Tag: 2022

Sources: Boeing Looks to Increase 737 MAX Output in Fall 2022

Reuters reported that The Boeing Company “has drawn up preliminary plans for a fresh sprint in 737 MAX output to as many as 42 jets a month in fall 2022, industry sources said, in a bid to extend its recovery from overlapping safety and COVID-19 crises.” The plans “would lift output beyond an early 2022 target of 31 a month, which the sources said Boeing aims to reach in March.” Boeing “hopes to speed monthly output from single digits now to about 26 a month at the end of 2021 at its Renton factory near Seattle, two of the sources said.” The news “comes as demand for medium-haul jets such as the 737 MAX and competing Airbus A320neo begins to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, boosted by widespread vaccinations, especially in the busy U.S. domestic market.”
Full Story (Reuters)

AIAA Recognizes Technical Excellence in Aerospace During 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 25, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of technical excellence awards to be presented at several events this year.

“We are proud to recognize these accomplished individuals for their influence on the aerospace profession,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. “These visionaries and technological leaders are truly inspirational. We are grateful for their efforts working toward a safer, more connected, more accessible, and more prosperous world.”

The following aerospace professionals will be recognized for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions in their field, having been chosen by their peers from related AIAA technical committees.

  • 2022 AIAA Theodor W. Knacke Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Award

    Benjamin A. Tutt, Airborne SystemsBenjamin A. Tutt, Airborne Systems

    Award Citation: For a lifetime of continued excellence and leadership in the field of modeling and simulation of aerodynamic decelerators.

    The Theodor W. Knacke Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Award is presented to an individual to recognize a lifetime of significant contributions to the advancement of aeronautical or aerospace systems through research, development, and application of the art and science of aerodynamic decelerator technology. This year’s award was presented during the 26th Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference and Seminar, 16-19 May, Toulouse, France.

  • 2022 AIAA Aeroacoustics Award

    Kenneth S. Brentner, Pennsylvania State UniversityKenneth S. Brentner, Pennsylvania State University

    Award Citation: For fundamental contributions to aeroacoustics and rotorcraft noise prediction, including the introduction of the permeable surface formulations of the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation.

    The Aeroacoustics Award is presented for an outstanding technical or scientific achievement resulting from an individual’s contribution to the field of aircraft community noise reduction. This year’s award will be presented during the 28th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference, 14-17 June, United Kingdom.

  • 2022 AIAA Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award

    Peter Hancock, University of Central FloridaPeter Hancock, University of Central Florida

    Award Citation: For lifelong contributions to the human factors of aviation and aerospace safety and performance.

    Recognizing the importance to aeronautics of scientific endeavors in the field of medicine, the Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award was established in 1940 to honor the memory of the American physician, John Jeffries, whose scientific investigations were published in a “Narrative of Two Aerial Voyages” in 1786. This year’s award will be presented during the 51st International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES), 10-14 July, St Paul, Minn.

  • 2022 AIAA Aerospace Communications Award

    Riccardo De Gaudenzi, European Space AgencyRiccardo De Gaudenzi, European Space Agency

    Award Citation: For technical contributions and management leadership in the development of innovative technologies and systems for telecommunications, navigation, and Earth observation applications.

    The Aerospace Communications Award is presented for an outstanding contribution in the field of aerospace communications. Candidates are individuals or small teams whose achievements have had a positive impact on technology and society. This year’s award will be presented during the 27th Ka and Broadband Communications Conference (Ka) and the 39th International Communications Satellite Systems Conference (ICSSC) and its Colloquium, 18-21 October, Italy.

AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Robert D. Braun Awarded 2022 Yvonne C. Brill Lecture in Aerospace Engineering

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Address on “Are We Alone? Grand Challenges in Solar System Exploration” Scheduled for October 4

August 10, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) are pleased to announce that Dr. Robert D. Braun, Space Exploration Sector Head at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, has been selected as the distinguished recipient of the 2022 Yvonne C. Brill Lecture in Aerospace Engineering.

