NASA Johnson Leaders Honored by National Space Club & Foundation
Summary: On March 13, 2026, the National Space Club & Foundation announced its 2026 award recipients at the 69th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner in Washington, D.C. Two dedicated leaders from NASA's Johnson Space Center were recognized for their contributions to human spaceflight. Orion Program Manager Howard Hu received the Norman L. Baker Astronautics Engineer Award for sustained technical contributions to multiple human spaceflight efforts.
Credit: National Space Club & Foundation
Award Details
The 69th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner was held on March 13, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The National Space Club & Foundation uses this occasion to recognize individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions to America's space program.
Howard Hu, as NASA's Orion Program Manager, is responsible for the design, development, production, and operations of Orion—the spacecraft at the heart of NASA's Artemis lunar missions. The Orion spacecraft is a key component of NASA's Artemis program, designed to carry astronauts to the Moon and eventually to Mars. Hu was honored with the Norman L. Baker Astronautics Engineer Award for his sustained technical contributions to multiple human spaceflight efforts.
Another leader from Johnson Space Center was also recognized at the same event.
Background
The Robert H. Goddard Memorial Award, established by the National Space Club & Foundation to honor Dr. Robert H. Goddard—the father of American rocketry—recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the U.S. space program. This award carries significant prestige in the aerospace community, with past recipients being prominent leaders and engineers in the field.
Howard Hu's recognition reflects the broad industry acknowledgment of NASA's achievements in the Artemis program and highlights Johnson Space Center's central role in human space exploration.