Will The 2017 Collier Trophy Be Another Space Case?Â

First is Blue Origin for New Shepard. New Shepard is this year's only nomination for a space-bound achievement. It is a suborbital, fully reusable, capsule-and-booster space vehicle designed to make commercial space flight a viable reality. It hasn't yet flown with passengers, but unmanned flight testing is well underway.

Next is Boeing with its 737 MAX. The 737 MAX took its first flight in January of last year and is in the process of certification. In comparison to the 737-800, the MAX is boasting more efficient fuel consumption, reduced carbon emissions, and a significantly smaller noise footprint.

Dassault is in with its FalconEye Combined Vision System. The FalconEye is the first Heads-Up Display (HUD) to merge real-time camera images and synthetic, database-driven terrain mapping to create one display for the pilot. Its camera uses a six-sensor setup to combine images from visible and infrared spectrums.

The final nominee is the U.S. Air Force for the 212^th Rescue Squadron and the 249^th Airlift Squadron. The squadrons are part of the 176^th Wing of the Alaska Air National Guard. Together, they specialize in extreme search and rescue, including long-range, pararescue, and oceanic operations.

The winner will be announced on March 14^th at the NAA Spring Awards Dinner in Arlington, VA.

Learn more at the National Aeronautic Association.