MSU alumnus receives prestigious NASA award for contributions to Artemis Program

Silver Snoopy Award recipient Terry Abel, center, is joined by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Director Joseph Pelfrey, left, and Astronaut Matthew Dominick following the award presentation. (Photo submitted)

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Terry Abel, a two-time graduate of 51�Թ�� State’s Bagley College of Engineering is the recipient of the prestigious Silver Snoopy award from NASA, an honor given to employees and contractors for exceptional contributions to spaceflight safety and mission success.

Two-time 51�Թ�� State graduate Terry Abel stands in front of NASA’s Orion Artemis I��heat shield, which will protect astronauts during re-entry as part of future deep space missions. — Two-time 51�Թ�� State graduate Terry Abel stands in front of NASA’s Orion Artemis I heat shield, which will protect astronauts during re-entry as part of future deep space missions. (Photo submitted)

The Silver Snoopy is presented to less than 1% of the agency’s workforce annually and is given personally by astronauts. Each award includes a commemorative Snoopy pin that has flown on a previous Space Shuttle mission, adding to its significance.

Abel works at Lockheed Martin as its technical liaison to the Marshall Space Flight Center, where he oversees all on-site activities, including efforts associated with the development of the Orion spacecraft, which is part of NASA’s overall Artemis project to facilitate human missions to the moon and ensure safe return. He said he is “extremely blessed” to receive an award he has admired for years.

“I am deeply honored and extremely grateful to have been nominated and selected for NASA’s Silver Snoopy Award,” Abel said. “This award reflects our commitment at Lockheed Martin to prioritize crew safety in support of NASA’s Artemis program as we prepare to transport a crew to the moon in early 2026 and future missions to follow.”

A key project for Abel and the basis for the award was related to the heat shield of the Artemis I Orion spacecraft. During its re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, the heat shield faced unforeseen issues, which led to the formation of cracks. Abel’s work allowed for material inspection, analysis, modeling and subsequent testing—all resulting in a refining of the heat shield to prevent future problems.

In addition to the Silver Snoopy award, Abel also received a Circle of Excellence award from Orion Program Manager Howard Hu of Johnson Space Center for “sustained dedication to the Orion Program providing expert leadership in fabrication, machining, testing and NDE of critical Orion hardware across Artemis missions for over a decade.”

In 2017, Abel was one of just 14 people who received NASA’s Distinguished Public Service Medal, which is given to those demonstrating a level of excellence that makes a profound impact on NASA’s success.

Abel’s responsibilities in Huntsville have included managing the creation of more than 1,500 Orion parts and ensuring they meet safety standards through numerous testing processes. These tests check how well the parts will perform in the harsh conditions of space, ensuring they are ready for use. Abel said his recognition is extremely rewarding and indicative of his team’s ongoing and successful support efforts at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

Abel graduated from MSU with a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering in 1982 and master’s in mechanical engineering one year later. He was named a Bagley College of Engineering Distinguished Fellow in 2016.

The Bagley College of Engineering is online at��and can be found on��,��and��at @msuengineering.

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