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.
Recipients:
- 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