Tag: 2023 ASCEND

NASA, ISS National Lab, and AIAA Team Up for Live Space Station Downlink at 2023 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 18, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space gathering – 2023 ASCEND – will hear directly from the crew onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Each year in Las Vegas, ASCEND brings together space industry professionals, students, and enthusiasts to accelerate building our off-world future.

On Monday morning, 23 October, the event will open with a unique session entitled, “From Dreaming to Doing: Utilizing Creativity and Imagination to Accelerate our Off-World Future,” moderated by Kara Cunzeman, director of Strategic Foresight, The Aerospace Corporation, and ASCEND Guiding Coalition member. The speakers will explore what it means to create and inspire, and why systematic thinking about the future is essential for building humanity’s sustainable off-world future.

During that exciting session, the conference will receive a special call from space, as NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli join ASCEND live from the International Space Station. Cunzeman will lead a discussion with the astronauts on the importance of space exploration, improving diversity in STEM fields, and ways to build our sustainable off-world future through collaboration.

For those planning to attend 2023 ASCEND, the opening session and downlink conversation are set to begin at 0800 hrs PT in the Summit Ballroom, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. The panelists may be available for potential interviews from media attending the event. Please contact Rebecca Gray, AIAA Director of Communications, at [email protected] to coordinate.

Media Contacts
AIAA: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell
ISS National Lab: Patrick O’Neill, [email protected]

About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory: The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Lab allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages the ISS National Lab, under cooperative agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit www.issnationallab.org.

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND, which stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery, is the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary community designed to accelerate the building of our off-world future. For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Twitter, 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

2023 ASCEND Adds Lunar Luncheon Session – Chandrayaan-3: The Journey to the Moon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 6, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce a featured luncheon session – Chandrayaan-3: The Journey to the Moon, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), during 2023 ASCEND at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. The success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission makes India the fourth spacefaring nation to soft land on the moon.

Registration for the 2023 ASCEND event is open now. Journalists from around the world are invited to cover 2023 ASCEND; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

Chandrayaan-3: The Journey to the Moon

  • Presenter: M. Sankaran, Distinguished Scientist and Director, U.R. Rao Satellite Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
  • Date: Tuesday, 24 October, 1245 hrs PT

In August, the world was captivated by the images from the surface of the moon as the Chandrayaan-3 mission unfolded in real time. From the successful landing at the south pole of the moon to the rollout of the Pragyan rover, the public – along with the professional aerospace community – watched in awe.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission included difficult engineering challenges – from safely landing on the moon to reaching the lunar south pole. Sankaran will share insights into the performance of Chandrayaan-3 onboard scientific instruments and key takeaways about the moon. He will cover the complex overall mission configuration, including highlights of the satellite bus systems and the objectives of the scientific instruments. Looking back, Sankaran also will discuss lessons learned from the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019. The Chandrayaan team has demonstrated remarkable resilience, persevering over time to continue advancing its lunar exploration program.

AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA to Present Premier Lectures and Program Management Excellence Award During 2023 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 24, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of two premier lectureships and a program management excellence award. The lectures and award will be presented during 2023 ASCEND, 23–25 October, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas.

2023 AIAA von Kármán Lecture in Astronautics: “Celebrating a Century of Kármán’s Momentum-Integral and Space-Reductive Approaches: Applications in Rocketry and Beyond”

  • Joseph Majdalani, Auburn University
  • Monday, 23 October, 1130 hrs PT

Majdalani-Joe_2023The 2023 AIAA von Kármán Lectureship in Astronautics has been awarded to Joseph Majdalani, Francis Chair of Excellence and Professor of Aerospace Engineering, Auburn University. Named in honor of Theodore von Kármán, a world-famous authority on aerospace sciences, the lectureship honors an individual who has performed notably and distinguished themselves technically in the field of astronautics. This lecture will be delivered in person at 2023 ASCEND in Las Vegas, as well as recorded and available on demand.

Majdalani’s lecture celebrates the centennial of the momentum-integral approach, one of the most significant theoretical contributions of Theodore von Kármán, taught widely in the fields of
aerodynamics. He will discuss the broad impact of this approach, which was introduced in 1921, and often used in conjunction with Pohlhausen’s polynomial approximations. As a well-recognized authority in the field, Majdalani has recently coauthored a textbook on the subject of viscous boundary layers. He also has developed several new formulations based on Kármán’s approach: these lead to an essentially exact solution to the celebrated Blasius equation, whose analytical treatment has remained intractable for over 100 years.

