Sir Arthur Clarke Award
The Sir Arthur Clarke Award is a British award given annually since 2005 in recognition of notable contributions to space exploration, particularly British achievements. Nominations for the awards are made by members of the public, with shortlists drawn up by a panel of judges, who also choose the winner. Sir Arthur C. Clarke chose a special award independently of the public nominations.
History
Founded in 2005, the idea for the awards was proposed by Dave Wright to Jerry Stone, who then suggested they be named after Sir Arthur Clarke. Once permission was granted, Jerry Stone decided what the awards should look like, what categories should be included, and how they should be nominated and judged. The awards are presented by the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation, although the selection is delegated to the British Interplanetary Society, with the exception of the International award, whose recipient is voted on by the FoundationHaving obtained Sir Arthur's permission for the awards to bear his name, Jerry Stone decided that the awards should have the same proportions as the monolith featured in Clarke's , and be made of glass, as the description on the book of 2001 describes 'a crystalline monolith'. This represents Clarke's science fiction work. The award features the diagram Clarke drew in 1945 in order to demonstrate how satellites can provide global communications around the Earth from geostationary orbit, also called the Clarke Orbit. This represents Clarke's science work. It was co-designed by Howard Berry, who suggested the font and lettering style.
Initially the awards were presented at the UK Space Conference which was held annually at Charterhouse School, Surrey, from 1998 to 2010. The association with the conference continues but only in alternate years, as the conference has been bi-annual since 2011.
Not all categories are awarded each year; for example, 2008 was the first year in which nominations were shortlisted in the category of Best Film Presentation. An additional award was given in 2007 and 2008 that was named after and presented by George Abbey, the former director of the Johnson Space Center. It was awarded to those "whose space achievement made us laugh the most".
The award ceremony is similar to the Oscars in that multiple awards are given in various categories at the same event, which is different from other awards given in the field. As a result, the awards have been referred to as the Arthurs. The awards are held in high regard by the international Space community:
2018
The 2018 awards were presented at a gala dinner at the 2018 Reinventing Space Conference at The Royal Aeronautical Society on Thursday 1 November 2018. The finalists were announced on the BIS website on 7 October.| Category | Recipient |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Team | Oxford Space Systems |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Individual | Magali Vaissière |
| Space Achievement – Academic Study/Research | The UK Cassini team |
| Space Achievement – Education and Outreach Team | The ESERO-UK Space Ambassadors |
| Space Achievement – Education and Outreach Individual | Vix Southgate |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Individual | Dave Honess |
| Space Achievement – Student | Rob Garner |
| Space Achievement – Media, broadcast and written | The BBC 2 ‘Astronauts – Do you have what it takes?’ Team |
| Lifetime Achievement | Richard Peckham |
| International Achievement | The SpaceX Falcon Team |
2017
The 2017 awards were presented at a gala dinner at the 2017 UK Space Conference, held at Manchester Central on Wednesday 31 May 2017.| Category | Recipient |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Team | Airbus Gaia Team |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Team | Oxford Nanopore Technologies Team |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Individual | Alan Bond, Reaction Engines |
| Space Achievement – Academic Study/Research | UK Gaia Science Team |
| Space Achievement – Education and Outreach | Science Museum Cosmonauts Exhibition Team |
| Space Achievement – Education and Outreach | Kathie Bowden, UK Space Agency |
| Space Achievement – Student | CranSpace Mars Flyby Team |
| Space Achievement – Media, broadcast and written | Dallas Campbell, Science Television Presenter |
| Special Lifetime Space Achievement | Piers Sellers |
| Lifetime Space Achievement | Paul Flanagan, UKspace |
| International Achievement | Roy Gibson, First Director General, European Space Agency |
2016
The 2016 awards were presented at a gala dinner at the 2016 Reinventing Space Conference at The Royal Society on Thursday 27 October 2016. The event was sponsored by the UK Space Agency.| Category | Recipient |
| Space Achievement – Special Award for Individual Outreach | Tim Peake |
| Space Achievement – Education and Outreach | The UK Space Agency Principia Education Team |
