Awards
The AIAA History Committee is the selection committee for a variety of awards related to space history and literature.
HISTORY MANUSCRIPT AWARD
The History Manuscript Award is presented for the best historical manuscript dealing with the science, technology, and/or impact of aeronautics and astronautics on society. The purpose of the award is to provide professional recognition to an author who makes a major and original contribution to the history of aeronautics or astronautics. The award is generally presented at the AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit. This award is presented yearly for the best manuscript dealing with the history of either the field of aeronautics or astronautics.
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GARDNER-LASSER BOOK AWARD
The Gardner-Lasser Aerospace History Literature Award is presented for the best original contribution to the field of aeronautical or astronautical non-fiction literature published in the last five years dealing with the science, technology, and/or impact of aeronautics or astronautics on society. It honors David Lasser, an editor of science fiction stories who is considered to be the guiding spirit of the founders of the American Interplanetary Society and its first president, and Lester Durand Gardner, publisher of Aviation and Aeronautical Engineering (which later became Aviation Week and Space Technology) and the founder of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences. The American Interplanetary Society (later known as the American Rocket Society) and Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences merged to form the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. This annual award is generally presented at the AIAA Science and Technology Forum (SCITECH), but may be presented at the technical conference which matches the focus of the selected literature.
The Children's Literature Award is presented for an outstanding, significant, and original book in aeronautics and astronautics published within the last 2 years. The award is presented biennially (odd-numbered years) generally at the AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition (SciTech). Nomination Deadline: 1 July
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BEST HISTORY PAPER AWARD
A certificate is presented for the winner of the best paper presented over the past two years at an AIAA sponsored event concerning any aspect of the history of the aerospace field. Session chairs of all history sessions nominate best papers from their sessions for the award. The subcommittee reviews the list of papers published by the institute over the last two years for other papers dealing with historical topics. All relevant history papers are reviewed and the subcommittee selects a winner. The winner is notified and presented with a certificate at a suitable AIAA event. The paper is selected based on the following guidelines: historical content, originality, impact of work, and preparation.
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