Majdalani’s technical research focus is on advancing acoustic instability and rotating flow theories in the context of solid, liquid, and hybrid rocket engines, especially those driven by tangential injection. He has developed new effective methodologies that have been successfully applied to various rocket systems including the class of cyclonic VORTEX engines pioneered by ORBITEC and Sierra Space Corporation.

“It is an extraordinary privilege to share and revisit the widely used method developed by von Kármán with our expanding aerospace community, even a century after its inception. Through this lecture, I not only aim at celebrating von Kármán’s remarkable contributions, I also hope to inspire further explorations of his captivating techniques in the continually evolving fields of aerospace engineering,” Majdalani remarked.

Besides his interests in advancing boundary-layer theory, Majdalani has been a pioneering researcher in aerodynamics and rocket propulsion for more than 30 years. He has been a prolific scholar and exemplary mentor who has been invited to present more than 97 seminars and plenaries worldwide. He has over 300 publications and 18,000 citations. An AIAA Associate Fellow, Majdalani is active in AIAA through technical committees and regional activities, and has received numerous AIAA awards. He earned his B.E. degree with distinction from the American University (AUB), and both his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Utah, all in Mechanical Engineering and a special focus on rocket propulsion.

2023 AIAA David W. Thompson Lecture in Space Commerce: “Connecting Space to Earth”

  • George T. Whitesides, Partner, Convective Capital
  • Monday, 23 October, 1245 hrs PT

George-T-Whitesides-2023The 2023 AIAA David W. Thompson Lecture in Space Commerce has been awarded to George T. Whitesides, Partner, Convective Capital. Previously, Whitesides served as Chief of Staff for NASA in the Obama Administration, and later as CEO of Virgin Galactic, which over 10 years he led to space operations and a public company listing. He co-founded Megafire Action, an advocacy organization that supports solutions to the wildfire crisis, and is a partner at Convective Capital, a firm that invests in firetech companies. He is the cofounder of AstroAccess, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging universal design and accessibility principles in spaceflight.

The David W. Thompson Lectureship in Space Commerce recognizes a prominent industry leader who has created or grown a space-related business and generated substantial economic benefits and market value. The award is sponsored and endowed by Orbital ATK Inc., to commemorate the long and distinguished career of commercial space pioneer, David W. Thompson. This lecture will be delivered in person at 2023 ASCEND in Las Vegas, as well as recorded and available on demand at ascend.events. As part of the lectureship, Whitesides also will participate in the 5th Annual Founders Panel, an exploration of company start up stories and lessons learned, Monday, 23 October, 1500 hrs PT. The panel will be moderated by Rob Meyerson, CEO, Delalune Space, and include Brad Cheetham, CEO and President, Advanced Space, and Ariel Ekblaw, Cofounder and CEO, Aurelia Institute.

Whitesides’ lecture will address this moment in time when aerospace lessons and solutions can help solve the world’s greatest challenges. “Our leaders must be active in seeking out connections to national and global problems that we can help or solve. Climate change, inequality and inaccessibility, the carbon transition, foreign repression – all of these are among the challenges of our time. Perhaps now more than ever, the abilities of the aerospace sector are directly relevant to many of these challenges,” said Whitesides. In his lecture, “Connecting Space to the World,” Whitesides will address some of these areas and describe what the aerospace community can do to perform this work most successfully.

“We are entering an era in which humanity will be a shepherd for Earth’s biosphere. We must use the systems engineering principles our community has developed and practiced to help architect that future, and we must not be shy with policymakers and the public about our ability to help,” Whitesides added.

Whitesides is an AIAA Associate Fellow. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from Princeton University and a master’s degree in Remote Sensing and GIS from University of Cambridge, and he was a Fulbright Scholar in Tunisia.

2023 AIAA von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management

  • John M. Grunsfeld, Endless Frontier Associates, LLC
  • Tuesday, 24 October, 0800 hrs PT

John-M-Grunsfeld-2023John M. Grunsfeld, Endless Frontier Associates, LLC, is being presented with the 2023 AIAA von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management for “exceptional leadership of America’s space science program resulting in amazing achievements exploring the Earth, our solar system, and unravelling the mysteries of the cosmos.” The award gives national recognition to an individual for outstanding contributions in the management of a significant space or space-related program or project. The award honors Dr. Wernher von Braun, who was one of the world’s first and foremost rocket engineers and a leading authority on space travel.

Grunsfeld is a former NASA Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, and former NASA astronaut, logging more than 58 days in space with eight spacewalks. He visited the Hubble Space Telescope three times as an astronaut to service and upgrade the observatory. In addition to receiving the 2023 AIAA von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management during 2023 ASCEND, Grunsfeld will participate in a panel discussion, “Beyond Earth: Enabling Everyday Life in Space,” Tuesday, 24 October, 1600 hrs PT.

