Leopard honored with 2025 Astronautics Engineering Award

Larry Leopard, who recently joined the Auburn University Applied Research Institute in Huntsville, Ala., as chief engineer, has been recognized by the city’s chapter of the National Space Club with its 2025 Astronautics Engineering Award. 

The award is presented annually to a scientist or engineer who has made an outstanding contribution to United States leadership in the field of rocketry and astronautics. The winner is announced at the club’s yearly Wernher von Braun Memorial Dinner dubbed the "Space Prom." The event celebrates scholarship and award recipients who are helping to shape the future of space exploration. 

“I am really honored and humbled to be recognized by my peers from the space industry that I’ve worked so closely with over a long career at NASA” Leopard said of receiving the award. “The recognition really goes to all the extremely talented engineers I’ve had the privilege to work with through the years. I have just played a small role in trying to lead engineers to solve some of our nations’ most complex space challenges.”   

Leopard retired from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in 2024 after a distinguished 35-year career. After joining the agency in 1990 as a propulsion engineer, he held a number of positions, including director and deputy director of the engineering directorate, director of the space systems department, and deputy director of the propulsion systems department. 

While at NASA, he also played a part in such flagship human space flight programs as the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Space Launch System and numerous other science and technology flight projects. He finished his NASA career as associate center director, technical, before joining the Applied Research Institute in his new Auburn role. 

“Larry is a proven leader and highly respected engineer with a breadth of technical experience in developing and sustaining highly complex systems,” said Jonathan Pettus, the institute’s executive director. “His background and knack for solving hard problems, and his passion for developing the next generation of talent required to maintain our national security and leadership in space, aligns perfectly with the mission of Auburn's Applied Research Institute. 

“Larry is a major addition to our team as we focus on leveraging the university’s research capabilities to increase our impact in aerospace, national security and the broader technology ecosystem in Huntsville and beyond.” 

The AU Applied Research Institute operates within the Auburn University Research and Innovation Campus in Huntsville's Cummings Research Park near Redstone Arsenal, a 38,000-acre federal research, development, test and engineering center housing NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the U.S. Army's missile, aviation and missile defense programs. 

It's 40,000 square feet of laboratory space allows Auburn faculty and students to conduct cutting-edge research and development across a range of technology readiness levels to help customers address national security, aerospace and biotechnology challenges.

“In my new role at the Institute,” Leopard noted, “I will be working to grow and enhance Auburn’s local applied research capabilities to support the growing Huntsville space and defense ecosystem, as well as working directly with faculty and students on campus to connect and apply Auburn’s on campus research capabilities to these same projects. 

“After leaving NASA,” he added, “I always knew I wanted to have a role in education and workforce development for the next generation of space and defense engineers. Auburn gave me this great opportunity to continue to work on complex technical challenges, while also working to build capabilities with research faculty, staff and students. It’s a great fit for me.”