Dr. Denis Curtin, chief operating officer of Xtar, LLC, has been named the 2006 recipient of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aerospace Communications Award. This award is presented for outstanding contributions in the field of aerospace communications.

The award will be presented to Curtin at a June 12, 2006 Awards Luncheon in conjunction with the 24th AIAA International Communications Satellite Systems Conference in San Diego, Calif.

The citation for Curtin’s award reads, “For outstanding leadership to the communications satellite industry from research on a new solar cell to chief responsibility for the design, test and operations of complete satellite systems.”