FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sarah Robertson
+1 703.886.0020
sarah.robertson@astronautical.org
Winners of 2019 American Astronautical Society Awards Announced
AAS award recipients are recognized for significant achievements across
the full spectrum of space science and exploration
SPRINGFIELD, VA (February 24, 2020) – The American Astronautical Society (AAS) is pleased to announce the winners of its 2019 awards. AAS presents several annual awards bestowed for meritorious accomplishments during the previous year or not previously honored by AAS award recognition.
“AAS is excited to honor these individuals for their remarkable achievements and accomplishments,” said Jim Way, AAS Executive Director. “Their work is truly deserving of recognition and we at AAS congratulate all of the winners who have each advanced space flight and exploration.”
The awards and winners for 2019 are as follows:
- Neil Armstrong Space Flight Achievement Award – Joseph M. Acaba and Richard Arnold II, for their work and engagement with the education community in completing the ‘Year of Education’ on the International Space Station.
- Dirk Brouwer Award — Dr. Robert Melton, for excellence in developing the first fully three-dimensional, time-explicit representation of relative motion between spacecraft on elliptical orbits. (The Dirk Brouwer Award will be presented at the 2020 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference taking place August 9-13 in South Lake Tahoe, CA.)
- Carl Sagan Memorial Award — Dr. Michael W. Werner, for scientific leadership of the Spitzer Space Telescope, which has fundamentally changed our understanding of the Universe through infrared observations of the Universe from the Solar System to the most distant galaxies. (The Cark Sagan Memorial Award will be presented at the 2020 AAS Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium taking place March 17-19 in Silver Spring, MD.)
- Sally Ride Excellence in Education Award — David Seidel, for exceptional service in creating and implementing transformative K-12 STEM education programs and experiences for the benefit of NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, educators, students, and the public. (The Sally Ride Excellence in Education Award will be presented at the 2020 AAS Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium taking place March 17-19 in Silver Spring, MD.)
- Space Life Sciences Award — Dr. Mark Ott, for his advancement of our understanding of the discipline of spaceflight microbiology through research collaborations, and his tireless efforts to establish and reinforce the International Space Station as a microbial research platform, extending that opportunity to many others in the research community.
- Space Technology Award — Jeff Haynes and the AR-22 Team, for an unprecedented demonstration of rapid turnaround of a large liquid rocket engine. (The Space Technology Award will be presented at the 2020 AAS Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium taking place October 26-28 in Huntsville, AL.)
Full awards information is available at astronautical.org/awards.
About AAS
The American Astronautical Society leads and advances the discussion around space. Since 1954, AAS has been the premier network of current and future space professionals dedicated to advancing all space activities. The Society has long been recognized for the excellence of its national symposia, technical conferences, and publications and for its impact on shaping the U.S. space program. AAS members have opportunities to meet and connect with leaders in the space industry to exchange information and ideas, discuss career aspirations, and expand their knowledge and expertise. astronautical.org
# # #