Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Three Honorary Fellows and 28 Fellows Elected February 25, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) proudly congratulates its newly elected Class of 2021 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. The induction ceremony for the new Honorary Fellows and Fellows will take place later this year. “The Class of

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide, University of Georgia Join AIAA Community February 22, 2021 – Reston, Va. –The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is excited to announce the addition of two new AIAA student branches at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide (ERAU-Worldwide) and the University of Georgia (UGA). These universities join more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 18, 2021 – Reston, Va. – Ozires Silva, Co-Founder/Past President, Embraer, has been awarded the 2020 Daniel Guggenheim Medal for his education and inspiration of today’s aerospace engineers and scientists and for his influential contributions to the fields of combustion and propulsion. The award presentation will be hosted by the Brazilian

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 16, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the 2021 International Student Conference winners. AIAA, in partnership with Lockheed Martin Corporation, sponsors the International Student Conference at AIAA SciTech Forum each year for student members at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 16, 2021 – Reston, Va. – In advance of this week’s scheduled landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover on Mars, more than 1,500 members of the ASCEND community participated in an exclusive live webinar with mission experts to preview the rover’s precision landing program and the groundbreaking science, technology and engineering innovations it

Award recognizes the prioritization of sustainability at the airport to protect the environment January 27, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) congratulates the Jackson Hole Airport Board as the 2021 winner of the Jay Hollingsworth Speas Airport Award. The Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is located in Jackson, Wyoming. The Jay Hollingsworth Speas Airport Award honors an

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 20, 2021 – Reston, Va. – AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher made the following statement after the Inaugural Ceremonies for President Joseph R. Biden and Vice President Kamala D. Harris: “Today we witnessed the peaceful transition of power to the newly elected leaders of the democracy of the United States of America.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 16, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) praises the recent science and technology announcement by President-elect Joe Biden. AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher made the following statement: “As the world’s largest aerospace technical society, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) welcomes the Biden

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 14, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the Aerospace Special Interest Group of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE Aerospace SIG) are hosting: “A Tribute to Service: Community, Country, and Humanity,” Monday, January 18, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET. This virtual program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 12, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has published a white paper on cybersecurity, “Aerospace Cybersecurity: Enduring Challenges, Enduring Solutions; Bringing Cyber Protection to the Heart of the Aerospace Industry.” The white paper, available to download, includes extended findings from the AIAA Aerospace Cybersecurity Market

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 8, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is encouraged by the FAA’s new rule streamlining and clarifying procedures to obtain agency approval for supersonic aircraft testing in the United States. AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher made the following statement after the rule was issued: “This

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Lecture will be Delivered During 2021 AIAA SciTech Forum January 7, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the 2021 AIAA Durand Lectureship for Public Service is awarded to David W. Thompson,  President and Chief Executive Officer (retired) of Orbital ATK, Inc. Thompson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 6, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of awards to be presented during the 2021 AIAA SciTech Forum, to be held virtually 11–15 and 19–21 January. The Awards Ceremony to fully recognize these award winners is set for Wednesday, 20

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “A Tribute to Service: Community, Country, and Humanity” Scheduled for Monday, January 18, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET January 5, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the Aerospace Special Interest Group of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE Aerospace SIG) are pleased to

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AIAA Executive Director Applauds Commitment to Department of Defense January 1, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) applauds the passage of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Among other things, the $732 billion policy bill creates a Senate-confirmed director for cybersecurity, accelerates the acquisition of space

