www.nasa.gov/sfa

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration

SPACE FLIGHT AWARENESS
Featured On Cover

SpaceX Crew-6 members pose for a portrait underneath a Falcon 9 rocket booster.

Crew Members (l-r) 

Cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, Astronaut Stephen Bowen, Astronaut Warren Hoburg, Emrati Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi
NASA’s Vision, Mission, 

and Strategic Goals 

Associate Administrator’s Message

History of Space Flight Awareness 

Program Goals, Objectives, and Teams

SFA Activities, Visits, and Products

SFA Awards

2023 Honoree Events

FY 2022 Metrics

SFA Working Group Members

SPACE FLIGHT AWARENESS 

PROGRAM 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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NASA’s Artemis I Mission:

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket 

with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop 

the mobile launcher as it is rolled back to the 

Vehicle Assembly Building from Launch Pad 

39B
THE VISION

Exploring the secrets of the universe for the benefit of humanity.

THE MISSION

NASA explores the unknown in air and space

• Exploring at the Moon and on to Mars

• Solving mysteries of our home planet, solar system, and beyond

• Revolutionizing air transportation

NASA innovates for the benefit of humanity

• Improving life on Earth through climate, medical, and 

technological innovations

• Developing sustainable aviation enabled by green technologies

• Increasing access to space and making our data and 

innovations accessible to all

NASA inspires the world through discovery

• Leading worldwide partnerships aligned with our values and 

vision

• Growing new commercial markets to serve NASA and all of 

America’s interests

• Valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion for our current and 

future workforce

FOUR STRATEGIC THEMES

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NASA’S VISION, MISSION, AND STRATEGIC GOALS

HISTORY OF SPACE FLIGHT AWARENESS

NASA established the Space Flight Awareness (SFA) Motivation and Recognition Program in 1963 during the Mercury 

and Gemini period to infuse the space program with a renewed and strengthened consciousness of quality and 

flight safety. As NASA’s human spaceflight programs continued and developed, the NASA centers increased 

the assistance they provided to the employees’ motivation programs of their contractors and other government 

agencies. SFA soon became the watchword of the American space program.

The SFA Program played an integral and increasingly forceful safety role in the Saturn, Apollo Skylab and ApolloSoyuz projects. By the time the space shuttle first flew, the program had expanded to include subcontractors

providing critical hardware, software and services. As regular Space Shuttle missions grew in complexity and the 

International Space Station became a reality, the SFA Program evolved into one of the single most successful 

motivational initiatives within all federal and contractor departments and agencies.

The future of spaceflight brings new opportunities and challenges for the SFA Program. To continue to be effective, the 

program must keep pace with an ever-changing environment of people, systems and processes that design, build, fly 

and support human spaceflight.

For that reason, the SFA Working Group work diligently to ensure an effective and valuable program. SFA continues to 

focus on excellence in quality and safety – for the lives of the astronauts, for mission success and for the success of 

America’s space program.

• Discover 

• Explore

• Develop

• Enable

STRATEGIC GOALS

1. Expand human knowledge through new 

scientific discoveries.

2. Extend human presence deeper into 

space and to the moon for sustainable 

long-term exploration and utilization.

3. Address national challenges and catalyze 

economic growth.

4. Optimize capabilities and operations.

NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson
in many cases exceeding performance expectations.

NASA Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) teams 

modernized infrastructure at Launch Complex 39B 

and the Vehicle Assembly Building in anticipation 

of the mobile launcher bracing 8.8 million pounds 

of thrust at liftoff to send Orion to the Moon. Orion

accomplished 161 test objectives (and even 20 

more objectives added mid-flight) on its maiden 

voyage, fully demonstrating every aspect of the 

vehicle. All the spacecraft’s dynamic separation 

events — those moments where we hold our breath 

— were completed without issue. Poor weather 

attempted to, but decidedly did not, rain on the 

parade of the Artemis I mission, with splashdown 

moved to a new target landing spot to avoid

Team, 

Thank you for another extraordinary year of discoveries 

and accomplishments in human space exploration 

— breaking records and making history.

While crew members orbited Earth aboard the International Space Station, conducting scientific investigations, we launched the Orion spacecraft atop the 

Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for Artemis I on its 

first mission beyond the Moon — on a 1.4-million-mile

roundtrip journey — and safely rode that wave of

success to conclusion with splashdown of the crew 

capsule in the Pacific Ocean on December 11, 2022. 