AIAA is committed to ensuring that aerospace professionals are recognized and celebrated for their achievements, innovations, and discoveries that make the world safer, more connected, more accessible, and more prosperous. Visit AIAA’s Honors and Awards Program for more information.

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

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND, which stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery, is the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary community designed to accelerate the building of our off-world future. For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Twitter, 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Boryung Partners with AIAA to Host ‘Humans In Space Symposium’ at 2023 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  • Boryung to host HIS Symposium at 2023 ASCEND in Las Vegas this October
  • Over 2,000 global space experts are set to attend ASCEND, the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary event designed to accelerate the building of our sustainable off-world future
  • Boryung will amplify the vitality of the space industry’s ecosystem and uncover innovative business avenues to pave the way for pioneering advancements with its collaboration with AIAA

August 18, 2023 – Seoul, Korea. – Boryung, a leading healthcare investment company, has announced its partnership with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) to bring the Humans In Space (HIS) Symposium to the upcoming 2023 ASCEND event. Powered by AIAA, ASCEND – which stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery – is the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary event and will be held this year from October 23 to 25 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.

Boryung’s HIS Symposium will take place during the 2023 ASCEND event and include the final pitches of the company’s annual HIS Challenge. This competition, launched in May, aims to discover early-stage startups and researchers dedicated to transforming human life in space. During the HIS Symposium, finalists will present solutions and research before a panel of prominent space experts. HIS Challenge winners will receive investments, research awards, and opportunities to participate in mentorship programs.

Beyond the HIS Challenge, Jay Kim, the Chairman and CEO of Boryung, will contribute to a panel discussion during ASCEND and underline the partnership between Boryung and AIAA. Kim’s address will spotlight the shared vision of the two entities, both of which are committed to shaping the trajectory of space exploration and propelling the space industry ecosystem forward. Axiom Space and the Aurelia Institute, co-hosts of the HIS Symposium alongside Boryung, will also lend their expertise.

“We’re thrilled to mark this collaborative milestone with AIAA, the world’s largest aerospace technical society. In just a year since the first Care In Space Challenge, we’ve made impressive strides,” stated Jack Dongjoo Lim, Head of Boryung’s New Portfolio Investment (NPI) Group. “Our dedication to a strong space ecosystem is resolute. We’re committed to this premier global space event opening doors to endless opportunities.”

“We are pleased that Boryung will add such a valuable perspective and interactive element to the unique ASCEND experience this year,” said AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher. “We look forward to welcoming the global community of dreamers and doers who will share their visions of the potential for people living and working in space in the coming years. The outlook for our sustainable off-world future is bright.”

This year’s ASCEND will see the participation of over 2,000 distinguished professionals from academic, private, and government sectors worldwide. The event will unfold across three days, spanning over 200 sessions encompassing the pitch sessions from the annual HIS Challenge, as well as keynotes, panel discussions, interactive roundtables, and debates.

Boryung remains resolute in its commitment to amplify the vitality of the space industry’s ecosystem with its collaboration with AIAA. Concurrently, Boryung is poised to uncover innovative business avenues, paving the way for pioneering advancements and hastening the commercialization of space exploration.

Building on the success of the inaugural 2022 Care In Space (CIS) Challenge, the HIS initiative aspires to enhance human life in space and harness the potential of space environments to address terrestrial challenges. Details about the HIS Challenge and Symposium can be found at www.careinspace.com.

Registration for the 2023 ASCEND event is open now. Journalists from around the world are invited to cover 2023 ASCEND; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

Edelman Korea
Kiyoon Kay | +82-10-2073-1449 | [email protected]
Vanessa Lee | +82-10-8968-9308 | [email protected]

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

About Boryung
Boryung is a healthcare investment company founded in 1957 and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Following the company’s mission to become an indispensable contributor to human health, it has expanded their business portfolio to the space healthcare industry. Recognizing space as a new realm for growth, Boryung acknowledges the increasing number of individuals anticipated to embark on prolonged space missions, highlighting the importance of ensuring human survival in the hostile space environment. Hence, the company believes there will be substantial opportunities to foster new technologies and meet the emerging needs in this field.

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND, which stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery, is the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary community designed to accelerate the building of our off-world future. For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Twitter, 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

 

AIAA Announces Global Speakers on Space Safety, Security, and Sustainability: The 2023 ASCEND Diverse Dozen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 4, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) today announced the 2023 ASCEND Diverse Dozen (D12) – 12 speakers from nine countries who will address the most important issues surrounding space safety, security, and sustainability at the upcoming ASCEND event, 23–25 October, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. ASCEND is the world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space event designed to accelerate building our off-world future.

