Huntsville, Alabama. October 28, 2025 - The American Astronautical Society (AAS) has selected Virginia Spaceport Authority (VSA) Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Deputy Executive Director Sean Mulligan as the 2024 recipient of the Space Flight Award, the organization’s top honor.

The award, presented at the AAS von Braun Space Exploration Symposium Tuesday, Oct. 28, in Huntsville, Ala., is given annually to the person whose efforts have contributed most significantly to the advancement of space flight and space exploration. AAS praised Mulligan for his extraordinary contribution to space launch capacities and transforming the launch industry in Virginia.

“I’m deeply honored and humbled for this recognition by AAS, and, importantly, the recognition of Virginia’s growing space launch capabilities and continued economic development for Virginia,” said Mulligan. “It has been a real privilege to work alongside the amazing Virginia Spaceport Authority team who delivers flawlessly on our mission to provide fast, efficient access to space.”

For the past 16 years, Mulligan has been critical to expanding the capabilities and assets of VSA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at Wallops Island. “Sean has been a transformative leader with a keen vision and great tenacity for ensuring MARS has the capacity to meet the growing demand for cost-effective spaceport services in support of commercial and government customers to ensure assured access to space for the Commonwealth and the nation,” said Roosevelt Mercer Jr., Maj. Gen., USAF (ret.), Virginia Spaceport Authority CEO and Executive Director. “No caveats or qualifiers -- he is extraordinarily deserving of this prestigious award.”

Mulligan began his career at MARS in 2009 as one of the original engineers to design, build, and test launch Pad 0-A, used for Northrop Grumman’s Antares rockets and for ISS resupply missions. He served as the MARS director from 2012 through 2021, overseeing a massive increase of the spaceport’s capabilities. He led the development and construction of a state-of-the-art payload processing facility, an unmanned aerial systems airfield, launch Pad 0-C, and an Integration and Control Facility.

In 2021, Mulligan was hand-picked by the VSA CEO to serve as deputy executive director. In that capacity, Mulligan has been instrumental in adding new launch and airfield customers, overseeing spaceport property expansion, guiding development and construction of launch Pad 0-D, and leading upgrades to three of MARS’s launch pads to enable new rockets. In addition, Mulligan is laser-focused on the next generation of aerospace leaders, leading the charge to establish a full-time position for a professional educator, giving his full attention to STEM education initiatives and prioritizing student engagement at MARS, a principal tenet in Virginia law.

As a Space Flight Award alum, Mulligan joins a select and highly distinguished group of recipients who have included astronauts Sally Ride and Neil Armstrong, and Apollo mission director Chester Lee, among many others. For more information on the Space Flight Award, visit the AAS website.

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The Virginia Spaceport Authority (officially known as the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority) is a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia. VSA owns and operates the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) located at Wallops Island, Va., USA. VSA provides assured access to space by operating, maintaining, and growing a premier spaceport, stimulating aerospace-related economic development in the Commonwealth, and promoting educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

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Media Contact:

Lillian Palmbach

Chief of External Relations

757- 837-3304

lillian.palmbach@vaspace.org

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