Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Revenue and Competitors

MISSION To aid the United States in retaining its world leadership in technology and innovation by supporting the very best and brightest scholars in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while commemorating the legacy of America’s pioneering astronauts. HISTORY More than 30 years ago, the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts – Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Walter Schirra, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton – came together with the goal to use their joint credibility to encourage students to pursue scientific endeavors to keep America on the leading edge of technology. That idea led to the formation of the Mercury 7 Foundation, which later became the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF). Together with Betty Grissom (widow of the seventh, Virgil “Gus” Grissom), William Douglas, M.D. (the Project Mercury flight surgeon), and Henri Landwirth (Orlando businessman and friend of the astronauts) the Mercury 7 astronauts provided scholarships for students that excelled in the area of science. Today, astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs have joined in the mission. Through the garnered support of astronauts, industry leaders, educational institutions and patrons, ASF awards merit-based scholarships to the best and brightest university students who excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The prestigious Astronaut Scholarship is known nationwide for being among the largest monetary scholarships awarded to undergraduate STEM students. Since its inception, ASF has awarded over $4 million in scholarships to more than 400 of the nation’s top scholars.