National Space Society Space Pioneer Awards

Space Pioneer Award Winners:

2024

Rod Pyle [Mass Media in Print]
Brian McManus [Electronic Mass Media]
José Hernández [NASA Service and Science]

2023

Jared Isaacman [Historic Space Achievement]
Dr. Pascal Lee [Science and Engineering]
Dr. David Livingston [Mass Media]

2022

Peter Beck, Rocket Lab [Science and Technology]
Kathryn Lueders [Non-Legistlative Government Service]
Ingenuity Mars Helocopter Team [Science and Technology]

2021

Dr. Robert Braun [Science and Engineering]
Robert Manning [Science and Engineering]

2020

Steve Jurvetson [Space Entrepreneurship]
Dr. Peggy Whitson [Current Space Achievements]
Mission Juno Team, Dr. Scott Bolton [Science and Engineering]
Dr. Phil Plait [Mass Media]
Isaac Arthur [Mass Media]

2019

Eileen Collins [Historic Space Achievement]
Gerald Griffin [Service to the Space Community]
Jeffrey Manber [Entrepreneurship]
Miles O’Brien [Mass Media]
Dr. Martine A. Rothblatt [Entrepreneurship]
Peter G. Wilhelm [Science and Engineering]
Alfred M. Worden [Historic Space Achievement]

2018

Dr. Frank Drake [Science and Engineering]
Sean Hargreaves [Art]
Thomas Mueller [Science and Engineering]
NASA-JPL and ESA Cassini and Huygens teams [Science and Engineering]
NASA-JPL Voyager Spacecraft tea [Science and Engineering]
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan [Non-Legislative Government Service]

2017

Eric Berger [Mass Media]
George Dietrich [Special Merit]
William H. Gerstenmaier [Non-Legislative Government Service]
Kepler-K2 Team [Science and Engineering]
MAC’s Old Team [Special Merit]
Thomas P. Stafford [Historic Space Achievement}

2016

SpaceX [Science and Engineering]
Orlando Figueroa [Non-Legislative Government Service]
Dr. Ellen Ochoa [Non-Legislative Government Service]
Blue Origin [Science and Engineering]
Jeff Greason [Entrepreneurial Business]
New Horizons Team  [Science and Engineering]

2015

Anousheh Ansari [Service to the Space Community]
ISRO Mars Orbiter Programme Team [Science and Engineering]
Rosetta Team [Science and Engineering]
Kip Thorne [Mass Media]
Jay Barbree [Mass Media]
Lori Garver [Non-Legislative Government Service]

2014

Gwynne E. Shotwell [Business:  Entrepreneur]
Dr. John S. Lewis [Science and Engineering]
Orbital Sciences: Antares & Cygnus Team [Science and Engineering]
Mercury Messenger Team [Science and Engineering]

2013

U.S. Representative Dana Rohrabacher [Government (Legislative) Service]
Dr. Mae Jemison [Service to the Space Community]
Boeing Company and the Air Force [Science and Engineering]
Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) Team [Science and Engineering]
Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) Team [Science and Engineering]

2012

John Glenn [Historic Space Achievement]
Scott Carpenter [Historic Space Achievement]
Stephen Colbert [Mass Media]
Ben Bova [Mass Media]
Art Dula [Business:  Entrepreneur]
Dr. Robert Farquhar [Science and Engineering]
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter team [Science and Engineering]
Frederick Ordway [Lifetime of Service to the Space Community]

2011

Elon Musk [Business Entrepreneur]
Robert Bigelow [Space Development]
X-51A Waverider Team [Science and Engineering]
Paul Spudis [Scientific or Engineering Paper]
Gordon R. Woodcock [Lifetime of Service to the Space Community]
George T. Whitesides [Service to the Space Community]

2010

Ray D. Bradbury [Mass Media]
George T. Whitesides [Service to the Space Community]
NASA-Ames LCROSS Mission Team [Science and Engineering]