Braun will present his lecture, “Are We Alone? Grand Challenges in Solar System Exploration,” on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at 2 p.m., in conjunction with the NAE Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Registration for this lecture is free and open to the public.

This lecture will discuss the search for signs of past or present life beyond Earth, a profound human endeavor that has occupied a place in our consciousness since humans first looked skyward. This quest requires an advance in space exploration capabilities, technologies, and knowledge that also informs our future on our home planet and the pace of human exploration beyond it. After decades of hard work, and through an interconnected set of missions, NASA stands poised to address this timeless question along multiple arcs. Braun will describe the scientific opportunities, locales, technologies, and missions from which we may advance our understanding of the potential for life elsewhere in the universe. The goals and present status of multiple astrobiology missions planned for the next decade will be highlighted.

Braun has more than 35 years of experience as a space systems engineer, technologist, and organizational leader. He has contributed to the formulation, development, and operation of multiple space flight missions and is a recognized authority in hypersonics technology and the development of entry, descent, and landing systems.

Braun previously served as Director for Planetary Science at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2020–2022), Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder (2017–2020), a faculty member of the Georgia Institute of Technology (2003–2016) and a member of the technical staff of NASA Langley Research Center (1989–2003). He has served as a tenured professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Colorado Boulder, and California Institute of Technology.

From 2010 to 2011, Braun served as the first NASA Chief Technologist in more than a decade. In this capacity, he was responsible for development of the agency’s technology and innovation policy and programs. He created and led the initial implementation of a spectrum of NASA technology programs designed to build the capabilities required for our nation’s future space missions. This activity spanned all ten NASA centers, industry and academia, and fostered partnerships between NASA and other government agencies.

Braun is a member of the NAE as well as a Fellow of AIAA and the American Astronomical Society. He is the author or co-author of over 300 technical publications.

AIAA, with the participation and support of NAE, created the Yvonne C. Brill Lectureship in Aerospace Engineering to honor the memory of the late, pioneering rocket scientist, AIAA Honorary Fellow and NAE Member, Yvonne C. Brill. Brill was best known for developing a revolutionary propulsion system that remains the industry standard for geostationary satellite station-keeping.

The lecture emphasizes research or engineering issues for space travel and exploration, aerospace education of students and the public, and other aerospace issues such as ensuring a diverse and robust engineering community.

AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, AIAA, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell
NAE Media Contact:L. Eileen Erickson, NAE, [email protected], 703-400-4401 (cell)

Partners

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
NAE

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About NAE
Founded in 1964, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is a private, independent, nonprofit institution that provides engineering leadership in service to the nation. The mission of the NAE is to advance the welfare and prosperity of the nation by providing independent advice on matters involving engineering and technology, and by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and public appreciation of engineering. Follow NAE on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

AIAA Announces 2022 Undergraduate Scholarship and Graduate Award Winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 1, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation has announced the 25 winners of its 2022 undergraduate scholarships and graduate awards. Through its Foundation and supported by nearly 30,000 members, AIAA awards over $100,000 in academic scholarships and STEM educational grants to support the next generation of aerospace professionals.

“Congratulations to these exemplary students on receiving scholarships and awards to further their education. Preparing the next generation of aerospace innovators is part of our commitment to the aerospace community,” said Basil Hassan, chair, AIAA Foundation. “The students recognized here are some of our industry’s next leaders and problem-solvers. We are proud to call them AIAA student members and we look forward to seeing how they shape the future of aerospace.”

Applications for the 2023 scholarships and awards are being accepted from 1 October 2022 to 31 January 2023.