| Space Achievement – Media: Broadcast and written | David Shukman, Science Editor, BBC News |
| Space Achievement – Education | Mike Grocott |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Team | The SSTL Galileo Team |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Individual | Dave Honess |
| Space Achievement – Academic Study/Research | Dr Harry Ward and The LISA Pathfinder Team, University Of Glasgow |
| Space Achievement – Student | Joseph Dudley, UKSEDS |
| Lifetime Achievement | Pat Norris |
| International Achievement | The Global VSAT Forum |
2015
The 2015 awards were presented at the UK Space Conference Dinner in St George’s Hall, Liverpool on Tuesday 14 July 2015. They were sponsored by the UK Space Agency.| Category | Recipient |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Team | Beagle 2 Team |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Individual | William Marshall, Planet Labs, San Francisco |
| Space Achievement – Academic Study/Research | The Stardust Team, University Of Strathclyde |
| Space Achievement – Education and Outreach | The Rosetta/Philae Outreach Team |
| Space Achievement – Student | King’s College London Msc Students |
| Space Achievement – Media, broadcast and written | Richard Hollingham, BBC Future |
| Lifetime Achievement | Prof. J L Culhane, Mullard Space |
| International Achievement | Dr Burton Edelson |
2014
The Sir Arthur Clarke Awards 2014 were presented at an event at The Royal Aeronautical Society on Wednesday 8 October 2014, by the Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, Dr David Parker.| Category | Recipient |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Team | The ESA/Industry Rosetta Team |
| Space Achievement – Industry/Project Individual | John Ellwood – Ex ESA |
| Space Achievement – Academic Study/Research | Prof Louise Harra, MSSL, UCL |
| Space Achievement – Education and Outreach | Dr Lucie Green, Dept of Space & Climate Physics, MSSL, UCL |
| Space Achievement – Student | The Cranspace Team: Idriss Sisaid, Enrique Gardia Bourne, Edward Anastassacos |
| Space Achievement – Media, Broadcast and Written | Arrow Media – "Live from Space" series |
| Lifetime Achievement | Colin Pillinger, Open University |
| International Achievement | James Lovelock, Author and proposer of the Gaia hypothesis, UK |
The specific ESA/Industry Rosetta team members who received the "Space Achievement - Industry/Project Team" award:
- Dr. Andrea Accomazzo, Rosetta Flight Director, ESOC, Darmstadt
- Dr. Paolo Ferri, Head of Mission Operations, ESOC, Darmstadt
- Dr. Rainer Best, Rosetta Project Manager, Airbus DS, Friedrichshafen
- Hans-Martin Hell, Rosetta Platform Manager, Airbus DS, Friedrichshafen
- Rod Emery, Rosetta UK Platform Project Manager, Airbus DS, Stevenage
- Phil McGoldrick, Rosetta UK Platform Engineering Manager, Airbus DS, Stevenage
- Penny Irvine, Rosetta UK Platform System Engineer, Airbus DS, Stevenage
- Dr. Stephan Ulamec, Philae Project Manager, DLR
2013
| Category | Recipient |
| Industry/Project Team Award | e2v |
| Industry/Project Individual Award | Paul Flanagan of UK Space |
| Academic Study/Research Award | Herschel-SPIRE Team |
| Student Award | Rebecca Hayward of Hockerill Anglo European College |
| Education and Outreach Award | Stuart Eves |
| Media Award | Ben Gilliland of the Metro newspaper |
| Lifetime Achievement Award | Professor Alan Wells, University of Leicester |
| International Award | Dr. Joseph N. Pelton |
2012
As the UK Space Agency are only planning to run the space conference in alternate years, the 2012 awards were presented at a special event in the Cholmondeley Room at the House of Lords on 26 October 2012. The host was Lord Cobbold and the MC for the event was the impressionist Jon Culshaw.| Category | Recipient |
| International Award | Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director-General of the European Space Agency |
| Lifetime Achievement | Paul Money |
| Space Activity - Academic Study / Research | Rosetta Ptolemy Team |
| Space Activity - Industry | SSTL NigeriaSat 2 Team |
| Space Education - Outreach | Heather MacRae |
| Space Education - Student Achievement | Charlotte Lücking |
| Space Media | Space Boffins |
2011
The 2011 award took place at the UK Space Conference at the University of Warwick in July 2011.| Category | Recipient |
| Achievement in Space Education and Outrearch | Unlimited Theatre for 'Mission to Mars' |
| Achievement in Space Research | University of Strathclyde Advanced Space Concepts Lab |
| Achievement in Space Commerce | Clyde Space |
| Achievement in Space Media | Clive Horwood |
| Space Student Achievement | Chris Brunskill |
| International Space Achievement | David Thompson, Orbital Sciences Corporation |
| Exceptional Space Achievement | Professor David Southwood |
2010
The award dinner was held on 27 March 2010 at the UK Space Conference at Charterhouse.| Category | Recipient |
| International Award | International Space University |
