The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) has announced the five aeronautic innovations competing for the 2024 Collier Trophy, the most prestigious award in aeronautics and astronautics.
Since 1911, the coveted award has been presented annually for “the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year.”
Commissioned by Robert J. Collier, the 7-foot-tall sculpture weighs 525 pounds and is permanently displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. Its base is a timeline of aviation achievement engraved with the names of previous trophy recipients, including Orville Wright (1913), Hap Arnold (1942), Lockheed SkunkWorks (1958), Bell X-1 (1947), Apollo 11 (1969), Rutan Voyager (1986), Boeing 787 (2011), and JPL Mars Ingenuity Team (2021).
The finalists for the 2024 Collier Trophy are:
Blue Condor (Perlan Project) for “opening the door to a future of zero-carbon emission turbine aircraft and documenting hydrogen contrails that may have significant positive climate impacts.”
Gulfstream G700 (Gulfstream Aerospace) for “pioneering model-based certification, elevating performance, advancing 100% Neat SAF and refining next-generation manufacturing.”
Parker Solar Probe Team (NASA/Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory) for “the extraordinary accomplishment of creating the first spacecraft to operate and deliver science from within the Sun’s corona through revolutionary advances in aerospace and defense technology.”
Skyryse One (Skyryse) for developing “the world’s first fully conforming production aircraft to accomplish a fully automated hover at the swipe of a finger.”
X-37B (U.S. Space Force/Boeing) for “pioneering sustained space maneuver with a novel aerobraking maneuver that allowed the vehicle to operate across multiple orbital regimes with a single spacecraft in a safe, fuel-efficient manner.”
“For more than a century, the Collier Trophy has been the most prized honor in aviation,” said Amy Spowart, NAA President and CEO. “Public recognition of achievement serves as a beacon of inspiration and keeps the entire aerospace industry moving forward, and the NAA is so grateful to all our members for supporting the Collier Trophy and other NAA awards.”
The final round of the Collier Selection will take place on March 20th in Washington, DC. Each group will present its nomination to the Collier Selection Committee, which comprises the NAA Board of Directors and select industry leaders with diverse aviation backgrounds. The Collier Trophy recipient will be announced on March 25th and presented in Washington, DC, on June 12, 2025. For more information about the presentation, see the NAA website and NAA social media.