The 2022 undergraduate scholarship winners are:

    • The AIAA Foundation, in partnership with Lockheed Martin, is pleased to present the inaugural AIAA Lockheed Martin Marillyn Hewson Scholarship to the following two students. This $10,000 scholarship is a needs-based award presented to one female high school graduate and one female enrolled university student each year.
      • Julianna Schneider, accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
      • Penelope Nieves, currently enrolled at University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico)
    • The $10,000 Daedalus 88 Scholarship, endowed by former AIAA President John Langford, founder and CEO Emeritus of Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company, and founder and CEO of Electra.aero, was presented to Rebecca Gilligan, University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio).
    • The $10,000 David and Catherine Thompson Space Technology Scholarship, named for and endowed by former AIAA President David Thompson, retired chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Orbital ATK, Dulles, Virginia, and his wife Catherine, was presented to Kaila Coimbra, California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, California).
    • The $5,000 Vicki and George Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering, named for and endowed by the late Lt. Gen. George Muellner, U.S. Air Force, former AIAA president, and president of advanced systems for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, and his wife Vicki, was presented to Michael Esry, Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana).
    • The $5,000 Wernher von Braun Scholarship, named in honor of the German rocketeer and founder of the U.S. space program, was presented to Satvik Kumar, Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Georgia).
  • The $1,250 Leatrice Gregory Pendray Scholarship, named in honor of Mrs. Leatrice Pendray, an accomplished rocketry researcher and co-founder of the American Interplanetary Society in 1930 was presented to Eszter Anna Varga, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Blacksburg, Virginia).

Six AIAA Foundation scholarships were presented by AIAA technical committees (TC) to students performing research in the TC’s area:

    • The Space Transportation TC presented a $1,500 scholarship to Rebecca Zurek, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, Florida).
    • The Digital Avionics TC presented five scholarships of $3,000 each:
    • The Dr. James Rankin Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Patrick Bailey, University of South Carolina (Columbia, South Carolina).
    • The Dr. Amy R. Pritchett Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Adam Hale, Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah).
    • The Ellis F. Hitt Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Justin Self, California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, California).
    • The Cary Spitzer Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Jesus Delgado, Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne, Florida).
    • The Denise Ponchak Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Sanjay Kuruchanvalasu Jambulingam, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)

The 2022 graduate award winners are:

    • Michelle Lin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, Massachusetts, received the Neil Armstrong Graduate Award. This $5,000 award honors the character and achievements of the late astronaut, military pilot, and educator, Neil A. Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the moon.
    • Brigid Donohue and John Parrish, both from North Carolina State University (NCSU), are the recipients of the Dr. Hassan A. Hassan Graduate Award in Aerospace Engineering. Dr. Hassan established the award shortly before his death in January 2019 to entice top NCSU aerospace engineering seniors, who also are AIAA members, to earn their graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in aerospace engineering at NCSU. Two $5,000 awards are presented each year.
    • Javier Viana, University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio), received the John Leland Atwood Graduate Award. Established in 1999, the $1,250 award, sponsored by endowments from Rockwell and what is now The Boeing Company and named in memory of John Leland “Lee” Atwood, former chief executive officer of Rockwell, North America, recognizes a student actively engaged in research in the areas covered by the technical committees of AIAA.
  • Shashank Maurya, University of Maryland – College Park (College Park, Maryland), and Abinash Sahoo, North Carolina State University (Raleigh, North Carolina), each received the Orville and Wilbur Wright Graduate Award. These $5,000 awards, given in memory of the Wright brothers’ contributions to the evolution of flight, recognize two full-time graduate students.

Six AIAA TCs also presented graduate awards:

    • Damien Guého, Pennsylvania State University (State College, Pennsylvania), received the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) TC’s $2,500 Guidance, Navigation and Control Graduate Award.
    • Tengjie Gao, Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne, Florida), received the Liquid Propulsion TC’s $2,500 Liquid Propulsion Graduate Award.
    • Aashutosh Mishra, Auburn University (Auburn, Alabama), received the Modeling and Simulation TC’s $3,500 Luis de Florez Graduate Award.
  • Hongyuan Zhang, University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minnesota), received the Propellants and Combustion TC’s $1,250 Martin Summerfield Propellants and Combustion Graduate Award.
    • Rishi Roy, University of Maryland – College Park (College Park, Maryland) received the Air Breathing Propulsion TC’s $1,000 Gordon C. Oates Air Breathing Propulsion Graduate Award.
  • Michael Harwin, Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne, Florida) received the General Aviation TC’s $1,000 William T. Piper Sr. Graduate Award.

