Alan J. Lindenmoyer, program manager, Commercial Crew and Cargo Program NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, left, poses for a photograph with Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator, shortly after Bolden presented Lindenmoyer the 2014 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal by the Partnership for Public Service, Monday, Sept. 22, 2014 at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington. Lindenmoyer was recognized for transforming NASA’s space travel programs, helping the U.S. continue important space research while reducing taxpayer costs and stimulating the commercial space industry. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

A member of the audience films Audra McDonald as she sings “America the Beautiful” during a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony recognizing NASA’s Hidden Figures, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Congressional Gold Medals were awarded to Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary W. Jackson in recognition of their service to the United States as well as a Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of all the women who served as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and NASA between the 1930s and 1970s. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Audra McDonald sings “America the Beautiful” during a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony recognizing NASA’s Hidden Figures, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Congressional Gold Medals were awarded to Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary W. Jackson in recognition of their service to the United States as well as a Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of all the women who served as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and NASA between the 1930s and 1970s. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

After four decades of contribution to America's space program, George Hopson, manager of the Space Shuttle Main Engine Project at Marshall Space Flight Center, accepted NASA's Distinguished Service Medal. Awarded to those who, by distinguished ability or courage, have made a personal contribution to the NASA mission, NASA's Distinguished Service Medal is the highest honor NASA confers. Hopson's contributions to America's space program include work on the country's first space station, Skylab; the world's first reusable space vehicle, the Space Shuttle; and the International Space Station. Hopson joined NASA's Marshall team as chief of the Fluid and Thermal Systems Branch in the Propulsion Division in 1962, and later served as chief of the Engineering Analysis Division of the Structures and Propulsion Laboratory. In 1979, he was named director of Marshall's Systems Dynamics Laboratory. In 1981, he was chosen to head the Center's Systems Analysis and Integration. Seven years later, in 1988, Hopson was appointed associate director for Space Transportation Systems and one year later became the manager of the Space Station Projects Office at Marshall. In 1994, Hopson was selected as deputy director for Space Systems in the Science and Engineering Directorate at Marshall where he supervised the Chief Engineering Offices of both marned and unmanned space systems. He was named manager of the Space Shuttle Main Engine Project in 1997. In addition to the Distinguished Service Medal, Hopson has also been recognized with the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal and NASA's Exceptional Service Medal.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the Launch Control Center Firing Room at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin (right) presents a special distinguished service medal to John J. "Tip" Talone Jr. for exceptional service and unparalleled dedication to NASA and America's human space flight program. Currently, John J. "Tip" Talone Jr. serves as the director of the Kennedy Space Center Constellation Project Office of the NASA Constellation Program. From 1996 to 2005, he was director of the International Space Station Hardware Integration Office, which became the ISS/Payloads Processing Directorate in May 2000. The presentation followed the launch of space shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-122, which lifted off at 2:45 p.m. EST. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett