Wright Brothers Memorial trophy awarded
NAA honors Robert Crippen
The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) announced that retired U.S. Navy Capt. Robert “Crip” Crippen is the recipient of the 2023 Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.
It was awarded December 15, 2023, at the seventy-fifth annual Wright Memorial dinner in Washington, D.C.
Crippen was recognized for his devotion to public service and the advancement of American aerospace; his achievements as an aviator, astronaut, and leader; and his dedication to the future of humankind. After completing a degree in aerospace engineering, Crippen joined the U.S. Navy and was selected for the U.S. Air Force Manned Orbiting Laboratory. In 1981, he was chosen to pilot STS-1, the first orbital spaceflight of NASA’s space shuttle program. In 1990, Crippen was named space shuttle director at NASA headquarters. He served as director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, providing leadership for more than 13,000 civil service workers and contractors. Post-NASA, Crippen worked at Lockheed Martin as the vice president for simulation and training systems. In 1996, he became president of Thiokol Propulsion, which was responsible for producing the shuttle reusable solid rocket motors.
Established by NAA in 1948 to honor the memory of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to a living American for significant public service of enduring value to aviation in the United States. The Wright Trophy reflects a timeline of the most innovative inventors, explorers, industrialists, and public servants in aeronautics and astronautics.
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