This list of space technology awards is an index to articles about notable awards related to space technology. This includes awards for development of spacecraft, satellites, space stations, and support infrastructure, equipment, and procedures. The list shows the country of the sponsoring organization, but awards are not necessarily limited to people or organizations based in that country.
Country | Award | Sponsor | Given for |
---|---|---|---|
France | Allan D. Emil Memorial Award | International Astronautical Federation | Outstanding contribution in space science, space technology, space medicine, or space law which involved the participation of more than one nation and/or which furthered the possibility of greater international cooperation in astronautics [1] |
United States | America's Space Prize | Bigelow Aerospace | First US-based privately funded team to design and build a reusable manned capsule capable of flying five astronauts to a Bigelow Aerospace inflatable space module. Expired in 2010 [2] |
United States | Ansari X Prize | Amir Ansari / X Prize Foundation | For first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks. Won in 2004. [3] |
India | Aryabhata Award | Astronautical Society of India | Notable lifetime contributions in the field of astronautics and aerospace technology in India [4] [5] |
United States | Carl Sagan Memorial Award | American Astronautical Society, The Planetary Society | Demonstrated leadership in research or policies advancing exploration of the Cosmos [6] |
United States | Centennial Challenges | NASA | For various non-government-funded technological achievements by American teams [7] |
United States | Collier Trophy | National Aeronautic Association | Greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles [8] |
United States | Dirk Brouwer Award | American Astronautical Society | Significant technical contributions to space flight mechanics and astrodynamics [9] |
International | Edison Award | Edison Awards | Honoring excellence in innovation [10] |
United States | Eugene M. Emme Astronautical Literature Award | American Astronautical Society | Truly outstanding book serving public understanding about the positive impact of astronautics upon society [11] |
France | Franck J. Malina Astronautics Medal | International Astronautical Federation | Educator who has demonstrated excellence in taking the fullest advantage of the resources available to them to promote the study of astronautics and related space sciences [12] |
United States | Google Lunar X Prize | For successfully launching, landing, and operating a rover on the lunar surface | |
United States | Harold Brown Award | United States Air Force | Scientist or engineer who applies scientific research to solve a problem critical to the needs of the Air Force |
United States | Heinlein Prize for Advances in Space Commercialization | Heinlein Prize Trust | Individuals who make practical contributions to the commercialization of space |
United States | IEEE Judith A. Resnik Award | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers | Outstanding contributions to space engineering within the fields of interest of the IEEE |
United States | Lew Allen Award | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | Significant accomplishments or leadership early in an individual's professional career at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
United States | International Space Hall of Fame | New Mexico Museum of Space History | |
France | Luigi G. Napolitano Award | International Astronautical Congress | Young scientist, below 30 years of age, who has contributed significantly to the advancement of the aerospace science |
United States | Lunar Lander Challenge | NASA : Centennial Challenges | Series of prizes for teams that launch a vertical takeoff/vertical landing (VTVL) rocket that achieved the total delta-v needed for a vehicle to move between the surface of the Moon and its orbit. |
United Kingdom | N-Prize | Paul H. Dear | To launch a satellite weighing between 9.99 and 19.99 grammes into Earth orbit, and to track it for a minimum of nine orbits. The launch budget must be under £999.99 including the launch vehicle, all of the required non-reusable launch equipment hardware, and propellant |
United States | Orbit Award | National Space Society and Space Tourism Society | Pioneers in the private space travel industry |
United Kingdom | Sir Arthur Clarke Award | Arthur C. Clarke Foundation | Notable contributions to space exploration, particularly British achievements |
United States | Space Flight Award | American Astronautical Society | Person whose outstanding efforts and achievements have contributed most significantly to the advancement of space flight and space exploration |
United States | Space Pioneer Awards | National Space Society | Individuals and teams who have opened the space frontier |
United States | Victor A. Prather Award | American Astronautical Society | Researchers, engineers and flight crew members in the field of extravehicular protection or activity in space |
United States | Wright Brothers Medal | SAE International | Notable contributions in the engineering, design, development, or operation of air and space vehicles |
An astronaut is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally reserved for professional space travelers, the term is sometimes applied to anyone who travels into space, including scientists, politicians, journalists, and tourists.