2009

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) [Science and Engineering]
John C. Mankins [Space Development]
Brian G. Marsden [Service to the Space Community]
Russell L. Schweickart [Historic Space Achievement]

2008

“The Caballeros” Col. Mike Hornitschek, USAF, Col. M.V. “Coyote” Smith, USAF, Lt. Col. Peter Garretson, USAF, Lt. Col. Paul Damphousse, USMC, and Gen. James Armor (Ret.) [Space Development]
Anita E. Gale [Education]
Al Globus [Education]
Patricia Grace Smith [Government Service (Non-legislative)]

2007

Kenneth Cox [Space Development]
Heinz Hermann Koelle [Special Merit]

2006

Elon Musk [Business/Entrepreneur]
JAXA HAYABUSA (MUSES-C) Mission Team [Scientist/Engineer]
Michael Griffin [Space Development]

2005

Paul Allen [Business/Entrepreneur]
Mars Exploration Rover Team, accepted by Dr. Steven Squyres [Scientist/Engineer]
Dr. Boris Smeds, ESA, for Cassini/Huygens mission [Scientist/Engineer]

2004

Rep. Sherwood Boehlert [Government Service (Legislative)]
Gary Pearce Barnhard [Special Merit – Space Activist of the Year]
Randall Severy [Special Merit – Space Activist of the Year]

2003

Crew of STS-107

2001

Leonard David [Mass Media]
Dr. Robert Farquhar, Mission Director, and the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) Mission Team [Scientist/Engineer]

2000

Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison [Government Service (Legislative)]
Float’n Illini Team (U. of Illinois Chapter) [Education/Public Outreach]

1999

Tom Hanks [Mass Media]
John Glenn [Wide Media]

1998

George French for MoonLink [Business/Entrepreneur]
Alan Binder [Scientist/Engineer]

1997

Greg Allison [Business/Entrepreneur]
Rep. James Sensenbrenner, for Commercial Space Act of 1997 [Government Service (Legislative)]
Mars meteorite team [Scientist/Engineer]
Lori Garver [Special Merit]

1996

Charlie Chafer [Business/Entrepreneur]
Jeff Kluger [Mass Media]
Peter Diamandis [Special Merit]

1995

Glenn Heinmiller [Mass Media]
General Daniel Graham [Special Merit]
Dr. Mark Albrecht [Special Merit]

1994

Dr. Stewart Nozette [Scientist/Engineer]
Tim Kyger [Special Merit]

1993

McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Delta Clipper Team [Business/Corporate]
Dr. Daniel Goldin [Special Merit]

1992

Westinghouse Electric Corporation Commercial and Civil Space Division [Business/Corporate]
Barbara Morgan [Education]
Sen. Barbara Mikulski [Government Service (Legislative)]

1991

Women in Aerospace [Public Awareness]
K. Eric Drexler [Space Development]

1990

Orbital Sciences Corporation [Business/Corporate]
Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology [Business/Entrepreneur]
Rep. Ron Packard [Government Service (Legislative)]
Lyman Spitzer, Jr. [Scientist/Engineer]

1989

3M Corporation [Business/Corporate]
James Bennett [Business/Entrepreneur]
Pat Rawlings [Compelling Art]
The Challenger Center [Education]
Sen. Jake Garn [Government Service (Legislative)]
Wendell Mendell [Scientist/Engineer]

1988

Gilbert W. Keyes, Boeing [Business/Corporate]
Byron Lichtenberg [Business/Entrepreneur]
Dermot Burke and the Princeton Ballet for “A Tribute” [Compelling Art]
Kamil Naguib, World Aerospace Education Foundation [Education]
Rep. George Brown, Jr. [Government Service (Legislative)]
Doug Morrow, Richard MacLeod, U.S. Space Foundation [Mass Media]
Thomas Rogers [Scientist/Engineer]
Craig Covault [Wide Media]