Courses Category: Private Courses

Fluid-Filled Porous Composites: Multifunctional Design for Space Applications (1-Day Course at SciTech Forum 2027)

Full-Day Course, held in conjunction with the AIAA SciTech Forum 2027 in Orlando, Florida
Sunday, 10 January 2027, at the Hyatt Regency Orlando
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course
This course represents the first comprehensive educational offering on fluid-filled cellular composites, synthesizing two decades of research from biological inspiration through NASA validation. This full-day course will include:
- Deep dive into theoretical foundations and practical applications
- Hands-on learning with physical samples and computational tools
- Interactive design exercises building participant competency
- Direct access to the research team for detailed technical discussions
- Networking opportunities with leaders in biomimetic materials

Instructed by: Rex Alexander, FRAeS, Founder & President of Five-Alpha and arguably “the” global authority on vertical flight infrastructure.

From 19 October – 4 November 2026 (3 Weeks, 6 Classes, 12 Total Hours)
Every Monday and Wednesday at 1–3 p.m. Eastern Time (all sessions will be recorded and available for replay; course notes will be available for download)
This new essential course provides the very latest information, design considerations, challenges, and pitfalls for vertiports & heliports
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course

From 13 October–19 November 2026 (6 Weeks, 12 Classes, 24 Total Hours)
Every Tuesday and Thursday at 1–3 p.m. Eastern Time (all sessions will be recorded and available for replay; course notes will be available for download) This new essential course offers an in-depth and practical exploration of airplane performance
All students will receive an e-book copy of the instructor’s AIAA textbook Operational Aircraft Performance and Flight Test Practices
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.

From 6 October–5 November 2026 (5 Weeks, 10 Classes, 20 Total Hours)
Every Tuesday and Thursday at 1–3 p.m. ET (all sessions will be recorded and available for replay; course notes will be available for download)
AIAA’s new essential course on Electric Propulsion Diagnostics is taught by world-leading experts from the AIAA Electric Propulsion Technical Committee with decades of combined research and teaching experience.
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.

From 3–12 November 2026 (2 Weeks, 6 Classes, 12 Hours)
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 12–2 p.m. Eastern Time (all sessions will be recorded and available for replay; course notes will be available for download)
Taught by a former Senior Vice President at Sierra Nevada Corporation Space Systems and Program Executive at Airbus US, with vast experience and expertise in the field, and author of Blind Spots: Why Product Development Projects Miss Their Targets.
Part of a two course series, this essential course on Project Execution for Aerospace covers the internal-facing part of product development including design, development, testing, and validation, culminating in the delivery of the final product to the market. While both courses are recommended as a pair, you should register for this course if your primary problems are with overruns or project execution.
Note: register for the first course (Business Development for Aerospace Professionals) if you’re trying to identify customer needs and the best sales opportunities.
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course

From 26–29 October 2026 (4 Classes, 24 Total Hours)
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Eastern Time
Defining and Defending Mission Solutions
This new unique workshop will give you hands-on experience designing a space mission from start to finish.
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course

Image Courtesy of Northrop Grumman

Instructed by Bong Wie, Professor Emeritus of Aerospace Engineering at Iowa State University

From 8 September–1 October 2026 (4 Weeks, 8 Classes, 16 Total Hours)
Every Tuesday and Thursday at 1–3 p.m. Eastern Time (all sessions will be recorded and available for replay; course notes will be available for download)
This course provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in next-generation missiles and hypersonic vehicles, with a focus on the guidance and control challenges of these advanced flight vehicles.
It also includes a variety of G&C design examples for advanced missiles and hypersonic vehicles, enhancing the learning experience.
All students will receive a MATLAB software toolbox employing the numerical predictor-corrector guidance algorithm and its variants, as applied to atmospheric entry & descent guidance of hypersonic vehicles.
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course

This new essential course, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, introduces students to the main elements of a Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) mission.
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion and an additional Certificate of Completion from Johns Hopkins University at the end of the course.

This new essential course, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, explores the space environment in the context of its impact on space system operations.
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion and an additional Certificate of Completion from Johns Hopkins University at the end of the course.

Registration closed on 15 April

From 8 April – 20 May 2026 (7 Weeks, 7 Classes, 14 Classroom Hours, approximately 28 Total Hours)
Every Wednesday from 6–8 p.m. Eastern Time (all sessions will be recorded and available for replay; course notes will be available for download)
This new essential course, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, will cover the fundamentals of satellite communications, including basic link analysis, antennas, and real-world system examples in this very dynamic field!
All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion and an additional Certificate of Completion from Johns Hopkins University.