Though postflight analysis continues, preliminary data

confirms that we got a lot right. The debut flight of 

SLS showed that the rocket performed with precision,

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A MESSAGE FROM THE ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATORS OF 

SPACE OPERATIONS & EXPLORATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT
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SpaceX is progressing on its Starship human

landing system that will carry humans from lunar 

orbit to the surface of the Moon and back again 

during Artemis III and IV. By the end of 2023, we’ll 

have a second provider on contract. In March, 

Axiom revealed a prototype of the spacesuit that 

will be worn by Artemis III astronauts, including the 

first woman in history to set foot on the lunar surface. The Exploration Ground Systems team continues to make progress on Mobile Launcher (ML) 

refurbishments after the Artemis I launch and on 

the development of Mobile Launcher 2, to enable 

the SLS Block 1B rocket to launch from complex 

39B at our Kennedy Space Center. The Block 1B 

variation of SLS will use a new, more powerful 

Exploration Upper Stage to enable more ambitious 

missions, including launch crew and cargo to the 

Moon in one shot. The SLS Block 1B’s first flight will 

be Artemis IV, when the European Space Agencyprovided International Habitat (I-HAB) module will 

be launched to Gateway alongside the crew in the 

Orion spacecraft. Looking further forward to Artemis

V, the draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Lunar 

Terrain Vehicle (LTV) unpressurized rover is out for 

industry feedback, and procurement will officially 

kick off with the final RFP release this summer. 

inclement conditions. All these defining moments 

with our NASA colleagues, as well as international 

and industry partners, validated that NASA’s deep 

space transportation system is one that humans can 

rely upon for future human space exploration. 

Building on the foundation of Artemis I, work is well 

underway on hardware for missions through Artemis 

V, and we have work on contract through Artemis IX, 

demonstrating how hardware-rich our lunar endeavors 

are. The Artemis IV Orion pressure vessel was delivered to Kennedy Space Center earlier this year, 

joining the two other Orion spacecraft we will use 

for Artemis II and III. We are nearing the integration 

of the Artemis II Orion crew module with the service 

module at Kennedy and expect the European Service 

Module for Artemis III to ship later this year. Artemis 

V’s Orion is also in production, with panels being 

machined and modules being assembled across the 

globe. The SLS rockets for Artemis II through V are 

making progress as well. Teams recently completed 

the final major join of the core stage for Artemis II 

and are integrating the RS-25 engines – we’ll ship 

the core stage this summer. We’ve also embarked on 

a rigorous hot fire testing campaign for a redesigned 

RS-25 engine to support the production of additional 

engines for future SLS flights.

Associate Administrator for 

Space Operations Mission Directorate

Associate Administrator for 

Exploration Systems Development 

Mission Directorate

A MESSAGE FROM THE ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATORS OF 

SPACE OPERATIONS & EXPLORATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT
2023 Space Flight Awareness

Program Goals

1. Sponsor employee recognition and motivation 

events utilizing our astronaut corps and senior 

management.

2. Sponsor milestone events.

3. Promote current and future human spaceflight 

 missions. Recognize significant accomplishments.

4. Promote awareness of future programs by 

developing awareness and safety products, 

and recognize significant program milestones.

Space Flight Awareness 

Objectives

1. Improve employee awareness on the importance 

of their role in promoting safety, quality, and 

mission success.

2. Conduct events that motivate and recognize

the workforce and improve employee morale.

3. Function as an internal communications team

to disseminate key program safety, quality, 

and mission messages.

4. Increase awareness of the spaceflight program 

with a focus on safety and mission success. 

5. Maintain supplier motivational and recognition 

programs.

SPACE FLIGHT AWARENESS 

PROGRAM GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND TEAMS

NASA established the Space Flight Awareness (SFA) program in 1963. It was established as a formal program during 

the Mercury and Gemini program, to infuse the space program with a renewed and strengthened consciousness of 

quality and flight safety. Since its inception, SFA’s mission has been to ensure that all employees involved in human 

spaceflight are aware of the impact their actions can have on astronaut safety and mission success. During this time, 

thousands of individuals were recognized for their contributions to the safety and success of NASA’s programs. The 

key to SFA’s longevity is its two-pronged approach to meeting its goal – awareness and recognition.

