Saying this 12 months’s finalists for the SpaceNews Icon Awards, highlighting innovation, exploration and {industry} management.
The SpaceNews Icon Awards rejoice the 12 months’s most iconic achievements shaping the course of the area {industry}. At the moment, we’re proud to current the Shortlist for 2024—a choice of people, organizations and missions that exemplify excellence in advancing area exploration, sustainability and innovation.
This 12 months’s Icon Shortlist spans outstanding accomplishments, from groundbreaking worldwide partnerships to technological breakthroughs and business successes. It highlights efforts that broaden horizons whereas contributing to a boundless future—not only for these prepared to maneuver to the moon and Mars, however for all of us persevering with our journey aboard this generational area vessel known as Earth.
As SpaceNews marks its thirty fifth anniversary, we replicate on a shared historical past formed by the identical traits that outline the area {industry}: grit, gumption and gobs of duct tape. By means of cycles of progress and problem, we’ve reported on the setbacks, the breakthroughs, and the shifting panorama of area. This 12 months’s nominees exemplify that very same willpower, redefining the bounds of what’s doable as humanity explores new frontiers. Incomes a spot on this Shortlist is a mark of distinction, recognizing those that have set new requirements throughout 10 classes, every worthy of this 12 months’s accolades.
What Occurs Subsequent?
Over the approaching weeks, our panel of judges will overview the achievements of every nominee intimately. Winners will likely be introduced on the 2024 SpaceNews Icon Awards ceremony, the place we’ll rejoice their contributions and discover the tales behind their successes. Keep tuned for additional bulletins, and be part of us in recognizing the most effective of the most effective within the area {industry}.
Be part of us for this 12 months’s dwell occasion in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 6! To be taught extra and safe your spot, go to 2024 Icon Awards Tickets – SpaceNews Icon Awards (spacenewsawards.com)
Worldwide Collaboration
This award acknowledges worldwide partnerships which have superior area exploration, analysis, or business actions, fostering world progress and shared success in area.
Arctic Satellite tv for pc Broadband Mission (ASBM): A groundbreaking partnership between House Norway, the U.S. House Power, Northrop Grumman, and Viasat, delivering safe army and business broadband protection to the Arctic. This mission marks the primary time an operational U.S. army payload has been hosted on a world satellite tv for pc, enabling resilient communications in a difficult atmosphere.
Artemis Accords: Signed by 45 nations so far, together with 12 to date this 12 months, and that includes a coalition of each seasoned and aspiring area nations dedicated to advancing area exploration.
Intelsat: Partnering with SoftBank to standardize 5G connectivity between terrestrial and satellite tv for pc networks, pioneering a “Ubiquitous Community” that permits seamless world connectivity.
House Security and Safety
This award honors efforts that improve the protection, safety, and resilience of area actions, together with particles administration, satellite tv for pc safety, and area situational consciousness.
ATLAS House Operations: Strengthening safe satellite tv for pc communications by integrating authorities and business networks, offering resilient and adaptable options for essential satellite tv for pc operations.
Millennium House: Advancing missile warning with MEO satellites and pioneering small satellite tv for pc operations in tremendous GEO, securing key U.S. House Power contracts to boost missile protection capabilities.
Slingshot Aerospace: Setting new requirements in area situational consciousness with Slingshot Beacon, facilitating collision avoidance for 90% of LEO satellites and partnering with the U.S. authorities to boost area site visitors administration.
Rising House Firm
This award acknowledges new or fast-growing corporations making a major influence within the area {industry} by innovation, funding, or market achievements.
AST SpaceMobile: Deploying direct-to-smartphone satellites, attaining industry-first space-based voice calls, and securing strategic telecom partnerships to convey broadband to distant areas.
Astranis: Increasing reasonably priced broadband with revolutionary MicroGEO satellites, securing $750 million in funding, and growing high-capacity Omega satellites to attach hundreds of thousands globally.
Impulse House: Demonstrating superior area tug capabilities with versatile orbital switch automobiles, led by SpaceX veteran Tom Mueller, and securing U.S. House Power contracts for rapid-response missions.
Expertise Achievement
This award celebrates technological breakthroughs and achievements that push the boundaries of area exploration, analysis, and business actions.
NASA Deep House Optical Communications: Demonstrated high-bandwidth laser communications with the Psyche spacecraft at distances of as much as 460 million kilometers.
Orbital Sidekick: Delivering industry-leading hyperspectral imagery with a rising satellite tv for pc constellation, offering essential insights for power infrastructure monitoring and incomes recognition for dual-use knowledge options.
