Honors and Awards
Honorary Doctor of Science Degrees
1951 Iowa Wesleyan College
1957 Grinnell College
1958 Coe College
1959 Cornell College
1960 University of Dubuque
1961 University of Michigan
1961 Northwestern University
1963 Illinois College
1966 Butler College
1966 Boston College
1967 Southampton College
1969 Augustana College
1982 St. Ambrose College
1987 University of Bridgeport
Honors and Awards
| 1961 | Elliot Cresson medal, Franklin Institute |
| 1962 | David and Florence Guggenheim International Astronautics Award |
| 1963 | John A. Fleming Award, American Geophysical Union |
| 1963 | Golden Omega Award, Electrical Insulation Conference |
| 1964 | Commander of the Order du Merite pour la Recherche et L'Invention |
| 1964 | Iowa Broadcasters Association Award |
| 1972-85 | Carver Distinguished Professor, University of Iowa |
| 1974 | NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement |
| 1975 | Distinguished Fellow of the Iowa Academy of Science |
| 1976 | U.S. Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award |
| 1977 | Recipient of the William Bowie Medal for "Outstanding Contributions to Fundamental Geophysics and for Unselfish Cooperation in Research" [39th Presentation, AGU Spring 1977 Meeting] |
| 1978 | Gold Medal, Royal Astronomical Society |
| 1978 | Award of Merit, American Consulting Engineers Council |
| 1982 | Space Science Award, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics |
| 1982 | The Governor's Science Medal |
| 1984 | Recipient of the 1984 COSPAR Award for "Outstanding Contributions to Space Science" |
| 1984 | Inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame, Alamogordo, New Mexico, 29 September 1984 |
| 1986 | Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Iowa |
| 1986 | Member of The Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts [Gold and Silver Salute] |
| 1986 | First recipient of AAAS-Philip Hauge Abelson Prize |
| 1987 |
National Medal of Science |
| 1987 | Society of Satellite Professionals Hall of Fame Award -- For Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Satellite Technology |
| 1987 | Sigma Xi's 1987 William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement |
| 1987 | National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges' University of Iowa Centennial Alumnus |
| 1989 | Crafoord Prize, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden |
| 1990 | The 1990 Nevada Medal |
| 1990 | Hancher-Finkbine Medallion in Recognition of Leadership and Service to the University of Iowa |
| 1990 | Cosmos Club Award for 1990 |
| 1990 | Nansen Medal and Nansen Prize Award, The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Oslo, Norway |
| 1991 | National Space Club Science Award |
| 1991 | National Science Board Vannevar Bush Award |
| 1992 | James Harlan Award for Exemplary Service to the Nation |
| 1992 | University of Iowa Presidential Award |
| 1992 | Paul Harris Fellow/Iowa City Rotary Club |
| 2004 | American Polar Society Honorary Membership Award |
| 2006 | Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum Trophy for Lifetime Achievement |
| 2006 | National Space Club Goddard Memorial Trophy |