D12 is a partnership between ASCEND and astrodynamicist Moriba Jah, cofounder/chief scientist at Privateer, and associate professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at the University of Texas. As a space environmentalist who is advancing our ability to understand how human objects in space create both services and risks of collisions, Jah said, “D12 is centered on the belief that we’re more similar than we are different, and action is best when born from compassion.”

The 2023 ASCEND Diverse Dozen include:

  • Mustapha Agbadi, Partner, Policy and Legal Compliance, Bismerk Solicitors, United Kingdom
  • Sahil Bhatia, Student, University of Bremen, India
  • Pablo Carlos Budassi, Designer and CEO, Awe Infographics, Argentina
  • Allen Herbert, Space Agrifood Advocate, United Arab Emirates
  • Malkia Kelelue, Space Science and Astronomy Officer, Kenya Space Agency, Kenya
  • Michelle Lucas, Founder and CEO, Higher Orbits, United States
  • Yumna Majeed, Founder, Exploration—Cosmos to Classrooms, Pakistan
  • Claire Nelson, OASEAS, Space Futures Forum, United States
  • Chau Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, NYSA LLC, United States
  • Grecia Olano O’Brien, Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec, Canada
  • Kristen Price, Chief Counsel/Senior Director—Legal and Compliance, Blue Origin, United States
  • Alejandro J. Roman Molinas, General Director of Aerospace Development, Paraguayan Space Agency, Paraguay

The group will deliver a thought leadership presentation of their visions for space during a dedicated 2023 ASCEND session on Tuesday, 24 October, 1130-1230 hrs PT. In addition, their Op-Eds will be published during 2023 ASCEND.

Influential thinkers and emerging leaders from around the globe have been featured in D12 during ASCEND since it launched three years ago. The D12 Op-Eds from the previous 35 participants are available online:

Registration for the 2023 ASCEND event is open now. Journalists from around the world are invited to cover 2023 ASCEND; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

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

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND, which stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery, is the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary community designed to accelerate the building of our off-world future. For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Twitter, 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

 

2023 ASCEND to Feature NASA’s William H. Pickering Lecture Showcasing Climate Science Advances

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 5, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the 2023 William H. Pickering Lecture, “Observing Earth’s Precious Water from Space,” which will showcase the advances in Earth’s climate science that are being made possible through the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission. The lecture is the featured evening session, 1830 hrs PT, Tuesday, 24 October, during 2023 ASCEND at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas.

Registration for the 2023 ASCEND event is open now. Journalists from around the world are invited to cover 2023 ASCEND; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

2023 William H. Pickering Lecture: “Observing Earth’s Precious Water from Space”

  • Lecturers: Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, Ocean physics program manager, NASA Headquarters, and Parag Vaze, project manager, SWOT Mission, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Shiffer will describe the SWOT science, calibration, and validation efforts along with the applications potential that SWOT enables. Vaze will describe the challenges of the development, implementation, and operations of one of the most complex observing systems for observing Earth’s precious waters.
  • Tuesday, 24 October, 1830 hrs PT
  • This lecture will be delivered in person at 2023 ASCEND in Las Vegas and will be recorded and available on demand.

The 2023 William H. Pickering Lecture is about a space mission that will address some of Earth’s most pressing climate change questions of our time by informing decisions about our daily lives and livelihoods. The SWOT Mission was developed jointly by NASA and the French space agency, CNES, with contributions from the UK and Canadian space agencies. Using state-of-the-art “radar interferometry” technology, SWOT is measuring the elevation of water to observe millions of lakes and wetlands with surface areas 250 m2 and thousands of rivers whose width exceeds 100 m, while detecting ocean features with unprecedented resolution, accuracy, and spatial coverage. The primary science payload, a novel Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn), is the first in-flight demonstration of wide-swath (2, 50Km swaths) SAR interferometry for more accurate and comprehensive mapping of Earth’s ocean and surface water from space.

The SWOT Mission is expected to revolutionize hydrology and oceanography, providing a set of observations for nearly all surface waters on planet Earth, allowing scientists to determine changing volumes of water across the globe. SWOT will also significantly advance climate and ocean sciences by detecting ocean features with 10 times better resolution than present technologies. The higher resolution will reveal small-scale ocean features that contribute to the Earth’s fundamental cycles of heat, energy, carbon, moisture, and nutrients.

Measurements taken by SWOT are key to understanding surface water availability, informing water-resource management, preparing for important water-related hazards such as floods and droughts, improving ocean circulation forecasts, and benefiting ship and offshore commercial operations, along with coastal planning activities such as flood prediction.

