Mr. Homer Hickam

Homer Hickam first served on the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation board from October 2015-2019 and rejoined the Foundation in November 2022 in his capacity as the Development Chair for the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission (ASSEC). Hickam has been a writer since 1969 after his return from Vietnam. While working on his writing career, Hickam was employed as an engineer for the U.S. Army Missile Command from 1971 to 1981 assigned to Huntsville, Alabama, and Germany. He began employment with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Marshall Space Flight Center in 1981 as an aerospace engineer. During his NASA career, Hickam worked in spacecraft design and crew training. Prior to his retirement in 1998, Hickam was the Payload Training Manager for the International Space Station Program.

Hickam has received many awards and honors. Among them are the prestigious University of Alabama’s Clarence Cason Award and the Appalachian Heritage Writer’s Award for his memoirs and fiction. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Literature from Marshall University. In 2025, he was inducted into the Space Camp Hall of Fame.

In addition to serving on boards at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Hickam volunteers many hours at the Center speaking to teachers who continue to be inspired by his book Rocket Boys, a story of the teacher who encouraged his love of rockets and space exploration.