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money to establish a college of science, technology, and agriculture in his name. The first classes were held on September 16, 1874, with six instructors and 39 students. It has been ranked as among the best public universities in the United States by major institutional rankings, and is renowned for its engineering program.
Edward Higgins White II was an American aeronautical engineer, United States Air Force officer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. He was a member of the crews of Gemini 4 and Apollo 1.
Space tourism is human space travel for recreational purposes. There are several different types of space tourism, including orbital, suborbital and lunar space tourism.
Kalpana Chawla was an Indian-born American astronaut and engineer who was the first woman of Indian origin to go to space. She first flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator.
Ronald Erwin McNair was an American NASA astronaut and physicist. He died during the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-51-L, in which he was serving as one of three mission specialists in a crew of seven.
Ellison Shoji Onizuka was an American astronaut, engineer, and USAF test pilot from Kealakekua, Hawaii, who successfully flew into space with the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-C. He died in the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, on which he was serving as Mission Specialist for mission STS-51-L. He was the first Asian American and the first person of Japanese origin to reach space.
Mae Carol Jemison is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first black woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Jemison joined NASA's astronaut corps in 1987 and was selected to serve for the STS-47 mission, during which she orbited the Earth for nearly eight days on September 12–20, 1992.
The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) is an international space advocacy organization based in Paris, and founded in 1951 as a non-governmental organization to establish a dialogue between scientists around the world and to lay the information for international space cooperation. It has over 390 members from 68 countries across the world. They are drawn from space agencies, companies, universities, professional associations, museums, government organizations and learned societies. The IAF organizes the annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC).
Judith Arlene Resnik was an American electrical engineer, software engineer, biomedical engineer, pilot and NASA astronaut who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster aboard the Space ShuttleChallenger during the launch of mission STS-51-L. Resnik was the fourth woman, the second American woman, and the first Jewish woman of any nationality to fly in space, logging 145 hours in orbit. Her first space flight was the STS-41-D in August and September 1984, when her duties included operating the Space Shuttle's robotic arm,
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster was a fatal accident in the United States space program that occurred on January 28, 1986, when the Space ShuttleChallenger (OV-099) broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members aboard; it was the first fatal accident involving an American spacecraft in flight. The mission carried the designation STS-51-L and was the tenth flight for the Challenger orbiter and twenty-fifth flight of the Space Shuttle fleet. The crew was scheduled to deploy a communications satellite and study Halley's Comet while they were in orbit. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 11:39 a.m. EST.
Guion Stewart Bluford Jr. is an American aerospace engineer, retired U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot, and former NASA astronaut, who is the first African American and the second person of African descent after Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez to go to space. Before becoming an astronaut, he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force, where he remained while assigned to NASA, rising to the rank of colonel. He participated in four Space Shuttle flights between 1983 and 1992. In 1983, as a member of the crew of the Orbiter Challenger on the mission STS-8, he became the first African American in space as well as the second person of African ancestry in space, after Cuban cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez.
William Reid Pogue was an American astronaut and pilot who served in the United States Air Force (USAF) as a fighter pilot and test pilot, and reached the rank of colonel. He was also a teacher, public speaker and author.
G. Madhavan Nair is an Indian space scientist and a former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, and Secretary to the Department of Space, Government of India. He has also been the Chairman of the Space Commission and Chairman of the Governing Body of the Antrix Corporation, Bangalore. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Technology Patna until he stepped down due to his involvement in a controversial deal relating to sale of radio spectrum bandwidth involving Antrix. He was subsequently barred from holding any government positions.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.
Serena Maria Auñón-Chancellor is an American physician, engineer, and NASA astronaut. She visited the ISS as a flight engineer for Expedition 56/57 on the International Space Station.