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Space Flight Awareness 

Program Teams 

Products: Produce products that highlight safety and 

awareness of human spaceflight programs.

Awareness: Increase awareness of the SFA Program. 

Develops key messages related to astronaut and mission 

success for human spaceflight.

Supplier: Promote awareness and provide recognition to critical suppliers who provide outstanding products and services 

in support of the human spaceflight programs and mission.

Expedition 68 Logo
SFA Activities

SFA activities include employee recognition, 

motivational visits and the development, display 

and distribution of awareness tools and educational 

materials. 

SFA Visits 

SFA works to arrange executive and astronaut visits 

to help remotely located employees feel that they are 

part of the human spaceflight team, and to give them 

an opportunity to get to know those who will use the 

products they design and build.

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SPACE FLIGHT AWARENESS

ACTIVITIES, VISITS, AND PRODUCTS

SFA Products

SFA uses a variety of products to focus on key 

aspects of human spaceflight requirements and 

mission activities:

• Printed products – safety, quality, reliability, 

mission, astronauts, significant milestones

• Decals – mission and program decals

• Lapel Pins – vehicle, mission, milestones

• Safety Day briefings

Astronaut Stephanie Wilson presented the Honoree award to recipient Danielle Messick; along with Doug Bradley, 

Program Manager of the RS-25 and Jim Maser, Senior Vice President Space Unit Aerojet Rocketdyne.
Silver Snoopy Award

This is the astronauts’ personal award. To qualify 

for this award, eligible candidates will have made 

contributions toward enhancing the probability 

of mission success or improvements in design, 

administrative/technical/production techniques, 

business systems, flight and/or systems safety, or

identification and correction or preventive actions 

for errors. This award is generally not intended for

management. Only one Silver Snoopy award per 

individual is permitted.

Honoree Award

This award is one of the highest presented to NASA 

and industry and is for first-level management and 

below. This award is presented to employees for their 

dedication to quality work and flight safety. To qualify, 

the individual must have contributed beyond his or 

her normal work requirements to achieve significant 

impact on attaining a particular human spaceflight 

program goal; contributed to a major cost savings; 

been instrumental in developing modification to 

hardware, software, or materials that increase reliability, 

efficiency, or performance; assisted in operational

improvements; or been a key player in developing 

a beneficial process improvement. An honoree may 

only receive this award once.

Flight Safety Award

This award recognizes significant, outstanding

individual or team contributions related to the 

prevention of anything that could lead to a catastrophic 

mishap to the vehicle, crew or mission. The approval 

process for this award includes the SFA Working 

Group, the Flight Safety Panel, NASA’s Chief of 

Safety and Mission Assurance, the NASA Associate

Administrators for Exploration Systems Development 

and Space Operation Mission Directorates.

Team Award

This award is used to recognize groups of employees 

that have demonstrated exemplary teamwork while 

accomplishing a particular task or goal in support of 

the human spaceflight program.

Supplier Award

This annual award honors outstanding

performance by hardware, software, or service

suppliers who support NASA human spaceflight 

programs. Awardees are chosen based on their 

production of high-quality products, excellent 

technical and cost performance and adherence 

to schedules.

Management Award

This award is intended for recognition of proactive 

mid-level managers who consistently demonstrate

loyalty, empowerment, accountability, diversity,

excellence, respect, sharing, honesty, and integrity.

Trailblazer Award

This award is used to recognize employees who 

are in the early stages of their career. Awardees 

must demonstrate strong work ethic and creative, 

innovative thinking in support of human spaceflight.

Special Local Award

The SFA Special Local Award is presented to local 

employees for their dedication to quality work and 

flight safety and mission success. Awardees will 

have the opportunity to be recognized at an award 

program, participate in a special program milestone 

event, as appropriate, and meet with top NASA and 

industry officials. The SFA Special Local Award should 

not be used as recognition for an individual’s longevity, 

retirement, or separation from service. 

SPACE FLIGHT AWARENESS 

PROGRAM AWARDS

10 For more information on SFA visit www.nasa.gov/sfa
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The Color of Space

NASA TV producer of “The Color of 

Space” Jori Kates gives remarks prior 

to the screening of the documentary at 

Howard University’s Cramton Auditorium 

in Washington, Saturday, June 18, 2022. 

