Prix d'Astronautique

The Prix d'Astronautique (Astronautics Prize) was an international award of the Société astronomique de France, the French astronomical society, given in recognition of the study of interplanetary travel and astronautics. Specifically, the award was given "to recognize the best original scientific work, theoretical or experimental, that is able to advance one of the questions related to the realisation of space travel, or to increase human understanding of one of the branches related to the science of astronautics."

Established by aviation and astronautical pioneer Robert Esnault-Pelterie and André-Louis Hirsch, a sponsor for early astronautics in France, it was the first prize for astronautics in the world.

The idea for establishing the prize originated during a dinner Hirsch and Esnault-Pelterie organised in Paris on 26 December 1927. Their guests discussed the emerging science of space travel, which they called “astronautics” at the suggestion of science fiction writer J.H. Rosny the elder. Hirsch and Esnault-Pelterie provided funds – 5,000 francs annually for 1928, 1929, and 1930 – to the Société astronomique de France, for an annual award in astronautics in their names: the Prix REP-Hirsch.

A Comité d'Astronautique was established within the Société astronomique de France to manage the prize. In addition to Hirsch, Esnault-Pelterie and Rosny the elder, the committee was composed of:

The prize was awarded for 10 years, from 1929 to 1939. In 1936, the name of the award changed from the Prix REP-Hirsch to the Prix d'Astronautique.

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