Space Flight Award

The Space Flight Award is given annually to the person whose outstanding efforts and achievements have contributed most significantly to the advancement of space flight and space exploration. The Space Flight Award is the highest award bestowed by the AAS.

Award Criteria

Recipients:

  • 2022 – Dr. W. Michael Hawes, for his significant technical, policy, and leadership contributions to the successes of the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and Orion programs during his 44 years at both NASA and Lockheed Martin.
  • 2021 – Tory Bruno
  • 2020 – Kathryn Lueders
  • 2019 – No Award Given
  • 2018 – Ann P. Over
  • 2017 – Peggy Whitson
  • 2016 – Robert Meyerson
  • 2015 – Stamatios M. “Tom” Krimigis
  • 2014 – Norman R. Augustine
  • 2013 – Charles F. Bolden, Jr.
  • 2012 – Michael T. Suffredini
  • 2011 – Space Shuttle Program
  • 2010 – William H. Gerstenmaier
  • 2009 – Glynn S. Lunney
  • 2008 – A. Thomas Young
  • 2007 – Charles J. Pellerin, Jr.
  • 2006 – Robert G. Hoey
  • 2005 – Charles Elachi
  • 2004 – Harold W. “Hal” Gehman, Jr.
  • 2003 – Sally K. Ride
  • 2002 – Roy S. Estess
  • 2001 – John Glenn
  • 2000 – Eileen M. Collins
  • 1999 – Neil A. Armstrong
  • 1998 – C. Michael Foale
  • 1997 – Shannon W. Lucid
  • 1996 – Edward C. Stone
  • 1995 – Daniel S. Goldin
  • 1994 – Carolyn L. Huntoon
  • 1993 – John W. Young
  • 1992 – Forrest S. McCartney
  • 1990 – Aaron Cohen
  • 1989 – John R. Casani
  • 1988 – Robert O. Aller
  • 1987 – James B. Odom
  • 1986 – Eugene F. Kranz
  • 1985 – Jesse W. Moore
  • 1984 – James M. Beggs
  • 1983 – George W. S. Abbey
  • 1982 – Chester M. Lee
  • 1981 – William R. Lucas
  • 1980 – Robert F. Thompson
  • 1979 – George W. Jeffs
  • 1978 – Walter C. Williams
  • 1977 – John F. Yardley
  • 1976 – Sigurd A. Sjoberg
  • 1975 – Maxime A. Faget and Walker E. Giberson
  • 1974 – William C. Schneider
  • 1973 – Rocco A. Petrone
  • 1972 – Charles W. Mathews
  • 1971 – Joseph G. Gavin, Jr.
  • 1970 – Edgar M. Cortright
  • 1969 – Christopher C. Kraft, Jr.
  • 1968 – George M. Low and George E. Mueller
  • 1967 – Kurt H. Debus and William H. Pickering
  • 1966 – Robert R. Gilruth
  • 1965 – Hugh L. Dryden (Posthumously)
  • 1964 – No Award Given
  • 1963 – No Award Given
  • 1962 – Charles Stark Draper
  • 1961 – Fred L. Whipple
  • 1960 – Homer E. Newell
  • 1959 – No Award Given
  • 1958 – James A. van Allen
  • 1957 – Wernher von Braun
  • 1956 – George W. Hoover
  • 1955 – Hermann Oberth