Tag: AIAA Announcement

Call for Nominations for AIAA’s New 30/30 Recognition Program for Exceptional Young Professionals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 11, 2026 – Reston, Va. – AIAA is pleased to announce its 30/30 Recognition Program for young professionals who embody excellence and innovation across the aerospace sector. AIAA will recognize 30 individuals in their 30s who are advancing aerospace through meaningful technical achievement, innovation and leadership early in their careers.

Nominations are now being accepted through 15 June 2026.

“30/30 builds on AIAA’s record of excellence in recognizing standout leaders in aerospace,” said AIAA CEO Clay Mowry. “This new program celebrates the next generation’s ingenuity. They are the future leaders and technical pioneers in our profession.”

This program’s timing comes as the aerospace industry continues to face a talent gap. The increasing demand for new technologically skilled workers is outpacing the supply of graduates. This problem compounded by an aging workforce and fierce competition for engineering talent from the technology sector.

AIAA has aligned the program with the Institute’s six technical divisions – Aerospace Design and Structures; Aerospace Sciences; Aircraft Technology, Integration, and Operations; Information Systems; Propulsion and Energy; and Space and Missiles. 30/30 also features a seventh grouping for nominations that don’t fit into the other categories.

AIAA will profile the top recipient from each category in the October–December print issue of its Aerospace America magazine, while all honorees will be recognized in the digital issue. In addition, they will enjoy one complimentary year of AIAA membership, one free registration to an AIAA forum or event in 2027, and exclusive leadership and engagement opportunities at AIAA events. These visibility opportunities include speaking at the Rising Stars in Aerospace sessions for mentoring and inspiring university students, and Rising Leaders in Aerospace sessions for peer networking and professional development.

*Consideration will also be given to nominees who are younger than 30 who have made notable accomplishments in their careers.

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

About AIAA
AIAA is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With more than 33,000 individual members from 91 countries, and over 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. Visit www.aiaa.org or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

AIAA Announces Recipients of 2026 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 7, 2026 – Reston, Va. – AIAA is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship. The four $10,000 awards go to the following high school seniors:

Aya Elamrani-Zerifi
From: Maryland
Attending in the Fall: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Vishal Manikanden
From: Virginia
Attending in the Fall: Princeton University

Aoqi Xu
From: Georgia
Attending in the Fall: Georgia Tech

Madison Nation
From: Colorado
Attending in the Fall: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida

Read their full profiles on the AIAA website.

The Roger W. Kahn Scholarship was created to honor the memory of Roger W. Kahn (1907–1962) and his passion for aviation and entertainment. Kahn spent the latter part of his career at Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation as a test pilot and then managed the technical service and sales division. In the 1940s, he was actively involved with the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences (one of the predecessor organizations of AIAA) and later served as its vice president.

Kahn also was an accomplished jazz musician as early as the 1920s, composing songs often featured in stage productions and early films, as well as leading numerous orchestras. He became a recording artist for some of the first record labels including Victor, Brunswick, and Columbia.

Kahn left a legacy gift to AIAA – a song called “Crazy Rhythm” – that he wrote in 1928. AIAA used the proceeds of his trust to establish the scholarship in 2020. Since then, 16 students have received the scholarship to pursue university degrees in engineering.

“AIAA is thrilled to honor the memory of aviation pioneer Roger W. Kahn with such a powerful investment in the future of aerospace. The scholarship that bears his name will support four more bright minds driving the next technology breakthroughs. His enthusiasm for aviation nearly 100 years ago will remain relevant in the next 100 years of innovation,” commented AIAA CEO Clay Mowry.

Laura McGill, chair of the AIAA Foundation, added, “The AIAA Foundation is pleased to use part of Roger W. Kahn’s gift to identify, mentor, and promote promising young aerospace talent on their first steps from classroom to career. We can’t wait to see them shape the future of aerospace.”

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

About AIAA
AIAA is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With more than 33,000 individual members from 91 countries, and over 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. Visit www.aiaa.org or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

2026 AIAA von Kármán Lecture in Astronautics on Learning and Controlling Autonomous Space Systems to be Presented by Maruthi Akella from University of Texas at Austin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 31, 2026 – Reston, Va. – AIAA is pleased to announce the 2026 AIAA von Kármán Lecture in Astronautics is awarded to Maruthi Akella, Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at the University of Texas (UT) Austin, where he holds the Cockrell Family Endowed Chair in Engineering.

