Awarded by: NASA
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest award bestowed by NASA, awarded to those who display distinguished service, ability or courage, and have personally made a contribution representing substantial progress to the NASA mission.
I proudly accepted the award in 2004, for demonstrating the physical cause of the Columbia accident.
You can see a complete list of the awards recipients, since 1959, here.
The Outstanding Leadership Medal is given for an act of leadership, for sustained contributions based on a leader’s effectiveness, for the productivity of the leader’s program, or for the leader’s demonstrated ability in developing the administrative or technical talents of other employees.
This particular award, bestowed upon me in 1999, was for my work as Mission Manager on the Lunar Prospector Mission.
The Exceptional Public Service Medal is awarded for sustained performance that embodies multiple contributions on NASA projects, programs, or initiatives.
I was extended this distinguished honor in 2016 for my service on the NASA Advisory Council.
The Exceptional Achievement Medal is awarded for a significant specific achievement or substantial improvement in operations, efficiency, service, financial savings, science, or technology which contributes to the mission of NASA.
I was honored to receive this award in 2001 for the Mars Program Restructuring.
The Exceptional Service Medal is awarded for sustained performance that embodies multiple contributions which contribute to NASA projects, programs, or initiatives.
I was awarded the ESM in 2005 for the Columbia Accident Board report.
The Medal for Outstanding Leadership is awarded for notably outstanding leadership which affects technical or administrative programs of NASA.
I was awarded two such medals in my time with NASA. The first, in 1998, was awarded for my work in creating and defining the flight elements of the Mars Pathfinder Mission.
The second was awarded in 2002 for directing the restructuring of the Mars Exploration Program.
The Exceptional Achievement Medal is awarded for a significant, specific accomplishment or substantial improvement in operations, efficiency, service, financial savings, science, or technology which contributes to the mission of NASA.
In 1994 I was awarded this medal for the creation of Mars Environmental Survey, (now Mars Pathfinder) mission.