Named for the former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director William H. Pickering, the lectureship honors his initiation and leadership of America’s robotic scientific space program, from Explorer I in 1958 through the development of the Viking Mars orbiters and the Voyager outer planet and interstellar missions.

AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

 

2023 ASCEND Announces Livestream Sessions Beginning Monday, October 23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 20, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) today announced five sessions during 2023 ASCEND will be shared via livestream on its website, ascend.events, providing complimentary access to stellar content featured during the event, 23–25 October, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. The livestream recordings will be made available for on-demand viewing at ascend.events/livestream later each day. ASCEND is the world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space event designed to accelerate building our off-world future.

The sessions to be shared via livestream during 2023 ASCEND include:

Monday, 23 October, 0800–0930 hrs PT           
MACRO-01: From Dreaming to Doing: Utilizing Creativity and Imagination to Accelerate our Off-World Future
Speakers:

  • Lieutenant General Nina Armagno, U.S. Space Force (Ret.)
  • Kara Cunzeman, Director of Strategic Foresight, Center for Space Policy and Strategy, The Aerospace Corporation
  • Debra Facktor, Head of U.S. Space Systems, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense
  • Dan Hawk, Principal Scientist, United First Nations Planetary Defense
  • Jay Kim, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Boryung
  • Afua Richardson, Artist
  • Daniel Suarez, New York Times Bestselling Science Fiction Author
  • Julie Van Kleeck, ASCEND Executive Producer, AIAA Space Domain Lead

The opening program will explore what it means to create and inspire, and why systematic thinking about the future is essential for building humanity’s sustainable off-world futures. We will hear voices from the future and learn from established leaders about how to mobilize organizations and empower individual agency to get there.

Monday, 23 October, 1245–1345 hrs PT
SPEC-14: 2023 AIAA David W. Thompson Lecture in Space Commerce: “Connecting Space to Earth”
Speaker: George Whitesides, Partner, Convective Capital

The 2023 AIAA David W. Thompson Lecture in Space Commerce has been awarded to George T. Whitesides, Partner, Convective Capital. Previously, Whitesides served as Chief of Staff for NASA in the Obama Administration, and later as CEO of Virgin Galactic, which over 10 years he led to space operations and a public company listing. He co-founded Megafire Action, an advocacy organization that supports solutions to the wildfire crisis, and is a partner at Convective Capital, a firm that invests in firetech companies. He is the cofounder of AstroAccess, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging universal design and accessibility principles in spaceflight.

Whitesides’ lecture, “Connecting Space to Earth,” will address this moment in time when aerospace lessons and solutions can help solve the world’s greatest challenges.

Tuesday, 24 October, 0800–0930 hrs PT
MACRO-02 Session

Award Presentation: 2023 AIAA von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management to John M. Grunsfeld, Endless Frontier Associates LLC

Keynote: NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, “Exploration Enabled: Creating a Framework to Ensure Responsible Access for All”

Panel: Accelerating Sustainable Space Exploration Through Global Cooperation, including panelists:

  • Peter Gräf, Director for Applications and Science, German Space Agency (DLR)
  • Lt. Gen. Larry James, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), Deputy Director, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Daniel Neuenschwander, Director for Human and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency (ESA)
  • Shri M. Sankaran, Distinguished Scientist and Director, U R Rao Satellite Center (URSC), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
  • Hiroshi Sasaki, Vice President and Director General for Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA

Tuesday morning will open with an award presentation recognizing aerospace excellence. The presentations will include a keynote address from NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, followed by a panel discussion featuring space agency leaders from around the world. They will address how their capabilities and technical advancements are being applied to solve the societal problems across the globe; how they are partnering across the spectrum with other national agencies, commercial entities, and private companies; and what they are investing in for the future.

Tuesday, 24 October, 1830–1930 hrs PT
SPEC-32: 2023 William H. Pickering Lecture: “Observing Earth’s Precious Water from Space”
Speakers:

  • Parag Vaze, Project Manager, Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, Program Scientist and Manager, Physical Oceanography Program, Earth Science Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA

The 2023 William H. Pickering Lecture will explore a space mission that will address some of Earth’s most pressing climate change questions of our time by informing decisions about our daily lives and livelihoods. The SWOT Mission was developed jointly by NASA and the French space agency, CNES, with contributions from the UK and Canadian space agencies. Using state-of-the-art “radar interferometry” technology, SWOT is measuring the elevation of water to observe millions of lakes and wetlands with surface areas 250 m2 and thousands of rivers whose width exceeds 100 m, while detecting ocean features with unprecedented resolution, accuracy, and spatial coverage. The primary science payload, a novel Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn), is the first in-flight demonstration of wide-swath (2, 50Km swaths) SAR interferometry for more accurate and comprehensive mapping of Earth’s ocean and surface water from space.