The lecture, “Opinion Dynamics, Learning, Trust, and Control of Autonomous Space Systems,” will be presented Wednesday, 20 May, at 12:15 p.m. ET, during ASCEND 2026, 19–21 May, Washington, D.C. The lecture will be delivered in person, as well as recorded. Registration for 2026 ASCEND is open now. Journalists can request a Press Pass online.

Autonomous space systems face significant challenges when operating under uncertainty, especially near other vehicles that may not cooperate. In applications like In-Space Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM), these systems must quickly learn, adapt, and make smart decisions in complex, unpredictable environments.

This lecture will showcase a framework for multithread learning designed to maintain spacecraft performance despite high uncertainty and fast variations. The approach builds on recently developed learning structures and trust metrics. During his lecture, Akella will illustrate the framework through ISAM examples in spacecraft guidance and proximity operations.

Akella’s research contributions have found several highly successful applications in astrodynamics and in the control of space systems and vision-guided robotics. His research group contributed to the onboard guidance algorithm for the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission – the first U.S. moon landing in more than 50 years since the Apollo era.

Akella has published more than 260 research papers in peer-reviewed archival journals and conference proceedings. The major impacts of his work have been recognized through the AIAA Mechanics and Control of Flight Award, the AAS Dirk Brouwer Award, the IEEE-CSS Award for Excellence in Aerospace Control, and the Judith Resnik Space Award from the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society.

In October 2024, the International Astronomical Union designated asteroid number 5376 – a nearly five-mile diameter-sized minor planet from the main asteroid belt as “Maruthiakella,” honoring Akella’s contributions to “many successful applications in astrodynamics.”

Akella is a Fellow of AIAA, IEEE, and AAS and holds the Academician rank with the International Academy of Astronautics. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief for The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences.

Named in honor of Theodore von Kármán, a world-famous authority on aerospace sciences, this lectureship honors an individual who has performed notably and distinguished themselves technically in the field of astronautics.

Media 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 www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X/Twitter.

AIAA Identifies Top Technologies Transforming Aerospace

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Survey of 700+ Aerospace Experts Names Ten Technologies Shaping the Future

February 18, 2025 – Reston, Va. – Ten technologies will fundamentally reshape aerospace operations, manufacturing, and services over the next two decades according to a debut report released today by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the world’s largest aerospace technical society.

The report, “Technologies Transforming Aerospace,” captures insights from AIAA’s global community of aerospace professionals, identifying the leading technologies disrupting the status quo in aviation and space.

The survey of more than 700 aerospace experts, combined with in-depth interviews of nearly two dozen senior technology leaders in industry, academia, and government, defined the top technologies that will shape aeronautics and space by 2045. AIAA partnered with BryceTech, an analytics and engineering firm, to conduct the survey and rank the technologies based on their impacts, feasibility, use cases, and potential barriers.

“Aerospace has reached a technological inflection point,” said Clay Mowry, AIAA CEO. “The technologies highlighted in this report will permeate the aerospace supply chain over the next 20 years, increasing efficiency, enabling mobility, and transforming exploration. The signal is clear: the next aerospace era is here, and AIAA’s engineering community is equipped to shape the future using advanced computing, materials, and propulsion technologies.”

Top 10 Technologies Transforming Aerospace
(in alphabetical order)

  • AI-Aided Advanced Design and Engineering
  • Alternative Aviation Fuels
  • Electric Aircraft
  • Fully Reusable Launch
  • High-Temperature Materials
  • Hypersonic Propulsion
  • In-Space Manufacturing
  • Pilotless Aircraft
  • Quantum Computing and Sensing
  • Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion

“What makes this forecast powerful is the scale of the signal,” said Carissa Christensen, CEO of BryceTech. “Based on the depth of the data, we’re seeing convergence across the aerospace community on the technologies that will define the next era. This roadmap is built on the collective expertise of the people who will make future innovations real.”

Technologies That Just Missed the Cut
The forecast also identified several technologies that narrowly missed the top 10 but remain significant areas of development: collaborative autonomous systems, direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communications, functional materials with adaptive properties, large-scale additive manufacturing of aerospace structures, novel aerodynamic designs (including blended wing body and truss-braced wing aircraft), and on-orbit refueling systems.

The report is available for immediate download at aiaa.org/resources/technologies-transforming-aerospace-report/.

A webinar providing detailed insights is planned for Noon ET, Monday, 2 March. Registration is free.

