Past Recipients
| Year | Award | Awardee (Individual or Team / Lead) | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | OPS-SAT Mission Control Team / Mr. David Evans | Created and operates the world’s first mission dedicated to improving space operations allowing rapid experimentation of mission critical processes on an op, flying laboratory |
| 2023 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Team / Mr. Theodore Tzanetos | For outstanding achievement in the extended Operations Demonstration of Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, surviving unplanned seasonal challenges on Mars, >500 Sols, >30sorties, and covered >7km |
| 2023 | Lifetime Achievement Medal | Dr. Paolo Ferri | A life-long true ambassador and recognised authority of space mission operations and international collaboration in the domain of space missions |
| 2023 | Exceptional Achievement Medal | Mr. Johannes Schoenmaekers | For his exceptional advancements in the area of manoeuvre optimisation and mission analysis and outstanding contribution to international cooperation |
| 2023 | Distinguished Service Medal | Mr. Jean-Marc Soula | In appreciation for your long-time involvement in the SpaceOps Organization and especially for the technical leadership of SpaceOps 2018 in Marseille |
| 2023 | SpaceOps Appreciation Award | Dr. Gian Paolo Calzolari | For exceptional dedication and effective contribution to the SpaceOps Organization during your 9-year tenure – a true ambassador to the cause of SpaceOps |
| 2021 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | Dawn Flight Team / Dr. Marc D. Rayman | For outstanding success in exploring two alien worlds, Ceres and Vesta, and overcoming the critical failures of reaction wheels |
| 2021 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | MAVEN Mission Operations Team / Mr. John Nagy | For exceptional planning and execution of the MAVEN spacecraft orbit transition to support critical communications relay duties for upcoming Mars missions, while enhancing MAVEN science return |
| 2021 | Exceptional Achievement Medal | Dr. Natan Eismont | "For his work in the development and implementation of the safer and more efficient technology of spacecraft launch that is now standard procedure of launching in Russia, and methods of preventing the collision of hazardous asteroids and comets with the Earth by the use of small asteroids" [NOTE: from script at Awards ceremony, not citation on certificate] |
| 2021 | Lifetime Achievement Medal | Mr. Phil Liebrecht | In recognition for your lifetime dedication to the SpaceOps Organization and advocacy for international cooperation in space operations |
| 2021 | Distinguished Service Medal | M. Pierre Lods | In appreciation for your involvement in the SpaceOps Organization for more than 10 years, and especially for the organization of SpaceOps 2018 |
| 2018 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | Cassini Flight Operations Team / Mr. Earl H. Maize | For outstanding performance in the planning and execution of the Cassini mission leading to unprecedented scientific data return form the Saturn system |
| 2018 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | GRACE Operations Team / Mr. Jaap Herman | GRACE is one of the most successful missions ever with currently already more than 4100 peer reviewed papers. Operations are especially challenging because the two satellites themselves are the probes in the terrestrial gravity field. The interaction between payload- and satellite- operations intensified even more with the mission in its sixteenth year now, more than threefold beyond the original expectation |
| 2018 | Exceptional Achievement Medal | Mr. Nestor Peccia | Always emphasizing the importance of Ground Systems allowing flawless operations, being a leader of international cooperation and fostering the development of international standards for cross-support between space agencies |
| 2018 | Lifetime Achievement Medal | Mr. Kaneaki Narita | For his dedication in modernizing satellite operation ground control, especially increasing the ability of interoperability, and for being a trailblazer in the field of cross support operations through education |
| 2018 | Distinguished Service Medal | Mr. Michael Kearney | For outstanding and steadfast support to the SpaceOps Organization and for distinguished service to colleagues and organizations around the world for the betterment and interests of space mission operations |
| 2016 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | New Horizons Mission Operations Team / Ms. Alice Bowman | For the successful flight and flyby operations of the New Horizons spacecraft of the dwarf planet Pluto |