Wednesday, 25 October, 0800–0930 hrs PT
MACRO-03: What Has Space Done for Me Lately?
Panelists:

  • Bryan Bender, Vice President, Communications Strategy, Strategic Marketing Innovations, Inc. (former Senior National Correspondent and Defense Editor, POLITICO)
  • Dan Dumbacher, AIAA Executive Director
  • Emma Louden, Astrophysics Ph.D. Candidate, Yale University
  • Shawna Pandya, Director, International Institute for Astronautical Sciences Space Medicine Group

“Why explore space when we have so many challenges on Earth?” This is an all-too-common refrain when it comes to justifying space exploration, with many answers. On the one hand, humanity has benefited tremendously from space-based technologies, satellites, and exploration; on the other hand, what if we took a more directed approach toward solving humanity’s greatest challenges? Or perhaps we aren’t investing in space enough? Watch as our panel of experts discuss the various contributions space-based technologies have made toward improving day-to-day life on Earth and address some of the common arguments against continued investment in space development and exploration.

In addition, the following session will be recorded and will be available on demand at ascend.events/livestream:

Monday, 23 October, 1130–1230 hrs PT
(not available via livestream, only on-demand viewing at ascend.events/livestream)
SPEC-13: 2023 AIAA von Kármán Lecture in Astronautics: “Celebrating a Century of Kármán’s Momentum-Integral and Space-Reductive Approaches: Applications in Rocketry and Beyond”
Speaker: Joseph Majdalani, Francis Chair of Excellence and Professor of Aerospace Engineering, Auburn University

The 2023 AIAA von Kármán Lectureship in Astronautics has been awarded to Joseph Majdalani, Francis Chair of Excellence and Professor of Aerospace Engineering, Auburn University. Named in honor of Theodore von Kármán, a world-famous authority on aerospace sciences, the lectureship honors an individual who has performed notably and distinguished themselves technically in the field of astronautics.

Majdalani’s lecture celebrates the centennial of the momentum-integral approach, one of the most significant theoretical contributions of Theodore von Kármán, taught widely in the fields of
aerodynamics. He will discuss the broad impact of this approach, which was introduced in 1921, and often used in conjunction with Pohlhausen’s polynomial approximations. As a well-recognized authority in the field, Majdalani has recently coauthored a textbook on the subject of viscous boundary layers. He also has developed several new formulations based on Kármán’s approach: these lead to an essentially exact solution to the celebrated Blasius equation, whose analytical treatment has remained intractable for over 100 years.

Registration to attend 2023 ASCEND in Las Vegas is still open. Journalists from around the world are invited to cover 2023 ASCEND in person; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

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

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND, which stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery, is the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary community designed to accelerate the building of our off-world future. For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Twitter, 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Publishes Global Vision on Space Safety, Security, and Sustainability by 2023 ASCEND Diverse Dozen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 16, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) today announced it has published the 2023 ASCEND Diverse Dozen (D12) Op-Eds that address the most important issues surrounding space safety, security, and sustainability. The document is available for download here .

The 2023 ASCEND D12 will deliver a thought leadership presentation of their visions for space during a dedicated session at the upcoming ASCEND event, on Tuesday, 24 October, 1130-1230 hrs PT, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas.

D12 is a partnership between ASCEND and astrodynamicist Moriba Jah, cofounder/chief scientist at Privateer, and associate professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at the University of Texas. The 2023 ASCEND D12 represent nine countries and include:

  • Mustapha Agbadi, Partner, Policy and Legal Compliance, Bismerk Solicitors, United Kingdom
  • Sahil Bhatia, Student, University of Bremen, India
  • Pablo Carlos Budassi, Designer and CEO, Awe Infographics, Argentina
  • Allen Herbert, Space Agrifood Advocate, United Arab Emirates
  • Malkia Kelelue, Space Science and Astronomy Officer, Kenya Space Agency, Kenya
  • Michelle Lucas, Founder and CEO, Higher Orbits, United States
  • Yumna Majeed, Founder, Exploration—Cosmos to Classroom, Pakistan
  • Claire Nelson, OASEAS, Space Futures Forum, United States
  • Chau Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, NYSA LLC, United States
  • Grecia Olano O’Brien, Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec, Canada
  • Kristen Price, Chief Counsel/Senior Director—Legal and Compliance, Blue Origin, United States
  • Alejandro J. Roman Molinas, General Director of Aerospace Development, Paraguayan Space Agency, Paraguay

Registration for the 2023 ASCEND event is open. Journalists from around the world are invited to cover 2023 ASCEND; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

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

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND, which stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery, is the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary community designed to accelerate the building of our off-world future. For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Twitter, 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Press Passes Available for 2023 ASCEND

MEDIA ALERT

August 29, 2023 – Reston, Va. – Registration is open for journalists around the world to attend 2023 ASCEND, 23–25 October, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. A Press Pass for in-person attendance is available for credentialed media by request. A Press Pass provides access to all MACRO, META, MICRO, and SPECIAL sessions, along with nearly 300 technical paper and collaborative sessions, and access to the exhibits and activities in the Expo Hall. An onsite Media Center will be available with power and work stations.

