The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual who has made sustained personal contributions to the field of astronautics.  Awarded at every tenth anniversary of the Society.

The next Lifetime Achievement Award will be selected and presented in 2034.

Award Criteria

Recipients:

2024 – Gene Kranz
Flight Director Gene Kranz’ career spanned Mercury through STS. His tough and competent leadership and mist never fail style enables historic mission successes, saved lives and NASA’s human space program, and inspired many students and professionals.

• • AAS presented Gene Kranz with the Lifetime Achievement Award on May 15th, 2025, at Space Center Houston.

Picture courtesy of AAS

2014 – Edward C. Stone
Edward Stone is an internationally known physicist who has served as project scientist for the Voyager program from 1972 to 2022, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1991 to 2001, along with many other endeavors of education such as David Morrisroe Professor of Physics at the California Institute of Technology and Vice President of Caltech.

Picture courtesy of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

2004 – E.C. “Pete” Aldridge, Jr.
For leading the President’s Commission to return the Moon and Mars, and his 42 years in aerospace leadership, serving the nation for more than 18 years in the Department of Defense.

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

1994 – Norman R. Augustine

Picture courtesy of National Academy of Engineering

1984 – George M. Low

Picture courtesy of NASA

1974 – William H. Pickering

Picture courtesy of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

1964 – Wernher von Braun

Picture courtesy of NASA