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 28, 2020 – Reston, Va. –  The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) applauds the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The $1.4 trillion funding package includes approximately $627.3 billion for the DOD, $14.6 billion for the FAA, $23.3 billion for NASA, $1 billion for NIST, $5.4 billion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 21, 2020 – Reston, Va. – Registration is open for journalists around the world to gain access to the 2021 AIAA SciTech Forum, the world’s largest event for aerospace research, development and technology. Every year, THIS is the place industry gathers; the event sets the industry tone for the year. Request press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AIAA Executive Director Applauds Commitment to Department of Defense December 16, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the Aviation Information Sharing and Analysis Center (A-ISAC) have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) enabling the two organizations to collaborate on aerospace and aviation cybersecurity endeavors.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 15, 2020 – Reston, Va. – We as physics societies exist to ensure that physics delivers on its exceptional potential to benefit society. We recognise the important role of universal access to knowledge in achieving this goal and are therefore committed to making open access (OA) to physics research a reality. We

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has selected Tom Shih, an AIAA Fellow and Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University, as its new editor-in-chief for the AIAA Journal. He succeeds Professor Alexander Smits of Princeton University, who has served as editor-in-chief of the

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) mourns the passing of AIAA Honorary Fellow Peter B. Teets. He served as undersecretary and Acting Secretary of the Air Force, head of the National Reconnaissance Office, and president and chief operating officer of Lockheed Martin. He died

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 8, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) mourns the passing of Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager, a military test pilot who was the first person to break the sound barrier, on Monday, December 7. Yeager was a decorated U.S. Air Force pilot, having flown in World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AIAA Brian Talbot  Senior Director, Strategic Marketing & Communications 703.980.4132 [email protected] NAE Brandon Green Communications/Media Specialist 202.334.2226 [email protected] Will Deliver October Address on “From Airbags to Wheels: The Evolution of GN&C for Entry, Descent, and Landing” September 11, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Register now to have access on Monday, 16 November November 12, 2020 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND is the first international space event specifically focused on how to expand the $4 billion space economy to an anticipated $1.5 trillion in the next two decades. ASCEND will bring together top scientists, engineers, economists, medical

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 5, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of the premier lectureships and technical excellence awards to be presented during ASCEND, AIAA’s space ecosystem event, which will be held online 16–18 November.  Register now for full access at the best available rate.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 4, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) mourns the passing of one of the foremost experts in rocket propulsion, George P. Sutton, on 15 October 2020, in Los Angeles. Sutton was an AIAA Fellow and past president of the American Rocket Society (ARS), one of

AIAA is pleased to announce that its Executive Nominating Committee has selected candidates for next year’s election of President-Elect…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 13, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) applauds NASA and its international partners on the signing of the Artemis Accords agreement, which establishes important principles to help safeguard the civil use and exploration of the moon among nations that are participating in NASA’s future lunar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce its Class of 2021 Associate Fellows. “I am extremely excited for and proud of each member of the Class of 2021 Associate Fellows,” said AIAA President Basil Hassan. “These individuals exemplify passion and dedication

September 17, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced the publication of “Ensuring Economically Viable Lunar Settlements,” a workshop proceedings report stemming from the space ecosystem event ASCEND. Using “NASA’s Plan for Sustained Lunar Exploration and Development” as a starting point, a panel of experts gathered at the

September 8, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) commends the release of Space Policy Directive 5 (SPD-5), which establishes key cybersecurity principles for cyber protection of space systems. AIAA commends the work of the National Space Council to highlight best practices for a whole-of-government approach to protect our space assets from

September 1, 2020 – Reston, Va. –The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation has announced the 22 winners of its 2020 undergraduate scholarships and graduate awards. Through its Foundation and supported by nearly 30,000 members, AIAA awards academic scholarships and STEM educational grants to support the next generation of aerospace professionals. “Preparing the

Accelerating Innovation Through Diversity August 26, 2020 – Reston, Va. – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced that AIAA SciTech Forum, held 11–15 January 2021, will be fully online. The world’s largest event for aerospace research, development, and technology, AIAA SciTech Forum brings together more than 5,000 participants from around the

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Brian Talbot 703.264.7532 [email protected] Awards Honor Outstanding Section Programming in a Variety of Categories August 14, 2020 – Reston, Va. –The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has announced its 2019–2020 section awards winners. The section awards honor particularly notable achievements made by member sections in a range of activities

First ASCENDxSummit To Be Held 19 August August 10, 2020 – Reston, Va. – Space science and technology will be the topic of the first in a series of summits hosted by ASCEND, a space ecosystem event from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The ASCENDxSummits are multitrack, interdisciplinary half-day events focused on a broad theme.