WHEN: 23–25 October 2023
WHERE: Caesars Forum, Las Vegas
WHAT: Overall theme: “Building a Sustainable Off-World Future Through Collaboration.” Powered by AIAA, 2023 ASCEND will dedicate three days to sharing broad, bold ideas and perspectives as the nexus for addressing the most important opportunities and challenges that come with increased activity in space today. Read more about the three-day program and prominent speakers from across the international, civil, commercial, and national security space sectors. Confirmed speakers include:

  • Stavros Anthony, Lieutenant Governor, State of Nevada
  • Amy Avjean, Senior Vice President and Third Party Space Liability Leader, Marsh
  • A.C. Charania, Chief Technologist, NASA
  • Kelvin Coleman, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  • Kam Ghaffarian, CEO and Founder, IBX, and Executive Chairman, Axiom Space
  • Mike Gold, Chief Growth Officer, Redwire
  • Peter Gräf, Director for Applications & Science, DLR
  • John M. Grunsfeld, Endless Frontier Associates, LLC; former NASA Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, and former NASA astronaut
  • Max Haot, CEO, Vast
  • The Honorable Steven J. Isakowitz, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Aerospace Corporation
  • Janet Kavandi, President and Chief Science Officer, Sierra Space
  • Jay Kim, Chairman and CEO, Boryung
  • Col. Richard Kniseley, Senior Materiel Leader, Commercial Space Office Lead, U.S. Space Force
  • Sandra Magnus, Chief Engineer for the Traffic Coordination System for Space, Office of Space Commerce, Department of Commerce, and former NASA astronaut
  • Col. Pamela Melroy, USAF (Ret.), Deputy Administrator, NASA
  • Tim Morton, Director, Global Design, Husqvarna
  • Daniel Neuenschwander, Director for Human and Robotic Exploration, ESA
  • Nelson Pedreiro, Vice President, Advanced Technology Center, Lockheed Martin Space
  • Kay Sears, Vice President and General Manager, Space, Intelligence & Weapons Systems, Boeing Defense, Space & Security
  • Bill Weber, CEO, Firefly Space
  • George T. Whitesides, Partner, Convective Capital, and former CEO, Virgin Galactic
ELIGIBILITY: Eligible
Reporters, editors, writers, news photographers, and online media, who work for a publication, news service, broadcast outlet, or news site that is regularly issued and published primarily for the dissemination of news.Ineligible
Marketing/advertising, sales, art directors, managers, publishers, analysts, consultants, and other non-editorial professionals of media organizations are NOT eligible for press credentials.
CONTACT: Rebecca 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.

Prominent Space Luminaries from DLR, ESA, NASA, and More Added to 2023 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 29, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) today announced several prominent space luminaries who have been added to the three-day program at 2023 ASCEND, 23–25 October, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. ASCEND is the world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space event designed to accelerate building our off-world future.

These newly confirmed speakers cut across the international, civil, commercial, and national security space sectors, including:

  • Peter Gräf, Director for Applications & Science, DLR
  • John M. Grunsfeld, Endless Frontier Associates, LLC; former NASA Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, and former NASA astronaut
  • The Honorable Steven J. Isakowitz, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Aerospace Corporation
  • Janet Kavandi, President and Chief Science Officer, Sierra Space
  • Col. Richard Kniseley, Senior Materiel Leader, Commercial Space Office Lead, U.S. Space Force
  • Sandra Magnus, Chief Engineer for the Traffic Coordination System for Space, Office of Space Commerce, Department of Commerce, and former NASA astronaut
  • Col. Pamela Melroy, USAF (Ret.), Deputy Administrator, NASA
  • Daniel Neuenschwander, Director for Human and Robotic Exploration, ESA
  • George T. Whitesides, Partner, Convective Capital, and former CEO, Virgin Galactic

Registration for the 2023 ASCEND event is open now. Journalists from around the world are invited to cover 2023 ASCEND; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

Media Contact: Rebecca 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.