Premiering on Juneteenth, the federal

holiday commemorating the end of 

slavery in the United States, “The Color 

of Space” is an inspirational documentary

that tells the stories of NASA’s Black 

astronauts determined to reach the stars.

MEET THE ARTEMIS II 

MISSION TEAM

Crew members (l-r): NASA astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman (seated), Victor Glover, and 

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen
AWARD METRICS

Fiscal

Year

Silver 

Snoopy 

Awards

Honoree 

Awards

Flight 

Safety 

Awards

Team 

Awards

Total # 

of Team 

Members

Supplier 

Awards

Management 

Awards

Local 

Recognition

Trailblazer 

Awards

Astronaut 

Visits

2018 149 127 0 43 1709 3 35 12 36 18

2019 142 84 4 35 830 5 19 0 22 21

2020 10 46 0 36 912 5 6 0 10 11

2021 34 0 2 66 1872 0 30 0 37 14

2022 161 96 1 31 327 1 5 6 44 17

Silver Snoopy Awards

Headquarters

Glenn Research Center

Goddard Space Flight Center

Johnson Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

Langley Research Center

NESC

NSSC

Stennis Space Center

DCMA

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Boeing

Northrop Grumman 

Honoree Awards

Headquarters

Ames Research Center

Glenn Research Center

Goddard Space Flight Center

Johnson Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

Langley Research Center

Marshall Space Flight Center

NESC

NSSC

Stennis Space Center

DCMA

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Boeing

Lockheed Martin

Northrop Grumman

Flight Safety Awards

Langley Research Center

Team Awards

Headquarters

Goddard Space Flight Center

Johnson Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

DCMA

Boeing

161

1

23

9

63

18

1

1

4

21

2

5

6

7

96

10

1

4

2

13

8

2

10

1

1

10

1

8

13

7

5

1

1

31

3

2

14

6

4

2

Team Members Awarded

Headquarters

Goddard Space Flight Center

Johnson Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

DCMA

Boeing

Supplier Awards

Johnson Space Center

Management Awards

Johnson Space Center

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Local Recognition Awards

Johnson Space Center

Trailblazer Awards

Glenn Research Center

Goddard Space Flight Center

Johnson Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

Marshall Space Flight Center

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Boeing

Astronaut Visits

Headquarters

Goddard Space Flight Center

Johnson Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

Langley Research Center

NESC

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Boeing

Northrop Grumman

327

20

39

157

41

50

20

1

1

5

2

3

6

6

44

3

2

16

5

9

3

6

17

1

1

3

2

1

1

2

5

1
Astronaut Zena Cardman presented the Silver Snoopy award to recipient Mike Lauer.

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Astronaut Victor Glover presented the Silver Snoopy award to recipient Greg Goebel.
RS-25 Engine Test

Stennis Space Center, Mississippi

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2023 HONOREE EVENTS 

Boeing Starliner Crewed Flight Test

Kennedy Space Center, Florida
SPACE FLIGHT AWARENESS 

WORKING GROUP MEMBERS

The SFA Working Group strives to ensure an effective 

program, one of value to the human spaceflight 

workforce. The focus of the program continues to 

be excellence in quality, safety and mission success.

Dr. Alotta Taylor

Office of Space Operations

NASA Headquarters, Program Manager

Shera McNeill*

NASA Headquarters

Jessica Cordero

NASA Johnson Space Center

Jane Mosconi

NASA Kennedy Space Center

Amanda Dobbs**

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Tessa Keating***

NASA Stennis Space Center

Briana Horton

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Julie Zingerman

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Megan Donaldson

The Boeing Company

Kara Denny

Lockheed Martin

Stephanie Williams

Northrop Grumman

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 * SFA Working Group member also represents: 

 Glenn Research Center, Langley Research Center, and NASA Engineering & Safety Center 

 ** SFA Working Group member also represents: NASA Michoud Assembly Facility

*** SFA Working Group member also represents: Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center, 

 Defense Contract Management Agency, and NASA Shared Services 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Headquarters

300 E. Street, SW

Washington, DC 20546

www.nasa.gov/centers

www.nasa.gov

NP-2023-04-3122-HQ

PROGRAM 2023

SPACE FLIGHT AWARENESS

NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2)