Harrison Schmitt to receive NSS Apollo Legacy Award at ISDC 2026

By AI, Created 11:40 PM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – The National Space Society will honor Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt with the inaugural Apollo Legacy Award at its 44th International Space Development Conference in McLean, Virginia, June 4-7, 2026. The award highlights Schmitt’s role as the only scientist to walk on the Moon and the last Apollo astronaut to set foot there.

Why it matters: - The National Space Society is using the inaugural Apollo Legacy Award to spotlight the Apollo program’s scientific legacy and the people who made lunar exploration possible. - Schmitt’s selection underscores the continuing relevance of Apollo-era lunar research as space groups push toward the Moon, Mars and cislunar space. - The honor also gives ISDC 2026 a marquee speaker and a direct link to the last human mission to the Moon.

What happened: - The National Space Society announced that Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt will receive the inaugural NSS Apollo Legacy Award at the 44th annual International Space Development Conference in McLean, Virginia, June 4-7, 2026. - Schmitt will also deliver a keynote presentation at the conference. - Schmitt flew on Apollo 17 in 1972. - Schmitt was the only Apollo lunar explorer who was also a scientist and holds a Ph.D. in geology from Harvard University. - Schmitt later served in the U.S. Senate.

The details: - The NSS Apollo Legacy Award recognizes individual astronauts or crews for accomplishments in the exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond. - The award is meant to build on the legacy of the Apollo astronauts, described as Earth’s first explorers of the Moon. - Schmitt is the last Apollo astronaut to set foot on the Moon, making him the first recipient of the award a direct symbolic fit. - Schmitt said the award honors more than 400,000 Americans and Canadians, plus their families, whose work and sacrifice helped make Apollo successful. - Schmitt said Apollo began “the movement of our species and institutions into the infinite frontier of space,” and he urged a new generation to continue that progress. - NSS president Isaac Arthur said Schmitt was critical to NASA’s scientific goals on the Moon. - Arthur said Schmitt designed the geology training program for Apollo 13 through Apollo 17. - Arthur said the organization is honoring Schmitt as the inaugural recipient for exceptional achievement in lunar exploration. - Schmitt was selected as an astronaut in 1965. - Schmitt also became a jet and helicopter pilot. - Before joining NASA’s astronaut corps, Schmitt worked at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Astrogeology Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he developed field exploration techniques for Apollo. - Schmitt was the first scientist-astronaut assigned to a backup crew, for Apollo 15. - Schmitt was originally in line to fly on Apollo 18, but the mission was canceled. - NASA then reassigned Schmitt to Apollo 17 because management and the scientific community wanted at least one trained geologist to do field work on the Moon. - On Apollo 17, Schmitt served as Lunar Module Pilot. - Schmitt’s work with Gene Cernan on the Moon remains one of the highlights of the Apollo surface missions. - Schmitt’s lunar experience has been documented in his online “Diary of the 12th Man.” - After leaving NASA in 1975, Schmitt served one term as a senator for New Mexico and chaired the Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee. - Schmitt later taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. - Schmitt has advocated for the future use of lunar resources. - Schmitt chaired the NASA Advisory Council from 2005 to 2008. - NSS VP for Planetary Development Dr. Pascal Lee said Schmitt’s voyage to the Moon has inspired generations of scientists and explorers.

Between the lines: - The award reflects how the space community is increasingly framing Moon exploration as both a historical milestone and a template for future missions. - Honoring Schmitt first sends a clear message: scientific expertise, not just flight time, remains central to how the Apollo legacy is remembered. - ISDC’s Moon-to-Mars agenda suggests the conference is positioning Apollo history as a launch point for current policy and technology discussions. - The conference theme, “Space for Us All,” broadens the event’s pitch beyond specialists to a wider public audience.

What’s next: - ISDC 2026 will run June 4-7 in McLean, Virginia, with sessions on lunar exploration, Mars, cislunar space, deep space, space infrastructure, life support, space law, planetary defense and space policy. - The National Space Society says the conference will bring together more than 1,000 executives, managers, engineers, scientists, educators, students and other attendees. - The event has drawn tens of thousands of people over the years and featured speakers from NASA, commercial space, media, academia and other fields. - More information is available on the ISDC website. - More information about the National Space Society is available at nss.org.

The bottom line: - The National Space Society is using Apollo’s most scientifically trained Moonwalker to kick off a new award meant to connect lunar history with the next era of space exploration.