR Bureau. The prestigious award recognizes outstanding contributions to the development of space research in which a leadership role is of particular importance.
Dr. Harvey Tananbaum began his career at American Science and Engineering and has been an astrophysicist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory since 1973. He was involved with pioneering X-ray astronomy missions including UHURU and the Einstein Observatory.
Beginning in 1976, Dr. Tananbaum, along with Nobel Prize winner Dr. Riccardo Giacconi, led the team that proposed to NASA to study and design a large X-ray telescope. This project was launched 23 years later in 1999 as the Chandra X-ray Observatory, becoming NASA's flagship X-ray telescope. Dr. Tananbaum has served as the director of the Chandra X-ray Center since 1991.