IAF Excellence in Industry Award

Award recipients

• 2020: Airbus Defence and Space
• 2019: Blue Origin

Who may nominates?

-Members of the Industry Relations Committee
- Industry Organization IAF Member
- IAF Officers (President, Vice Presidents, Executive Director)

Who can be nominated?

An industry organization with exceptional merits in the space arena. Open worldwide to IAF Members and non IAF Members organizations.

Selection criteria:

The awardee should be an Industry organization recognized across global space community for outstanding and sustainable advancements in commercial and civil space, showing the following merits:

• Industry organization is distinguished as the leader in developing and executing landmark commercial and civil space missions;
• Organization is industry role model for collaboration and cooperation in the global space industry workforce;

Nominations will be judged on the following criteria:

• Demonstration of commitment to highest standard of excellence in mission planning and execution;
• Recognition of exemplary mission performance across global space industry;

Nomination submission:

a) Nomination package:

• A citation of industry contribution to growth of global space industry
• Landmark achievements in innovative space technologies and missions
• Noteworthy accomplishments in successfully executing major space events

b) IAC Call opening

Beginning / Mid of December.

The call will be written by the Industry Relations Committee in coordination with the IAF Honours and Awards Committee and support of the Secretariat. The call should be available on IAF website, promoted through mailings and social media.

c) Call ending

Mid- February.

The call should end at least one month before the spring meetings to make sure that all committee members have enough time to review all applications and make their selection. Nominations must be received by the published deadline. Any nominations received after midnight CET of the published deadline date will not be considered.

d) Where to send full nomination:

To IAF Secretariat by email to award@iafastro.org

Selection process:

• The IRC will draft the call for nominations; -The call for nominations will be open and closed as described above;
• The IAF Secretariat will centralise all nominations, prepare an excel file summarising the nominations package with a link allowing the access online of these packages (on drop box);
• The appointed IRC Award Subcommittee will select and interview the shortlisted candidate organization;
  • Recommendation of IRC Award Subcommittee will be sent to the IAF Honours and Awards Committee that will make a final recommendation;
  • the IAF Honours and Awards Committee shall review the nominations and make a recommendation to the IAF Bureau;
• The final decision will rest with the IAF Bureau.

Announcement of award recipient(s) and recognition

Any announcement will await the consensus of the awardee.

This Award will be granted to an industry organization and is not intended to recognize an individual in the organization. The IAF will invite the CEO of the industry organization awardee to attend the IAC to receive the IAF Excellence in Industry Award at the Industry Luncheon and provide keynote remarks. It will carry no amount of prize money, emphasis will be on visibility.

The selected recipient will:

• Contribute a summary of their organization’s experience and achievements, and their perspectives on space and international cooperation, including the role of IAF;
• Contribute a corporate profile (Newsletter, Website, IAC Final Programme).

The IAF Secretariat will:

• Send notification letters to the nominators and award recipient following the Spring Meetings;
• Update the IAF website once the organization has accepted the award (March – April);
• Promotion on IAF social media (March – April);
• Dedicate a special page for awardee on the IAF website;
• Send an announcement in a newsletter before IAC (June or September);
• Write an article in the IAC final programme (June-July);
• Write a publication featuring all IAF awards recipients (June);
• Stimulate publication of articles on award and recipient in pertinent journals

Number of recipients and expiration of nomination

The award is rewarded only in years when exceptional candidates are nominated and shall be granted to a single industry organization. This Award will be granted to an industry organization and is not intended to recognize an individual in the organization. A submission which is not successful in any given year may be resubmitted for later years.

Presentation of award

The IAF will invite the CEO of the industry organization awardee to attend the IAC to receive the IAF Excellence in Industry Award at the Industry Luncheon and provide keynote remarks.

Benefits of award for the recipient(s)

The award consists of a statue and a certificate which will be presented to the CEO or senior executive officer of the awarded organization during Industry Luncheon. The executive will also be invited to speak at the Industry Day Luncheon. The executive will be invited to the IAC of the year of induction (free of charge).