NASA Distinguished Service Medal

The contribution must be so extraordinary that other forms of recognition would be inadequate. Typical presentations of the NASA Distinguished Service Medal included awards to senior NASA administrators, mission control leaders, and astronauts who have completed several successful space flights. Due to the prestige of the award, the decoration is authorized for wear on active uniforms of the United States military. Another such authorized decoration is the NASA Space Flight Medal. Upon the recommendation of NASA, the president may award an even higher honor to astronauts, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. The medal was original awarded by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and was inherited by NASA. The first NASA version (type I), featuring the NASA seal, was issued from 1959 until 1964, when it was replaced by the current type II medal (shown). • Illustration — James Webb's award, 1 November 1968

• Name — NASA Distinguished Service Medal • Presenter — the National Aeronautics and Space Administration • Type — Military medal Distinguished service medal • Eligibility — Federal government employees • Awarded For — "distinguished service, ability, or courage, [that] has...made a contribution representing substantial progress to aeronautical or space exploration in the interests of the United States" • Status — Active • Established — July 29, 1959 • Firstawarded — 1959 • Higher — Congressional Space Medal of Honor • Same — Distinguished Public Service Medal • Lower — Outstanding Leadership Medal • Caption2 — NASA Distinguished Service Ribbon

• John W. Crowley, NASA Director of Aeronautical and Space Research

• Alan Shepard (May 8) • Virgil I. Grissom (July 22)

• John Glenn • Robert Gilruth • Scott Carpenter • Wally Schirra (October 15) • Forrest S. Petersen, X-15 pilot • Robert White, X-15 pilot • Joseph A. Walker, X-15 pilot • Walter C. Williams

• Gordon Cooper

• Wally Schirra (December 30) (second award)

• Hugh L. Dryden • T. Keith Glennan • Charles W. Mathews • George E. Mueller • Bernard A. Schriever

• Raymond L. Bisplinghoff • Edgar M. Cortright • Homer E. Newell • Walter D. Sohier • Floyd L. Thompson

• James Webb • Alexander Flax

• William H. Bayley

• Robert L. Crippen • Paul C. Donnelly • Howard S. Hardcastle • James B. Odom • Andrew J. Stofan • John F. Yardley • Walter C. Williams (second award) • David Williamson Jr. (second award)

• Robert O. Aller

• Leslie H. Meredith

• Willis H. Shapley (second award)

• John R. Casani

• Berrien Moore III • Mark Albrecht • Story Musgrave

• Joseph H. Rothenberg

• Bill G. Aldridge

• Gerald M. Smith • William J. O'Neil

• Jerome Apt

• Joseph H. Rothenberg

• Jack Brooks • Claude Nicollier • Courtney Stadd • James S. Voss • Joseph Philip Loftus

• Scott E. Parazynski

• Kalpana Chawla • William McCool • Axel Roth • Brock "Randy" Stone • Lott W. Brantley Jr. • G. Scott Hubbard • Edward T. Lu

• Alphonso V. Diaz • Firouz Naderi

• Eileen M. Collins

• Douglas Hendriksen

• Walter Cunningham • Donn Eisele • Fuk Li • Walter Schirra (Third Award) • E. Myles Standish • Richard Sunseri

• Christopher Scolese • Stephanie D. Wilson

• Roy W. Malone, Jr.

• David A. Herda • Paul K. McConnaughey • H. Phil Stahl • Bobby J. Watkins