After having served his country in the United States Army in both World War II and the Korean War, Benjamin Ross Sanders began thirty-plus years of service to America's space program at the Martin Company (later Martin-Marietta) in April 1961, working on satellite launch rockets in Denver and Wichita. In a career spanning the early satellite era, manned space flight with Projects Mercury, Gemini and Apollo, through the Space Shuttle program, he worked in four different states for aerospace companies including Rocketdyne, McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed, and North American Aviation (later North American Rockwell then Rockwell International).

Mr. Sanders received many awards and commendations throughout his years of service, becoming one of the rare few to receive two Silver Snoopys - NASA's own excellence award given to employees and contractors for outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success. Apollo Astronaut John Young presented his first Silver Snoopy at the Mississippi Test Facility (now the Stennis Space Center) in August 1969. Space Shuttle Astronaut Frank Culbertson handed him his second at Plant 42 in Palmdale, California in November 1987.

Mr. Sanders completed his service helping to build the Space Shuttles at the Rockwell International plant in Palmdale. He retired from a full, dedicated, and proud career as a part of America?€™s space program after the completion of the final Shuttle ?€“ Endeavor - and its maiden launch in 1992.