NASA Distinguished Service Medal
The NASA Distinguished Service Medal is the highest award which may be bestowed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States. The medal may be presented to any member of the federal government, including both military astronauts and civilian employees.
The NASA Distinguished Service Medal is awarded to those who display distinguished service, ability, or courage, and have personally made a contribution representing substantial progress to the NASA mission. The contribution must be so extraordinary that other forms of recognition would be inadequate.
Typical presentations of the NASA Distinguished Service Medal included awards to senior NASA administrators, mission control leaders, and astronauts who have completed several successful space flights. Due to the prestige of the award, the decoration is authorized for wear on active uniforms of the United States military. Another such authorized decoration is the NASA Space Flight Medal.
Upon the recommendation of NASA, the president may award an even higher honor to astronauts, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
The medal was original awarded by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and was inherited by NASA. The first NASA version (type I), featuring the NASA seal, was issued from 1959 until 1961, when it was replaced by the current type II medal (shown). Only three type I medals were awarded—to John W. Crowley, NASA Director of Aeronautical and Space Research; and Mercury astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr. and Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom.
James Webb's award, 1 November 1968
Recipients
1959
- John W. Crowley, Jr. (first award)[1]
1961
1962
1963
1965
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
- Vance D. Brand
- Robert H. Curtin
- M. P. Frank
- Donald P. Hearth
- Chester M. Lee
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1976
- Charles J. Donlan
- Isaac T. Gillam
- Charles R. Gunn
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- William M. Lohse
- Charles W. Mathews
- John J. Neilon
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- Leonard Roberts
- William R. Schindler
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1977
1978
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- Robert H. Curtin
- Marvin L. McNickle
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1981
1992
1995
1996
2000
2001
Joseph Philip Loftus Jr. April 2001
2002
2003
2004
2007
2008
2009
2010
[10]
2011
2012
- Frank J. Benz[11]
- Byron Butler
- Sam V. Digesu
- Christopher J. Ferguson
- David C. Folta
- Michael E. Fossum
- Mark E. Kelly
- Alan J. Lindenmoyer
- David M. Martin[12]
- Ann McNair
- Robert R. Meyer
- Martin G. Mlynczak
- Philip E. Phillips[12]
- Craig L. Purdy
- Daniel C. Reda
- Joseph Savino
- Phillip A. Sabelhaus
- Peter J. Serlemitsos
- Robert M. Stephens
- Michael T. Suffredini
- Richard Zurek
2016
See also
References
External links