Varda House Industries: Demonstrated the viability of a business reentry capsule that performed a profitable pharmaceutical experiment, opening new avenues for space-based manufacturing and analysis.
Mission Excellence
This award highlights missions that achieved noteworthy milestones and made important contributions to area exploration, science, or business area operations.
CAPSTONE Workforce (Superior House): Operated the primary business cubesat on the moon, advancing lunar navigation and testing the orbit for use by the Gateway.
Hera: An ESA spacecraft launched in October to go to the asteroid that NASA’s DART spacecraft hit in 2022. Regardless of provide chain and pandemic challenges, it was developed on a good schedule and underneath finances.
Polaris Spacewalk: A non-public human spaceflight mission that included the best altitude flown by a crewed spacecraft since Apollo 17 — and the primary business spacewalk.
Business House Achievement
This award acknowledges corporations which have excelled in advancing business area capabilities, contributing to the expansion of the area financial system.
IM-1 Lunar Lander: Achieved the primary business mushy touchdown on the moon in help of NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration efforts whereas opening new markets for business lunar actions.
Starlink: Increasing world connectivity with over 4 million subscribers in 100+ international locations, enhancing cellular attain by Direct-to-Cell, and quickly rising in-flight web companies throughout main airways whereas supporting catastrophe response and army communications.
Umbra: Delivering industry-leading high-resolution SAR imagery with a rising satellite tv for pc constellation and strategic partnerships, increasing world entry to essential intelligence knowledge.
Instructional Outreach and Advocacy
This award honors organizations which have made distinctive efforts to advertise area schooling, outreach and advocacy to encourage the subsequent era of area professionals.
SEDS (College students for the Exploration and Improvement of House): Selling area schooling by student-led initiatives.
SGAC (House Era Advisory Council): Participating younger professionals globally within the area sector.
USGIF (U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Basis): Awarding scholarships to nurture geospatial and area expertise.
Sustainability and Environmental Affect
This award acknowledges efforts to advertise the sustainable use of area and decrease the environmental influence of area actions, together with particles elimination, satellite tv for pc life extension, and space-based environmental monitoring.
Astroscale: Its profitable ADRAS-J mission inspected a Japanese higher stage left in low Earth orbit, enabling a future mission to deorbit the stage and reveal the viability of orbital particles remediation.
GHGSat: Main in greenhouse gasoline monitoring with 12 satellites, together with the primary business CO2 sensor, offering essential knowledge for local weather efforts.
Northrop SpaceLogistics: Extending satellite tv for pc lifespans with improvements just like the Mission Extension Pod, decreasing area particles and supporting sustainable area operations.
Particular person Achievement
This award acknowledges people whose management, imaginative and prescient, and contributions have profoundly impacted the area {industry}. Honoring those that have set new benchmarks in innovation, technique, or mentorship, the award highlights the achievements of leaders who drive progress, strengthen area capabilities, and encourage others throughout the area neighborhood.
Carissa Christensen: Drove area {industry} insights as BryceTech CEO, shaping coverage and technique for presidency and business purchasers and mentoring the subsequent era of area leaders.
Gen. Michael Guetlein: Strengthened U.S. area protection capabilities because the Vice Chief of House Operations and first commander of House Techniques Command, with prior management as Deputy Director of the Nationwide Reconnaissance Workplace.
Steve Isakowitz: Strengthened nationwide safety area capabilities as CEO of The Aerospace Company, with strategic management roles at NASA, the Division of Vitality and Virgin Galactic.
Lifetime Achievement
This award acknowledges people whose careers have left a long-lasting influence on the area {industry}. By means of management, imaginative and prescient and dedication, these honorees have formed the course of area exploration and business actions over the long run, driving progress and provoking future generations.
Jean-Yves Le Gall: Superior European area management at CNES and Arianespace, driving Ariane 5’s success, selling the Galileo program, and championing European collaboration in area.
Richard DalBello: Formed U.S. business area coverage as head of the Workplace of House Commerce, advocated for the {industry} at Intelsat Common and the Satellite tv for pc Trade Affiliation, and superior area ventures at Virgin Galactic.
Simon “Pete” Worden: Pushed boundaries in reusable rocketry with DC-X, superior lunar exploration with Clementine, fomented the smallsat revolution at NASA Ames, and has led Breakthrough Initiatives’ seek for life and interstellar exploration.
To be taught extra about this 12 months’s dwell occasion in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 6 and to register go to 2024 Icon Awards Tickets – SpaceNews Icon Awards (spacenewsawards.com)
