COSPAR bestows a number of medals and awards, in some cases jointly with other scientific institutions or space agencies.

Citations for honors awarded at recent COSPAR Assemblies.

COSPAR Medals and Awards

• Space Science Award

• International Cooperation Medal

• William Nordberg Medal

• Massey Award

• Distinguished Service Medal

Nominations for the five awards listed above are considered by an Awards Committee appointed by the COSPAR Bureau. After considering the recommendations of the Awards Committee, the Bureau makes a final selection.

Joint Medals and Awards

• Vikram Sarabhai Medal

• Jeoujang Jaw Award

• Zeldovich Medals

Nominations for joint honors will be reviewed by the COSPAR Awards Committee. The Bureau then submits a short list of candidates, in order of preference, to the partner organization which makes the final selection.

Publications Award

• COSPAR Outstanding Paper Awards for Young Scientists

Nominees for the Outstanding Paper Awards are authors of papers published in Advances in Space Research or Life Sciences in Space Research under 31 years of age at the time the manuscript is submitted for publication.

Nomination Requirements for Awards

Nominations for all awards, except Outstanding Paper and Distinguished Service, may be submitted by anyone although they are to be signed or endorsed by a COSPAR Bureau member, a representative of a COSPAR National or Scientific Union member, a member of the COSPAR Scientific Advisory Committee, a COSPAR Scientific Commission or Panel chair or vice-chair, or by a previous recipient of a COSPAR honor (except Zeldovich or Outstanding Paper).

Nominations for all COSPAR and joint awards, except the Outstanding Paper Award, consist of:

•    a filled in nomination form, signed or endorsed by a short e-mail by a person authorized to nominate,
•    a curriculum vitae with a general description of the space research activity of the nominee,
•    a detailed description (not more than two pages) of the achievements and merits of the nominee justifying his/her nomination for the particular award or medal, and
•    a list of significant, selected publications, not more than about 25. The publications most relevant to the award should be clearly identified.

All nominations must reach the COSPAR Secretariat no later than end November of the calendar year preceding the Scientific Assembly, i.e., 30 November 2025 for the Assembly to be held in 2026.