The Nationwide Area Membership & Basis introduced its annual award recipients March 13, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Two devoted leaders from NASA’s Johnson Area Heart had been acknowledged for his or her contributions to human spaceflight.
Orion Program Supervisor Howard Hu acquired the Norman L. Baker Astronautics Engineer Award for sustained technical contributions to a number of human spaceflight efforts.
Hu leads the design, improvement, manufacturing, and operations of Orion, NASA’s spacecraft for Artemis missions to the Moon. He has held a number of management roles throughout the Orion program, together with deputy program supervisor, a supervisor of the Avionics, Energy, and Software program Workplace, and deputy supervisor of the Automobile Integration Workplace. Hu has supported Orion since its inception, starting because the Automobile System Efficiency and Evaluation lead.
On April 1, 2026, Artemis II launched on a 10-day voyage across the Moon, marking the primary crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Area Company) astronaut Jeremy Hansen splashed down safely inside Orion April 10 within the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. At their farthest level, the crew and spacecraft traveled 252,756 miles from Earth, setting a new file for the best distance traveled by people in house.
The mission efficiently proved the aptitude of Orion’s essential programs akin to life assist with people aboard. Knowledge from Artemis II will assist refine mission operations and additional consider Orion’s efficiency in deep house, supporting future Artemis missions.
NASA and its companions at the moment are shifting their focus to Artemis III, which can check built-in operations between Orion and the human touchdown system in lunar orbit and advance plans to return astronauts to the Moon.
Earlier than becoming a member of Orion, Hu served in a number of technical and management roles at Johnson, together with chief engineer for exploration within the Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division, undertaking supervisor and co-developer of shuttle abort flight administration software program for the Area Shuttle Cockpit Avionics Upgrades Program, and deputy steering, navigation, and management system supervisor for the Worldwide Area Station program.
Worldwide Area Station Program Supervisor Dana Weigel acquired the Eagle Manned Mission Award. She leads improvement, integration, and operations for the Worldwide Area Station. The house station celebrated a historic milestone on Nov. 2, 2025, marking 25 years of steady human habitation. The orbiting laboratory stays a essential testbed for future business locations in low Earth orbit and for deep house exploration, supporting Artemis missions and future human missions to Mars.
Weigel has held a number of management roles throughout the program, together with deputy chief of the Flight Director Workplace, the place she led the Extravehicular Exercise Restoration Workforce following a significant in-flight spacewalk anomaly. She additionally served as a NASA flight director for STS-123 and led the company’s geosynchronous Earth orbit satellite tv for pc servicing habitat examine.
Chosen by panels of specialists throughout business, authorities, and academia, the awards replicate achievements that advance aerospace and nationwide pursuits. Honorees had been acknowledged on the 69th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner on the Washington Hilton.
“Dana Weigel and Howard Hu’s contributions to human house exploration, by their management and roles throughout the company, are paramount,” stated Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche. “It was a privilege to be there in individual to have fun and champion them as they had been acknowledged for the lasting impression of their work. Congratulations to Dana, Howard, and all of the award recipients on this well-deserved recognition.”
Hu and Weigel’s service exemplifies the management and technical excellence that proceed to advance U.S. human house exploration.