Space Pioneer Awards

The annual Space Pioneer awards recognize those individuals and teams whose accomplishments have helped to open the space frontier. The awards are divided into a number of categories. The intent is to recognize those who have made significant contributions in different fields of endeavor to "develop a spacefaring civilization that will establish communities beyond the Earth." The Space Pioneer awards for 2005 went to:

• Business/Entrepreneur: Paul Allen, founder of Microsoft, for his contributions to expanding the opportunities for ordinary citizens to live and work in space through funding the SpaceShipOne project, and related activities.
• Scientist/Engineer: Dr. Boris Smeds, European Space Agency, for his pioneering work in support of the Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn and Titan
• Scientist/Engineering Team: Mars Exploration Rover Mission Team, for their continued successful operation of the Mars mobile rovers, Spirit and Opportunity; the award was accepted by Dr. Steven Squyers, Cornell University, Principal Investigator for the science payload

In a new category of award called the National Award for Excellence, the NSS also recognizes those members of the National Space Society who have made substantial contributions to the workings of the Society over the past year.

For additional information about NSS awards, please contact Dr. Dana J. Johnson, Awards Committee Chair.