Media 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 over 33,000 members from 91 countries, and more than 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

About BryceTech
BryceTech is an engineering and analytics firm serving government and commercial clients in complex technology domains. BryceTech is internationally recognized for its objective, evidence-based analytic and strategic support, as well as for its authoritative data sets characterizing the aerospace industry. BryceTech expertise includes modeling demand, forecasting space activity, technology scouting, and policy and economic analysis. For more information, visit brycetech.com.

AIAA Statement on Senate Confirmation of Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 17, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) issued the following statement from AIAA CEO Clay Mowry on the United States Senate’s confirmation of Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator:

“Congratulations to Jared Isaacman on his confirmation as NASA’s 15th administrator. His leadership comes at a pivotal time for the agency as it advances ambitious exploration goals, strengthens partnerships across government and industry, and delivers scientific and technological value for the nation.

Administrator Isaacman brings a unique combination of operational and leadership experience to NASA. As a flight-rated pilot and commander of two commercial space missions, he understands the demands of human flight firsthand, both in the atmosphere and in low Earth orbit. We appreciated working with him during ASCEND 2021, where he spoke after his first space flight. Combined with his record of entrepreneurial leadership, his background positions him well to guide NASA through an increasingly complex technical and policy environment.

AIAA looks forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with NASA under his leadership. Our community remains committed to supporting the agency’s mission by strengthening the aerospace workforce, advancing research and innovation, and sustaining U.S. leadership in civil space and aeronautics.”

Contact: Rebecca 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 www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Announces Class of 2026 Honorary Fellows and Fellows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 15, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) proudly congratulates its newly elected Class of 2026 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. The class will be inducted during a ceremony on Monday, May 18, 2026, in Washington, DC.

“Congratulations to each member of the Class of 2026 AIAA Honorary Fellows and Fellows for their remarkable accomplishments. They are among the most respected names in the aerospace profession,” said Dan Hastings, AIAA President. “These distinguished individuals have earned the respect and admiration of the global science and engineering community. We are in awe of their creativity and exceptional contributions that have advanced aerospace.”

Honorary Fellow is AIAA’s highest distinction, recognizing preeminent individuals who have made significant contributions to the aerospace industry and who embody the highest possible standards in aeronautics and astronautics. In 1933, Orville Wright became the first AIAA Honorary Fellow. Today, 245 people have been named AIAA Honorary Fellow.

AIAA confers Fellow upon individuals in recognition of their notable and valuable contributions to the arts, sciences or technology of aeronautics and astronautics. Nominees are AIAA Associate Fellows. Since the inception of this honor 2,120 persons have been elected as an AIAA Fellow.

“The Class of 2026 Honorary Fellows and Fellows are impressive aerospace professionals. They are dreamers who have transformed our understanding of flight and exploration, pushing the boundaries of human potential. I am privileged to call them friends and colleagues. Their groundbreaking work reminds me that innovation is born from passion, persistence, and the audacious belief that we can always reach a little further than we thought possible,” added AIAA CEO Clay Mowry.

2026 AIAA Honorary Fellows

Laura J. McGill, Sandia National Laboratories
Daniel J. Scheeres, University of Colorado Boulder
Steven H. Walker, Lockheed Martin Corporation (retired)

2026 AIAA Fellows

William H. Ailor, III, The Aerospace Corporation (retired)
The Honorable Robert Behler, RFBehler Engineering and Consulting, LLC
Gillian Bussey, US Space Force
Simone D’Amico, Stanford University
Paul Danehy, NASA Langley Research Center
Juan M. de Bedout, RTX
Daniel Dumbacher, Purdue University
Miroslav Krstic, University of California San Diego
Sanjiva Lele, Stanford University
Arthur A. Mabbett, North Wind
Dan E. Marren, Marren Associates LLC
David M. McGowan, NASA Langley Research Center
Karl Wieland Naumann, kwnaumann Dynamic Technologies Expertise and Consulting
David Oh, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Paul H. Park, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bell Helicopter, Northrop Grumman (retired)
Khanh D. Pham, Air Force Research Laboratory/Space Vehicles Directorate
Dawn R. Phillips, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Ugo Piomelli, Queen’s University
Kurt Polzin, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Rusty Powell, Systems Planning and Analysis
Sukesh Roy, Spectral Energies, LLC
Hoyt Lee Sampson, Jr., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Puneet Singla, Pennsylvania State University
Sonya T. Smith, Howard University
Kon-Well Wang, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Christopher Watkins, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
James W. Weber, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering
David Williams, Illinois Institute of Technology

Contact: Rebecca 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 www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Boston Logan International Airport Wins Prestigious 2025 Jay Hollingsworth Speas Airport Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 6, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) congratulates Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) as the winner of the 2025 Jay Hollingsworth Speas Airport Award for designing new low-noise flight procedures to actively reduce aviation noise impacts around the airport while also providing a reduction in fuel burn.