| 2016 | Lifetime Achievement Medal | Mr. Christopher C. Kraft Jr. | For pioneering concepts that laid the foundation for spaceflight mission control and human spaceflight missions, and for technical and inspirational leadership that led to the establishment of essential elements of successful space mission operations |
| 2016 | Distinguished Service Medal | Ms. Christine Chubenko | For the design, maintenance, and upgrading of the SpaceOps and SOSTC online “Journal of Space Operations & Communications” since 2005 |
| 2014 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | TSX & TDX (TerraSar & Tandem) Mission Operations Team / Dr. Edith Maurer | For its outstanding and unique achievements during the more than 4 years of operations |
| 2014 | Exceptional Achievement Medal | Dr. Manfred Warhaut | Always emphasizing the importance of operations in a project, ensuring that operations get the appropriate appreciation, and being a strong supporter of cross-support between space agencies |
| 2014 | Distinguished Service Medal | Ms. Geneviève Campan | In appreciation for your involvement in the SpaceOps Organization and your many valuable contributions to its activities in various functions for more than 10 years |
| 2012 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | Hayabusa Operations Team / Dr. Junichiro Kawaguchi | The Hayabusa Operations Team, through its excellent collaborative work, successfully returned the Explore to Earth despite difficulties due to equipment failure onboard |
| 2012 | Exceptional Achievement Medal | Dr. Sami Asmar | For creating a system that has transformed space operations during critical events to acquire information indispensible to the safety and health of costly space exploration missions via Radio Science Systems |
| 2012 | Distinguished Service Medal | Mr. James Costrell | In recognition of four decades of leadership and service in the International Space Operations community |
| 2012 | Distinguished Service Medal | Mr. Terry D. (Dave) Linick | Dave Linick is the initiator of the SpaceOps Organization in its current form. His activities date back to 1990 and he has served without interruption in various functions and on SpaceOps committees since then |
| 2010 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | Mars Exploration Rover Operations Team / Dr. John Callas | For remarkable success in meeting the unique and varied challenges of operating a rover on Mars and establishing a model for future in situ operations |
| 2010 | Exceptional Achievement Medal | Mr. Eugene Kranz | For pioneering the concepts and procedures that laid the foundation of human spaceflight operations, many of which are still in use today, and for inspirational leadership that raised the awareness of the importance of spaceflight operations throughout the world |
| 2010 | Distinguished Service Medal | Dr. Paolo Maldari | For his dedication to the SpaceOps Organization since its early days and as one of the fathers as cross-support, in addition to his involvement with the planning committees for the SpaceOps 2008 Conference and the symposium on Reducing the Cost of Spacecraft Ground Systems and Operations |
| 2008 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | Ulysses Mission Operations Team / Mr. Nigel Angold | For its outstanding contributions to the success, scientific productivity, and longevity of the joint ESA-NASA Ulysses Mission to the poles of the sun |
| 2008 | Distinguished Service Medal | Mr. Robert K. Wilson | In recognition for outstanding dedication, leadership, operational excellence, innovation, and sustained technical performance, significantly contributing to the success of NASA Astronomy Physics, Planetary and Earth Observing missions and the Spitzer Space Telescope |
| 2008 | Distinguished Service Medal | Mr. Herwig Laue | In recognition for over five years of dedicated service as acting SpaceOps Co-Chair, including his role in organizing the 1996 SpaceOps Symposium – in excellent cooperation with DLR, the German Aerospace Center – which featured the first “on-line” paper collection system, the first CD publication of the proceedings, and numerous other innovations |
| 2008 | Distinguished Service Medal | John C. Rodgers | In recognition for his service as one of the founding members of the SpaceOps Organization, his dedication to SpaceOps activities since its formation in 1992, and his unwavering support by representing NASA in the newly-formed Organization |
| 2006 | Distinguished Service Medal | Mr. Joachim Kehr | For being a founding father of the SpaceOps Organization, for nurturing it through its formative years, and for playing an active role in it even after officially retiring from the German Space Operations Center |
| 2006 | Award for Outstanding Achievement | U.S. Geological Survey Landsat 5 Flight Operations Team / Mr. Ron Smilek | For its dedicated efforts in recovering Landsat 5 from two potentially mission-ending hardware anomalies and restoring the mission for full operations. |