John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award

The John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award was established in honor of the late President, who launched our space program in 1961 with the famous statement that “we should land men on the moon and return them safely in this decade. This public service award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution by promoting the Nation’s space programs for the exploration and utilization of outer space. The John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award was merged with the Olin E. Teague Space Award, which was established by the Society in 1981.

Award Criteria

2022 Recipient: Scott Pace for his seminal accomplishments promoting the Nation’s space programs for the exploration and utilization of outer space across the civil, commercial, and national security sectors.

Previous Recipients:

  • 2021 – No Award Given
  • 2020 – John J. McBrine
  • 2019 – No Award Given
  • 2018 – George Salazar
  • 2017 – No Award Given
  • 2016 – Hon. Kathryn Sullivan
  • 2015 – James Lovell
  • 2014 – Senator Bill Nelson
  • 2013 – Howard E. McCurdy
  • 2012 – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
  • 2011 – Congressman Ralph M. Hall
  • 2010 – Michael D. Griffin
  • 2009 – Roger D. Launius
  • 2008 – William E. Burrows
  • 2007 – Walter Cronkite
  • 2006 – Marcia Smith
  • 2005 – John M. Logsdon
  • 2004 – Lori B. Garver
  • 2003 – Buzz Aldrin
  • 2002 – William H. Pickering
  • 2001 – Sally K. Ride
  • 2000 – Simon Ramo
  • 1999 – Eilene M. Galloway
  • 1998 – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
  • 1997 – George E. Brown, Jr.
  • 1996 – Christopher C. Kraft, Jr.
  • 1995 – Senator Barbara Mikulski
  • 1994 – Hon. Jack Brooks
  • 1993 – Daniel S. Goldin
  • 1992 – Thomas P. Stafford
  • 1991 – James R. Thompson, Jr.
  • 1990 – Richard H. Truly
  • 1989 – James C. Fletcher
  • 1988 – Jack Anderson
  • 1987 – Thomas O. Paine
  • 1986 – Hon. Jake Garn
  • 1985 – No Award Given
  • 1984 – No Award Given
  • 1983 – James M. Beggs
  • 1982 – Carl Sagan
  • 1981 – Richard Henry
  • 1980 – Robert A. Frosch
  • 1979 – Hon. Don Fuqua
  • 1978 – Hugh Downs
  • 1977 – Hon. Michael Collins
  • 1976 – Robert Anderson
  • 1975 – Hon. Olin E. Teague
  • 1974 – Hon. Frank E. Moss