AAE alumnus Frank Bauer (BSAAE ’79, MSAAE ’80) has been awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal. This is the highest honor NASA awards to anyone who was not a government employee when they made a contribution representing substantial progress to the NASA mission. The individual's achievement or contribution must be deemed so extraordinary that other forms of recognition by NASA would be inadequate. Bauer was recognized for “distinguished public service in enabling the enhanced use of the Global Positioning System for satellites by NASA and the United States.”

Bauer retired from NASA in 2011 after a 30-year career, but continued to support NASA in Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and policy. He represented NASA and the United States at five international meetings in the last 5 years. According to NASA, “without Mr. Bauer’s work, the U.S. would not have the GPS capabilities or reputation it does in the world navigation community.”

Bauer previously received the Exceptional Service Medal, the Outstanding Leadership Medal, and the Silver Snoopy Award from NASA. He received the Outstanding Aerospace Engineer award from Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2008.

Learn more about all of this year's Distinguished Public Service Medal honorees here.