Celebrates Greatest Achievement in Aeronautics for 2023 

The Robert J. Collier Trophy has been awarded by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) since 1911 for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year. 

This year's award will go to the OSIRIS-REx Team at the Robert J. Collier Dinner on June 13, 2024 in Washington, D.C.

In September 2023, the OSIRIS-REx Mission stunned the world when it became the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid and return it to Earth. The material is the most significant carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth. Scientists are working diligently to characterize the samples and conduct the analysis needed to meet the mission's significant goals. The material helps researchers understand asteroids that could threaten the Earth and investigate the origins of life on our planet.

“There is no other recognition in the world like the Collier Trophy,” said NAA President and CEO Amy Spowart. “The NAA is the oldest national aviation organization in the U.S.; this award remains the most prestigious and coveted in the industry. What the OSIRIS-REx team achieved to earn the 2023 Collier is a testament to determination, genius, and teamwork. It’s the NAA’s distinct honor to recognize and celebrate the remarkable team that made the impossible possible.”

“In the true embodiment of the Collier Trophy spirit, our team, together with our partners, approached every step of OSIRIS-REx with the resolve, tenacity, and creativity necessary to execute this mission of unlocking the mysteries of our universe,” said Robert Lightfoot, President, Lockheed Martin Space. “We are immensely grateful for this honor and are humbled to be alongside so many remarkable historic achievements in aerospace.”

FMI: www.naa.aero