 

AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Announces 2022 Election Results

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 7, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced today the results of its recent 2022 elections. The newly elected AIAA officials will take office on 28 April.

“Thank you to all AIAA members who volunteer to help lead this great organization,” said Basil Hassan, AIAA president. “I am grateful to all the candidates for your willingness to serve. Thank you also to all members who cast their vote. The aerospace industry is an extraordinary place to work because of AIAA members’ commitment and dedication. Congratulations to the new leaders.”

2022 Election Results for Board of Trustees Member-at-Large

Larry D. James, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Ben Marchionna, Electra.aero
Stephanie D. Wilson, NASA Johnson Space Center

2022 Election Results for Chief, Integration and Outreach Activities Division

Peter Hartwich, The Boeing Company

2022 Election Results for Council of Directors Positions

Director–Region IV
Ellen Gillespie, Retired

Director–Region V
James Guglielmo, Boeing Research & Technology

Director–Aerospace Outreach Group
Kevin Burns, Retired

Director–Integration Group
Thomas Irvine, TBI Aerospace Consulting, LLC

Director-Elect–Young Professionals Group
Dominic Pena, Ball Aerospace

Director–Information Systems Group
Michel Ingham, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Director–Propulsion and Energy Group
Rusty Powell, Axient, LLC

Media contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

Italy’s Cristoforetti First European Woman to Command ISS

The Daily Mail (UK) reports once Russia’s Oleg Artemyev leaves the ISS, Italy’s Samantha Cristoforetti will become the first European woman to command the station. Cristoforetti, who holds the record for the longest stay in space by a woman, also will be the first non-American woman, and fifth ever, to command the station.
Full Story (Daily Mail (UK))

NASA to Crash DART into Asteroid Monday

SPACE reported that on Monday “at 7:14 p.m. EDT (2314 GMT), NASA will intentionally crash a spacecraft into an asteroid – and you might be able to see it live.” The test mission “is targeting the moonlet Dimorphos, a small celestial body orbiting the asteroid Didymos about 7 million miles (11 million kilometers) away from Earth.” The livestream “from the telescopes will begin on Monday at 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT) on the Virtual Telescope Project’s website.”
Full Story (SPACE)

NASA Prepares for Wednesday SLS Fueling Test

Spaceflight Now reported that engineers “are ready to reload NASA’s Artemis moon rocket with supercold fuel Wednesday to make sure a repaired liquid hydrogen quick-disconnect fitting is leak free, one of two requirements that must be met before the agency can make a third attempt to launch the huge booster September 27 on the program’s maiden moonshot.” NASA is awaiting a waiver from the Space Force Eastern Range “allowing the unpiloted launch to proceed without first double-checking the health of batteries in the rocket’s self-destruct system.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

 

 Watch the Artemis I launch live on NASA TV

The next anticipated launch window will take place in late September 2022.