The Jay Hollingsworth Speas Airport Award honors an individual or individuals judged to have contributed most significantly in recent years to the enhancement of relationships between airports and/or heliports and other surrounding environments via exemplary innovation that might be replicated elsewhere. The award is cosponsored by AIAA, the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC).

“The Award Committee is pleased to recognize the excellent collaborative work by MIT and Massport to reduce aircraft noise for residents under Boston Logan International Airport approach paths while simultaneously reducing fuel burn and distance traveled,” said R. Dixon “Dirk” Speas Jr., brother of Jay Hollingsworth Speas in whose memory the award was established 40 years ago by their father, R. Dixon Speas. “It is our hope that other airports and communities will benefit from the methodologies utilized.”

The following representatives from the collaborating organizations will accept the award during the awards luncheon on 13 March at the 2025 AAAE/ACC Airport Planning, Design, and Construction Symposium in San Antonio, Texas:

  • R. John Hansman, T. Wilson Professor of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • Flavio Leo, Director of Aviation Planning and Strategy, Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)
  • Jacqueline Huynh, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Irvine
  • Sandro Salgueiro, Airspace Integration Engineer, SkyGrid

Over the last decade, improvements to aircraft navigation technology have allowed departing and arriving aircraft to follow highly precise routes in the sky. These new routes, known as Area Navigation (RNAV) flight procedures, were implemented at BOS between 2012 and 2013 and have allowed aircraft to navigate more efficiently and predictably in the airspace around Boston. However, this shift to more precise navigation has had the side effect of concentrating aircraft trajectories over specific neighborhoods, leading to a perceived increase in aviation noise for affected communities. After the implementation of RNAV procedures, the number of noise complaints received annually by the airport increased, with complaint locations correlating strongly with RNAV tracks.

In response, in 2016, a three-way collaboration was started between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Massport, and MIT to identify potential modifications to the then-current departure and arrival procedures at BOS that could mitigate the impacts of high flight track concentrations. In collaboration with Massport and the FAA, Professor John Hansman and graduate students at the MIT International Center for Air Transportation (ICAT) led outreach to communities and technical development of potential procedure modifications. Over a period of six years, ICAT investigated several technical solutions for mitigating aircraft noise.

Following extensive collaboration with community groups and operational stakeholders, four new low-noise flight procedures were submitted to the FAA for implementation. Now deployed operationally, these procedures are actively reducing aviation noise impacts around BOS while also providing a reduction in fuel burn.

About AAAE
Founded in 1928, AAAE is the world’s largest professional organization representing the individuals who work at public-use commercial and general aviation airports. AAAE’s 10,000 members represent over 960 airports and hundreds of companies and organizations that support the airport industry. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., AAAE serves its membership through results-oriented representation in Washington, D.C., and delivers a wide range of industry services and professional development opportunities, including training, conferences, and a highly respected accreditation program. aaae.org

About ACC
The Airport Consultants Council (ACC) is the global trade association that represents private businesses involved in the development and operation of airports and their related facilities. Part of ACC’s mission is to inform its members of new trends while promoting fair competition and procurement practices that protect the industry’s bottom line. acconline.org

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.

Media Contacts

AAAE
Molly Balkam, Manager, Marketing
[email protected]
703.797.2539 | 301.787.1605

ACC
T. J. Schulz, President
[email protected]
703-344-6792

AIAA
Rebecca Gray, Director, Communications
[email protected]
804-397-5270 cell

AIAA Statement on Blue Origin’s Successful NS-27 Mission

October 24, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) issued the following statement from AIAA CEO Clay Mowry:

“On behalf of the 30,000 professional and student members of AIAA, we congratulate Blue Origin on its successful NS-27 mission, debuting its second human-rated vehicle. We eagerly anticipate learning more about the results from the multiple payloads onboard.

New Shepard missions embody the promises of space for the benefit of Earth. Reusability is the future of launch. Sustainable space vehicles like New Shepard continue helping decrease the cost of access to space as we see the space economy growing.

We applaud AIAA Corporate Member Blue Origin for shaping the future of aerospace.”

AIAA Media 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. Visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

 

Video

New Shepard Mission NS-27 (Launch at 10:53 mark)
(Blue Origin; YouTube)