Honoring the Best in Space: 2025 SpaceNews Icon Awards Nominations Open

2025 SpaceNews Icon Awards Nominations Are Due Sept. 12

We are thrilled to announce that nominations for the 2025 SpaceNews Icon Awards are now open.

Established in 2017 as the SpaceNews Awards for Innovation and Excellence, this prestigious event continues to celebrate the trailblazers who set the highest standards in the space industry. We invite you to nominate exceptional candidates who have made significant contributions to the field of space exploration, technology, and innovation.

Nominations are due by Sept. 12. And mark your calendars – the 2025 SpaceNews Icon Awards will take place Tuesday, Dec. 2. Stay tuned for further details about this prestigious event.

Award Categories

See previous years’ recipients here.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Honors an individual whose career has had a significant and lasting impact on the space industry, recognizing decades of contribution and leadership.

Individual Achievement Award: Honors individuals who have made significant contributions through leadership, innovation, mentorship, and dedication in advancing the space industry.

Commercial Space Achievement Award: Celebrates notable achievements in commercial space.

Innovative Technology Award: Celebrates groundbreaking technological advancements that have a clear and demonstrable impact on the space industry.

Emerging Space Company Award: Recognizes newer companies with exceptional promise and innovation.

Sustainability and Environmental Impact Award: Highlights efforts aimed at reducing the environmental impact of space activities and promoting sustainability.

Partnership/deal of the Year: Celebrates an acquisition or partnership that has the potential to reshape business within the space industry.

Civil Space Achievement of the Year: Recognizes an outstanding mission or advancement that has made significant contributions to the civil space community.

Military Space Achievement of the Year: Recognizes an outstanding accomplishment or technology that has made an outsized difference in the operations of military space units.

Space AI Breakthrough: Celebrates a significant use or advancement of artificial intelligence to further space technologies.

International Collaboration Award: Honors successful international partnerships and collaborations that have advanced space exploration and fostered global cooperation.

Nomination Form

To kickstart the nomination process, please provide the following information, and submit your nominations by Sept. 12:

• Nominee: (Company or Individual)
• Category: (Choose the relevant category from the list above)
• Why This Nominee? A brief description (200 words or less) of why you believe this nominee deserves to be recognized as a SpaceNews Icon. Consider their impact on the space industry, their innovation, and their contributions to the community.

Next steps: After reviewing all preliminary nominations, the SpaceNews Icon Awards jury will select a shortlist of companies and individuals. These shortlisted nominees will be invited to complete a secure nomination form, providing detailed evidence of their achievements. Please note that if no suitable winner is found in a category, we reserve the right not to award it this year to maintain the integrity of the awards.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, Dec. 2 and stay tuned for further details about this prestigious event.