| Inspiration Award | Anu Ojha |
| Team of the year | Qinetiq |
| Individual Achievement | Matt Griffin |
| Best Film/TV/Radio Presentation | James May on the Moon |
| Best Space Reporting | Jonathan Amos, BBC News Online |
| Education | Becky Parker |
| Entrepreneur | David Williams |
| Outreach | The EADS STEM Ambassadors |
| Student | Áron Kidsi |
| Special Award | Roy Gibson, first Director-General of the European Space Agency |
2009
The 2009 Awards dinner was held on 4 April 2009 at the UK Space conference.| Category | Recipient |
| Achievement in Education | Chris Welch, Kingston University |
| Best Corporate/Team Achievement | Automated Transfer Vehicle Team, John Ellwood: ATV project manager |
| Best Individual Achievement | Richard Garriott |
| Best Lifetime Achievement | Professor Fred Taylor |
| Best Space Reporting | BBC News Science Team, special citation for Paul Rincon |
| Best Student Achievement | Dr David Boyce |
| Best TV/Radio Presentation | Dan Walker, producer and director of BBC Four's The Satellite Story |
| Best Written Presentation | Red Moon Rising, by Matthew Brzezinski |
| Inspiration Award | Lord Drayson |
| Outreach Award for the Public Promotion of Space | The UK IAC2008 Team |
| Special Award | Alistair Scott |
2008
The 2008 Awards dinner was held on 29 March 2008 at Charterhouse. Special guests were George Abbey and Joe Engle.| Category | Recipient |
| Best Corporate/Team Achievement | Mars Express Team; Project Manager Rudi Schmidt |
| Best Individual Achievement | Ian Taylor MP |
| Best Student Achievement | Alison Gibbings |
| Best Space Reporting | "Spaceflight" magazine; Editor Clive Simpson |
| Achievement in Education | Faulkes Telescope Project; director Paul Roche |
| Inspiration Award | Piers Sellers |
| Best Presentation, Film | In the Shadow of the Moon; Director David Sington & Christopher Riley |
| Best Presentation, TV & Radio | Martin Redfern and Heather Couper: "Britain's Space Race" |
| Best Presentation, Written | David A. Baker: Jane's Spaceflight Directory |
| Outreach Award for the Public Promotion of Space | Margaret Aderin-Pocock |
| Space Entrepreneur | Alan Bond |
| Lifetime Achievement | Sir Martin Sweeting, Executive Chairman of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd |
| George Abbey Award | A glass version of the award presented to two members of the Rocket Men team in replacement for the paper versions given the previous year . |
2007
The 2007 Awards dinner was held on 14 April 2007 at the BROHP conference at Charterhouse.| Category | Recipient |
| Best Corporate/Team Achievement | The Mars Exploration Rovers Team |
| Best Individual Achievement | Steve Squyres |
| Best Space Reporting | Robin Scagell |
| Achievement in Education | The International Space School Educational Trust |
| Inspiration Award | Sir Patrick Moore |
| Best Presentation, TV & Radio | The Sky At Night |
| Best Presentation, Written | Charles S. Cockell: Space on Earth |
| Outreach Award for the Public Promotion of Space | Lord Sainsbury |
| Lifetime Achievement | Eric "Winkle" Brown |
| Special Award | Ray Bradbury |
| George Abbey award | The Rocket Men Team that made a Space Shuttle out of a Reliant Robin for the BBC TV series Top Gear |
Among the other nominees were Anousheh Ansari, and the British-born astronaut Piers Sellers.
2006
The 2006 Awards dinner was held on 8 April 2006 at the BROHP conference at Charterhouse.| Category | Recipient |
| Best Corporate/Team Achievement | The UK Huygens Industry Team |
| Best Individual Achievement | David Parker |
| Best Student Achievement | Sabrina Pottinger |
| Achievement in Education | Alex Blackwood |
| Inspiration Award | Michael Foale |
| Best Presentation, TV & Radio | Space Race |
| Best Presentation, Written | Alan Lawrie: Saturn |
| Outreach Award for the Public Promotion of Space | The PPARC Communication Team |
| Lifetime Achievement | Reginald Turnill |
Among the other nominees were Sir Richard Branson, and the Robson Green drama television series Rocket Man.
2005
Presented at the inaugural awards dinner at Charterhouse, Saturday 2 April 2005.| Category | Recipient |
| Best Corporate Achievement | EADS Space |
| Best Individual Achievement | John Zarnecki |
| Best Student Achievement | Julia Tizard |
| Best Space Reporting | David Whitehouse |
| Achievement in Education | National Space Centre |
| Inspiration Award | George Scoon |
| Best Presentation, TV & Radio | Christopher Riley, producer: |
| Best Presentation, Written | David A. Hardy and Patrick Moore: Futures—50 Years in Space |
| Outreach Award for the Public Promotion of Space | Colin Pillinger |
| Special Award | British Interplanetary Society |
Sir Arthur was also presented with a special award commemorating the 60th anniversary of his paper on global communication by satellite in the October 1945 edition of Wireless World. This award was accepted on behalf of Sir Arthur by his brother Fred.