ASCENDxTexas to Focus on Breaking Barriers and Accelerating the Space Ecosystem

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 9, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced the program for its collaborative event focused on pathways for our success – ASCENDxTexas – 29–30 March, South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center, Houston, Texas. With the space ecosystem and activities increasing exponentially, this event brings together key global stakeholders in Texas who will share how they’re accelerating our progress toward a sustainable off-world future.

Registration for ASCENDxTexas is open. Journalists who wish to cover this event can request a Press Pass here.

Vanessa Wyche, Director, NASA Johnson Space Center, and member of the ASCEND Guiding Coalition, will deliver opening remarks. The event will feature a keynote address, “Sustaining the Momentum,” by Kathryn Lueders, Associate Administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA. Lueders will focus on defining the next steps to remove barriers and expand on the approaches for success. As innovation and markets evolve continuously, she will discuss how we can keep the momentum going and ensure progress for the whole space ecosystem.

The event also will feature a keynote address entitled, “Charge to Move Forward,” by Michael Gazarik, Vice President, Engineering, Ball Aerospace, and member of the ASCEND Guiding Coalition. He will discuss how we take lessons learned to move toward the future, without inhibiting our potential, and how we let go of the past that’s holding us back.

The ASCENDxTexas program features a diverse group of visionaries and leaders. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.

  • Stephen Altemus, President and CEO, Intuitive Machines
  • Ian Christensen, Director, Private Sector Programs, Secure World Foundation
  • Steve Cook, President, Dynetics
  • Erin Defossé, COO, Slingshot Aerospace
  • Dan Dumbacher, Executive Director, AIAA
  • Angela Hart, Manager, Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program, NASA
  • Andy Hines, Associate Professor and Program Coordinator, Foresight, University of Houston
  • Jason Kalirai, Mission Area Executive for Civil Space, Space Exploration Sector, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
  • Catherine Koerner, Deputy Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA
  • Kathy Laurini, Human Space Exploration Strategy, Dynetics
  • Christian Maender, Executive Vice President, In-Space Solutions, Axiom
  • Todd May, Senior Vice President, Science and Space, KBR
  • Nujoud Merancy, Strategy and Architecture Lead, NASA
  • Carie Mullins, Director, Analytics, BryceTech
  • Kirk Shireman, Vice President, Lunar Exploration Campaign, Lockheed Martin
  • Charles Stegemoeller, Director, NASA Business Development and Capture Management, Leidos
  • Dan Tani, Director, Business Development Operations, Human Exploration and Operations, Northrop Grumman
  • Julie Van Kleeck, Space Domain Lead and ASCEND Executive Producer, AIAA

“We are excited to return to Space City with ASCENDxTexas for a second year,” said AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher. “This unique event gives the ASCEND community another opportunity to come together to gain insights on the latest strategies and opportunities for success in both the current global market and our future in space. We look forward to welcoming space industry leaders to learn about new players and partners, identify solutions to barriers, and see how commercialization supports future space capabilities.”

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

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND, which stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery, is the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary community designed to accelerate the building of our off-world future. For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Twitter, 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

2023 ASCEND Conference Call for Content Open: Inviting New Ideas to Accelerate Our Future in Space

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Key themes focused on sustainability, exploration, and national security

March 2, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) today announced an educational webinar to attract new concepts, ideas, and discussion topics for its upcoming ASCEND event, 23–25 October, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. ASCEND is the world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space event designed to accelerate building our off-world future.

Authors are invited to submit abstracts and propose collaborative sessions for the expanded program focused on six key topic areas:

  • Space Traffic Management / Coordination
  • Expanding and Evolving the Space Economy
  • Space Exploration and Infrastructure: Exploring, Living, and Working in Space
  • Space Security and Protection
  • Space and Sustainability
  • Education, Outreach, and Workforce

“ASCEND is opening up space to creative thinkers across many industries,“ said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. “We are delighted to see the growing interest in commercial space, national security and exploration reach beyond aerospace into many pioneering fields, including biomedical, construction, technology, and artificial intelligence. The 2023 ASCEND event will bring thousands of diverse innovators together to share their visions for space over the next few decades with the key players who can bring those visions to life.”

The 2023 ASCEND Call for Content educational webinar is set for 2 March for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the content being sought for the 2023 program:

2023 ASCEND Call for Content Webinar
Space Exploration and Infrastructure + Expanding and Evolving the Space Economy

    • Thursday, 2 March

 

    • 1300–1330 hrs ET

 Watch Replay

The 2023 ASCEND Call for Content is open now through 15 March, 2000 hrs ET. More information is available online at ascend.events/call-for-content.

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

About ASCEND
Powered by AIAA, ASCEND, which stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery, is the world’s premier collaborative, outcomes-driven, interdisciplinary community designed to accelerate the building of our off-world future. For more information, visit ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Twitter, 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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.