Gary Zhou 
SpaceX President and Chief Operation Officer Gwynne Shotwell was honored by the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation’s 2023 National Space Trophy. RNASA will hold a black-tie banquet honoring Ms. Shotwell in Houston on April 28, 2023.
Every year an American who has made major contributions to the U.S. space exploration programs is honored with RNASA’s National Space Trophy. The foundation was founded by the Space Center Rotary Club of Houston, Texas, in 1985 to organize and coordinate an annual event to recognize outstanding achievements in space and create greater public awareness of the benefits of space exploration.
Shotwell was positioned to oversee SpaceX’s Starship program and Starbase facilities in November 2022.
Nominations for the National Space Trophy are voted upon by the foundation’s board of advisors, a group that includes individuals involved with the space program. NASA center directors, presidents of aerospace corporations, news media, political leaders, and previous Trophy winners are among those serving on the foundation’s board of advisors.
Ms. Shotwell was nominated for the award by the founder and CEO of Delalune Space, Rob Meyerson. Meyerson described her as “a strong leader, engineer, and trusted partner to NASA, the Air Force, the National Security community, and commercial customers.”
Rodolfo Gonzalez, president of the RNASA Foundation, said, “The RNASA Foundation is excited to recognize Ms. Shotwell as the guest of honor at the 2023 Space Award Gala.”
In 2002, Ms. Shotwell joined SpaceX as its first Vice President of Business Development. She was among the company’s first dozen employees and was initially responsible for selling launches to commercial and government customers before SpaceX had operational rockets.
In 2008, she became SpaceX’s President and Chief Operating Officer and continues to serve that role today. Under her leadership, SpaceX has achieved several historic milestones, including helping NASA return human spaceflight to the U.S. in 2020.
Along with the award, Ms. Shotwell will be honored with a professional portrait that will be displayed afterward at Space Center Houston and an Omega watch. RNASA extended an invitation to members of the public. Those interested may reserve tables at one of three tiers: platinum, gold, or silver. Tables are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
