Aerospace America

 Current Issue

The January issue of Aerospace America, is now live. Make sure to check out this month's cover story, "Can Kwaj Survive?" by Mike Gruss and Cat Hofacker. The highest point on the Kwajalein island chain, home to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, is the cheekily named Mount Olympus. Rising 17.5 meters above the Pacific Ocean, it illustrates a big problem facing the U.S. defense establishment: Arguably its most vital missile, hypersonics and space surveillance venue is uniquely vulnerable to the rising seas of climate change. Is it feasible to keep Kwaj running? We spoke to two U.S. Army colonels whose mission is to make sure the answer is “yes.”  Full Story

Don't miss this month's Editor's Notebook, “From Kwajalein to Mars in 40 pages,” by Aerospace America Editor-in-Chief Ben Iannotta, who writes:  “I’ve never been to Kwajalein Atoll, but after reading our cover story, I feel like I have. The climate aspect of the story [page 22] made me recall that the U.S. Navy long ago realized that a new navigable sea is emerging in the Arctic. The services that rely on Kwajalein might be on the cusp of their own epiphany: that rising waters mean the outpost’s usefulness for military testing won’t be perpetual.” Full Story

In January's Flight Path, “Meet Your AIAA Candidate for President-Elect,” the AIAA Communications team introduces members to AIAA's candidate for President-Elect, Dana “Keoki” Jackson. Full Story

Also, see if you can solve this month's AeroPuzzler, “Does Mass Matter to Measure Mass?" Send a response of up to 250 words that someone in any field could understand to aeropuzzler@aerospaceamerica.org by noon Eastern January 17 for a chance to have it published in the next issue. Full Story

To read these stories and all other exclusive content, log in to the Aerospace America website.