SpaceX Sets New Record with 40th Mission of the Year

USA Today reports that SpaceX on Sunday “launched 51 Starlink satellites and Spaceflight’s Sherpa-LTC, an orbital transfer vehicle, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Its 40th mission of the year set a record for the number of rockets launched in a calendar year.”
Full Story (USA Today)
 
 
 

 

 Video

SpaceX launches 51 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral, Florida, 4 September 2022, at 10:09 p.m. ET.
(SpaceX; YouTube)

SpaceX Launches 46 More Starlink Satellites from Vandenberg

Spaceflight Now reports that SpaceX “launched a Falcon 9 rocket with 46 more Starlink internet satellites overnight Wednesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, completing a quartet of rapid-fire polar orbit Starlink missions from the West Coast spaceport since mid-July.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

 

 Video

SpaceX launches 46 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, 31 August 2022 at 10:40 p.m. PT.
(SpaceX; YouTube)

SpaceX Launches 52 More Starlink Satellites

Spaceflight Now reports that SpaceX “launched a Falcon 9 rocket and 52 more Starlink internet satellites Tuesday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The commercial mission took off bound for low Earth orbit at 10:14 p.m. EDT (0214 GMT).” The Falcon 9 rocket “headed northeast from the Kennedy Space Center, aiming to deliver the flat-packed broadband relay stations to an orbit ranging between 144 miles and 208 miles in altitude (232-by-338 kilometers).”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
 
 

 

 Video

SpaceX launches 52 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, 9 August 2022 at 10:14 p.m. ET.
(SpaceX; YouTube)

SpaceX Launches BlueWalker 3 Communications Satellite

SPACE reported that SpaceX “launched a novel – and colossal – commercial communications satellite into orbit late Saturday and set a new launch record for its Falcon 9 rocket at the same time.” The Falcon 9 “launched into orbit from Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying 34 of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites and BlueWalker 3, a prototype satellite built by AST SpaceMobile that’s billed as the largest commercial communications array ever flown in space.” The BlueWalker 3 satellite “is the largest commercial antenna array launched into space. Its mission: to test new technology designed to provide global cellular phone service directly to users from space. The goal is to fill in coverage gaps and provide seamless high-speed phone and data service in underserved areas.”
Full Story (SPACE)

 

 Video

SpaceX launches 34 Starlink satellites and AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 satellite to orbit from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Saturday, 10 Sept. 2022 at 9:20 p.m. EDT.
(SpaceX; YouTube)

Artemis I Launch Delayed to at Least September 27

SPACE reports that NASA announced Monday it is now targeting September 27 for the Artemis I launch. NASA is planning to conduct an SLS fueling test for September 21. NASA officials wrote Monday, “The updated dates represent careful consideration of multiple logistical topics, including the additional value of having more time to prepare for the cryogenic demonstration test, and subsequently more time to prepare for the launch.”
Full Story (SPACE)

 

 Watch the Artemis I launch live on NASA TV

The next anticipated launch window will take place in late September 2022.

DOD May Allow F-35 Deliveries to Resume Within Weeks

Aviation Week reported that the “U.S. Defense Department may allow Lockheed Martin F-35 deliveries to resume within weeks, pending the outcome of legal, security and airworthiness reviews launched after the discovery of a Chinese supplier of a metal alloy in one component.” The Hill reported that Under Secretary of Defense for acquisition and sustainment William LaPlante “said an investigation is underway and ‘moving quickly’ to look into how an alloy made in China ended up in magnets in the turbomachine pumps of the Lockheed Martin-produced F-35.” According to The Hill, “both the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed have insisted that the Chinese-sourced alloy was magnetized in the United States and does not give any other country access to sensitive information, adding that there are no safety issues.” LaPlante told reporters, “They’re looking at two things – one, impact on security, if any, and impact on air worthiness or safety, if any. … Right now, so far it doesn’t appear to be either of them.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Full Story (The Hill)

2022 ASCEND to Kick Off with NASA, The Aerospace Corporation, SpaceX, U.S. Space Force

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Broad, Bold Perspectives from Inspired Visionaries Lead the Three-Day Event in Las Vegas

August 30, 2022 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND, the world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space event designed to accelerate building our off-world future faster, today announced its agenda for the 2022 ASCEND apex event, 24-26 October at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas, and online. Details are available at ascend.events. Early-bird registration rates are available through midnight, Friday, 9 September; space is limited. Journalists around the world are invited to cover 2022 ASCEND; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

