The National Space Grant Distinguished Service Award was established to recognize individuals
whose life and career have had a long lasting impact in a science, engineering or education
field that is related to aeronautic, aviation, or space endeavors. The inaugural award
was presented in 2003 to former Senator and Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd M. Bentsen for his
visionary work in creating the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Act.2007: John Young
2006: John Glenn
2005: Peter Diamandis
2004: James A. Van Allen
2003: Lloyd Bentsen
The Award
Created by artist Josh Simpson, the Planet Award is made from blown glass and incorporates intricate, beautifully named Florentine styles such as vetro a filigrana, vetro a retori, vetro reticello, and millefiori. The methods are merged, incorporating the ornamental spirals and filaments within multi-layered glass spheres. Simpson’s inspirations for the Planet Award were the first photos taken of earth and the heavens by NASA’s earliest astronauts.