July 15, 2020 – Reston, Va. – Aerospace leaders from government, industry and academia will discuss the industry’s emerging propulsion and energy technologies, challenges, and opportunities during the 2020 AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum held virtually 24–26 August. The AIAA/IEEE Electric Aircraft Technologies Symposium (EATS) will be held 26–28 August, directly following the AIAA Propulsion and Energy

July 14, 2020 – Reston, Va. –The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the largest technical society representing the aerospace industry, is concerned with the drastic changes to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and H-1B visa policy. Such changes can potentially weaken an already struggling aerospace and defense (A&D) industry, potentially ceding hard-won

July 8, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and Blue Origin are pleased to announce the winner of their Design/Build/Launch (DBL) competition. Eleanor Sigrest, a rising senior enrolled in a dual program at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, and the Governor’s School at Innovation Park in

July 7, 2020 – Reston, Va. –The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of technical excellence awards to be presented during the 2020 AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum, which will be held online 24–26 August 2020. “Technical advances are the foundation for the next aerospace innovation,” said Dan Dumbacher,

July 1, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The space ecosystem event ASCEND, held 16–18 November, will be fully online, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced. “ASCEND is a game changer in building the new space ecosystem and is unlike anything else out there,” said Rob Meyerson, ASCEND executive producer and former president

June 10, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced today that all scheduled 2020 events and forums will be held virtually. “After talking with speakers, sponsors, presenters, exhibitors, and attendees, it is clear that transforming all scheduled AIAA events to fully virtual ones through the end of 2020

NASA’s Bridenstine Among Notable Speakers at AIAA’s First Fully Virtual Forum June 3, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics is holding its first fully virtual forum, the 2020 AIAA AVIATION Forum, 15–19 June. “This year, more than most, the AIAA AVIATION Forum has a crucial role to play in advancing

June 1, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) mourns the loss of AIAA Honorary Fellow Arnold D. Aldrich, whose 35-year NASA career encompassed the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle missions. Aldrich passed away on 28 May 2020 after a brief battle with cancer. He was 83. Aldrich served

Updated May 30, 2023* | Originally Published June 1, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the 2020 Regional Student Conference winners. “AIAA gives students real-world experience to help start their aerospace careers,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. “I’m impressed by the student research topics.

May 30, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) celebrates the success of today’s history-making launch of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft from U.S. soil to the International Space Station. “Today’s success heralds a new era of space exploration, one that will redefine U.S. leadership in space,” said Dan Dumbacher,

Former Astronaut Sandy Magnus on 29 May; NASA’s Steve Jurczyk on 1 June May 26, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is hosting two free webinars—one moderated by former astronaut and AIAA’s own Sandy Magnus on Friday, 29 May, and another with NASA Associate Administrator Steve Jurczyk on Monday, 1

May 22, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced the election of four new trustees to its Board of Trustees and new leadership for the AIAA Foundation. “AIAA is grateful for the active volunteer leaders who help guide the Institute,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. “AIAA board members

AIAA is grateful for John Langford’s leadership as AIAA president during his 2018–2020 term, which ended this week.

May 19, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The new president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Basil Hassan, begins his 2020–2022 term this week. Hassan is director of the Chief Research Office at Sandia National Laboratories. “We are pleased to welcome Basil Hassan as AIAA’s new president,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Michele McDonald 703.264.7542 [email protected] May 15, 2020 – Reston, Va. –The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) applauds NASA’s announcement of the Artemis Accords, a set of common principles created to govern the civil exploration and use of outer space. “The Artemis Accords will provide the framework needed to build