Powered by AIAA, 2022 ASCEND will open on Monday, 24 October, with perspectives from:

  • Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno, Director of Staff, U.S. Space Force
  • James Free, Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development, NASA
  • Pam Melroy, Deputy Administrator, NASA
  • Todd Nygren, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Technology Group, The Aerospace Corporation
  • Ellen Ochoa, Astronaut; former Director, NASA Johnson Space Center
  • Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX
  • Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA

The three-day program is packed with speakers from leading space organizations and adjacent industries including Axiom Space, Barclays Capital, Maxar Technologies, MIT, NASA, and SpaceX, among others. During the more than 147 sessions across 16 space domain topics, speakers and attendees will tackle important issues and explore exciting opportunities in low Earth orbit and beyond, including:

  • Space Traffic Management and Coordination
  • Sustainable Space Exploration
  • Outpacing the Space Threat
  • Using Space to Protect Our Planet
  • A Competitive and Burgeoning Space Economy
  • Developing the Space Workforce of Tomorrow
  • The Future of Cislunar and Lunar Exploration

2022 ASCEND attendees will experience the energy of presentations by our planet’s off-world pioneers, including Fortune 500 executives, established space agency leaders, government and military officials, professional and citizen astronauts, “new space” companies, international organizations, university professors and students, and start-up CEOs. In addition to the opening speakers, 2022 ASCEND will feature over 250 speakers, including:

  • Bill Beckman, Director, NASA Programs, The Boeing Company
  • Steve “Bucky” Butow, Director, Space Portfolio, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
  • Mark Daley, Deputy Director, Office of Space Commerce, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Debra Facktor, Head of U.S. Space Systems, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc.
  • Paula Grisanti, CEO, National Stem Cell Foundation
  • John Guiney, Vice President, Fleet Operations Management, OneWeb
  • Fiona Harrison, Harold A. Rosen Professor of Physics; Kent and Joyce Kresa Leadership Chair, Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology
  • Amy Hopkins, President, Capella Space Federal
  • Kathleen Howell, Hsu Lo Distinguished Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University
  • Moriba Jah, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Privateer Space
  • Lt. Gen. Larry D. James, USAF (Ret.), Deputy Director, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Steve Jurczyk, Co-Founder and CEO, Quantum Space LLC
  • Bhavya Lal, Associate Administrator, Technology, Policy, and Strategy, NASA
  • Joe Landon, Vice President, Advanced Programs Development, Lockheed Martin
  • Mark Mozena, Vice President, Government Affairs, Planet
  • Kursten O’Neill, Vice President, Dream Chaser Crew Program, Sierra Space
  • Jim Reuter, Associate Administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA
  • Andrew Rush, President and COO, Redwire Space
  • Janice Starzyk, Vice President, Government Operations, Virgin Orbit
  • Erika Wagner, Senior Director, Emerging Market Development, Blue Origin
  • Vanessa Wyche, Director, NASA Johnson Space Center

The 2022 ASCEND program also includes unique features to engage attendees, including:

  • The Diverse Dozen returns. This year’s cadre of young people from 10 countries will shape the dialogue around space safety, security, and sustainability under the leadership of astrodynamicist Moriba Jah, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Privateer Space.
  • The Cyber Star Wargame will explore the implications of cybersecurity on the projection of space power.
  • The MICRO session tabletop exercise, “Defending Earth! What Can We Do to Stop an Asteroid Threat?” will walk through an asteroid threat scenario, following the META session, “Asteroids: Time Capsules and Terror.” It’s based in part on the Planetary Defense Interagency Tabletop Exercise conducted earlier in 2022.
  • Breakout workshop sessions will collect feedback to help NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate identify gaps and plan future investments.

