National Air and Space Museum Trophy facts for kids

The Michael Collins Trophy is a special award given out every year. It was first created in 1985. The award used to be called the National Air and Space Museum Trophy. In 2020, it was renamed to honor Michael Collins, a famous astronaut.

This important trophy is given by the National Air and Space Museum. They give it to people who have done amazing things in air and space. This could be for leading big science projects or for a long career helping air and space technology. It also honors those who write about the history of flight and space travel.

The trophy itself is a small copy of a sculpture. This sculpture is called "The Web of Space." A talented artist named John Safer made the original sculpture and the trophy. He was also a banker from Washington, D.C..

Honoring Amazing Achievements

The Michael Collins Trophy celebrates two main types of achievements. These are "Lifetime Achievements" and "Current Achievements."

Lifetime Achievement Awards

This award goes to people who have had a long and amazing career. They have made huge contributions to air and space over many years.

• 2021 Gene Kranz
• 2020 Charles Elachi
• 2019 Charlie Bolden
• 2018 John R. Dailey
• 2017 Peter Theisinger
• 2016 James A. Lovell
• 2015 Stamatios Krimigis
• 2014 Norm Augustine
• 2013 Joe Sutter
• 2012 Burt Rutan
• 2011 George Mueller
• 2010 Christopher C. Kraft, Jr.
• 2009 John R. Casani and C. Gordon Fullerton
• 2008 Col. Joseph Kittinger
• 2007 Robert A. "Bob" Hoover
• 2006 James A. Van Allen
• 2005 Frank N. Piasecki
• 2004 Neil Armstrong
• 2003 (No Award) - The museum did not give this award in 2003. This was because of many celebrations for 100 years of flight.
• 2002 Stanley Hiller Jr.
• 2001 Sen. John Glenn
• 2000 A. Scott Crossfield
• 1999 Dr. Simon Ramo
• 1998 Richard T. Whitcomb
• 1997 Anthony "Tony" LeVier
• 1996 Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, USAF (Ret.)
• 1995 Najeeb E. Halaby
• 1994 Dr. Michael H. Carr
• 1993 Olive Ann Beech
• 1992 Francis M. Rogallo
• 1991 Arthur E. Raymond
• 1990 Kelly Johnson and the SR-71 Design Team
• 1989 Edwin Land
• 1988 Harold Masursky
• 1987 John Steiner
• 1986 Sir Frank Whittle and Dr. Hans von Ohain
• 1985 Robert R. Gilruth

Current Achievement Awards

This award celebrates a recent, important accomplishment. It could be a new discovery or a successful project.

• 2021 SpaceX and Crew Dragon Team
• 2020 Hubble Space Telescope Team
• 2019 LIGO Scientific Collaboration
• 2018 Shaesta Waiz of Dreams Soar Inc.
• 2017 Kenn Borek Air's South Pole Rescue Team
• 2016 NASA's New Horizons Mission Team
• 2015 Kepler Mission Team
• 2014 The Dawn Flight Team
• 2013 Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent and Landing team, led by Adam Steltzner
• 2012 The Cassini-Huygens Flight Team
• 2011 Michael Suffredini and the International Space Station Program Office
• 2010 Flight crew of US Airways Flight 1549: Chesley B. Sullenberger III, Jeffrey B. Skiles, Sheila Dail, Donna Dent and Doreen Welsh
• 2009 (No Award) - There was no award for Current Achievement in 2009. Instead, two Lifetime Achievement Trophies were given out.
• 2008 Stardust Comet Sample Return Mission Team
• 2007 NASA STS-121 shuttle mission team
• 2006 Mars Exploration Rover Team
• 2005 Burt Rutan, Paul Allen, and the SpaceShipOne Team
• 2004 USAF/Lockheed Martin Milstar Team
• 2003 (No Award) - The museum did not give this award in 2003. This was because of many celebrations for 100 years of flight.
• 2002 Predator Development Team
• 2001 NEAR Mission Team
• 2000 The Chandra X-Ray Observatory Team
• 1999 The Breitling Orbiter 3 Team
• 1998 The Mars Pathfinder Team
• 1997 Dr. Shannon W. Lucid
• 1996 The Boeing 777 Civilian Airliner Development Team
• 1995 The X-31 International Test Team
• 1994 Patty Wagstaff
• 1993 Dr. Compton J. Tucker
• 1992 The Magellan Project Team
• 1991 John C. Mather and the Cosmic Background Explorer Team
• 1990 The Pegasus Launch Vehicle Team
• 1989 The Voyager Spacecraft Team
• 1988 Paul MacCready
• 1987 Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager
• 1986 John W. Young
• 1985 Astronauts Kathryn D. Sullivan, Ph.D. and Capt. Bruce McCandless, USN