Media contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804.397.5270

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND promotes the collaborative, interdisciplinary, outcomes-driven community of professionals, students, and enthusiasts around the world who are accelerating humanity’s progress toward our off-world future! For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.orgg, and follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Statement on Blue Origin’s Successful NS-21 Mission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 4, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Executive Director Dan Dumbacher made the following statement:

“On behalf of the 30,000 professional and student members of AIAA, we congratulate the Blue Origin team on its successful NS-21 mission. This mission continues building on Blue Origin’s vision to see millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We recognize the dedicated aerospace industry professionals involved in making today’s mission a success. We salute our corporate member, Blue Origin, and their entire team for helping shape the future of aerospace.

AIAA is honored to be one of Blue Origin’s Club for the Future partner organizations to help develop and inspire the next generation of space professionals.”

 

Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About ASCEND Powered by AIAA, ASCEND promotes the collaborative, interdisciplinary, outcomes-driven community of professionals, students, and enthusiasts around the world who are accelerating humanity’s progress toward our off-world future! For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About AIAA The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

 

Register for ASCENDxSustainability, set for Wednesday, 8 June, online, or learn more.

 

 Video

Replay: New Shepard Mission NS-21 Webcast, 4 June 2022 (Blue Origin via YouTube)



SpaceX Plans to Launch Falcon 9 Ahead of Artemis 1 Mission

Florida Today reports that SpaceX teams “at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station are still targeting this week for the launch of more Starlink internet satellites, one of the last flights before a massive NASA rocket takes off to the moon.” A Falcon 9 rocket “is slated for liftoff at 3:24 p.m EDT Friday, the opening of an instantaneous window at Launch Complex 40.” Space Launch Delta 45 forecasters said Thursday, “It is expected that there will be some showers and storms in the area during the window, likely just inland of the launch site. The main threats will be cumulus clouds and lightning associated with showers and storms in the vicinity, some which may drift back towards the launch site.”
Full Story (Florida Today)

SpaceX Launches 53 More Starlink Satellites

Spaceflight Now reported that 53 new Starlink “internet satellites launched Friday from Cape Canaveral aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, adding more capacity to the largest fleet of spacecraft ever put into orbit.” The Falcon 9 rocket with the Starlink satellites “took off from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 3:21:20 p.m. EDT (1921:20 GMT). Nine Merlin 1D engines powered the rocket off the pad with 1.7 million pounds of thrust, hauling more than 15 metric tons of payload into space.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

 

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SpaceX launches 53 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. , 19 August 2022 at 3:21 p.m. ET.
(SpaceX; YouTube)

ULA’s Atlas V Rocket Launched JPSS-2, LOFTID into Space Thursday

The AP reports that United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket launched the Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) and NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) into space Thursday. The rocket “lifted off at 1:49 a.m. from Vandenberg Space Force Base, northwest of Los Angeles.” JPSS-2, developed for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “was placed into an orbit that circles the Earth from pole to pole, joining previously launched satellites in a system designed to improve weather forecasting and climate monitoring.”
Full Story (Associated Press)

 

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ULA Atlas V Launches JPSS-2 Mission, November 10, 2022
(NASASpaceflight; YouTube)

SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launches for First Time in Three Years

Space News reports that a SpaceX Falcon Heavy “lifted off Nov. 1 at 9:41 a.m. Eastern from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, carrying the U.S. Space Force USSF-44 mission to geostationary Earth orbit.”  This is the fourth flight of the Falcon Heavy since 2018 “and the first in more than three years.”  Launch of the classified  USSF-44 mission, originally scheduled in 2020 but delayed several times, involved “a direct-to-geostationary orbit launch carrying two Space Force satellites and small rideshare payloads.”   Space Systems Command confirmed through a news release Tuesday evening that the mission was a success.  USSF-44 marks a milestone for SpaceX “as its first direct-to-GEO operational mission, requiring the Falcon Heavy upper stage to perform a long-duration coast and engine re-start.”
Full Story (Space News)

 

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USSF-44 Mission, November 1, 2022
(SpaceX; YouTube)