FROM THE INSTITUTE
Luminary Cloud, an AIAA Corporate Member, announced the release of three new physics AI defense models designed to dramatically expedite U.S. defense technology development while at AIAA SciTech Forum 2026. “The new physics AI models are intended to complement simulation technology, and instead of giving execution times in hours, they will provide answers in less than a second,” said Juan Alonso, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder, Luminary Cloud. “This is a significant acceleration of engineering workflows, which is made possible by the very large data sets we are able to create with GPU-native physics solvers and by the revolution in Physics AI methods.”
Tag: Announces
AIAA Announces 2026 Priority Issues to Advance U.S. Aerospace Leadership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2026 – Reston, Va. – AIAA CEO Clay Mowry announced the 2026 Priority Issues confronting the aerospace industry spanning aviation, national security, research and development, and space domains. AIAA is the world’s largest aerospace professional society representing over 33,000 engineers and 100 corporate members. AIAA’s 2026 Priority Issues are designed to inform policymakers and industry leaders on the most pressing issues affecting U.S. aerospace competitiveness, leadership and safety.
“Preserving America’s leadership position in aerospace requires the modernization of our aviation infrastructure, investment in R&D, a resilient industrial base, and clear, responsible policy frameworks that enable innovation while protecting national security,” Mowry said. AIAA’s 2026 Priority Issues reflect those hard realities in an increasingly competitive global aerospace marketplace.”
2026 Priority Issues
Aviation
- Air traffic control and infrastructure modernization through sustained FAA Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) investment
- Advanced air mobility and autonomous flight integration
- Advanced materials and manufacturing technologies, including qualification, supply-chain, and workforce constraints
National Security
- Golden Dome for America/multi-layered defense readiness, including industrial-base, supply chain, and qualification standards
- Smart sustainment approaches to right-to-repair
- Acquisition reform to deliver capability at the speed of relevance
Research & Development
- R&D leadership and investment in laboratories and test infrastructure
- Internal research and development (IRAD) incentives and tax policy
- Academic ITAR and export-control modernization to protect the STEM pipeline
Space
- NASA budget growth, safety, and preserving science leadership
- The race to the Moon and Mars, including norms of behavior in cislunar space
- Space traffic management and space situational awareness for orbital safety
AIAA will engage with Congress, the administration, state and local officials throughout 2026 to provide technical expertise, standards development, and fora to support these priorities.
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 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. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on LinkedIn, Instagram, X/Twitter, and Facebook.
AIAA Announces 2026 Key Issues to Advance U.S. Aerospace Leadership
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The United States enters 2026 at a pivotal moment for aerospace. To help policymakers and the aerospace community focus on the most consequential priorities, the Institute has released its 2026 Key Issues. The Key Issues reflect AIAA’s mission as a neutral, technical convener at the intersection of government, industry, and academia. They are designed to support practical oversight, responsible modernization, and sustained U.S. leadership across the aerospace enterprise.
AIAA Announces New Student Branches
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2026 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce it has provisionally chartered five new student branches at the AIAA Council of Directors meeting during AIAA SciTech Forum 2026 in Orlando, Florida.
The five new student branches have been granted three-year provisional charters to ensure they are sustainable before being officially chartered as a student branch. The universities include:
- Baylor University – Waco, Texas
- South Dakota State University – Brookings, South Dakota
- University of Texas Permian Basin – Odessa, Texas
- Wilbur Wright College – Chicago, Illinois
- Zewail City Science and Technology – Cairo, Egypt
“It’s an exciting moment as we welcome these new student branches to AIAA – totaling 268. By expanding our global network reaching more students, we are enriching our community. We’re eager to see the impact these future leaders will have on the aerospace industry,” said AIAA CEO Clay Mowry.
To find out how your institution can establish a student branch, visit aiaa.org/get-involved/university-students/student-branches.
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 LinkedIn, Instagram, X/Twitter, and Facebook.
AIAA Announces 2026 Premier Award Winners
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the 2026 recipients of the AIAA Premier Awards, recognizing the most influential and inspiring individuals in aerospace whose outstanding contributions merit the highest accolades. The winners will be recognized at AIAA events throughout the year.
“Congratulations to our premier award winners,” said AIAA President Daniel Hastings. “In honoring these remarkable pioneers, we celebrate their transformative contributions that will echo through generations of aerospace innovation. Their groundbreaking work exemplifies the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines our community as they set new horizons for what humanity can achieve in the vast frontiers of air and space.”
“I’m simply in awe of this outstanding group of award winners. These are the aerospace professionals who push the boundaries of what’s possible,” said AIAA CEO Clay Mowry. “These leaders are making sure we stay at the forefront of innovation and maintain our national leadership in aerospace. They are truly shaping the future of aerospace.”
The winners are:
AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award – Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
AIAA Reed Aeronautics Award – Boom Supersonic XB-1 Team
AIAA Distinguished Service Award – Mark J. Lewis, President & CEO, Purdue Applied Research Institute
AIAA Engineer of the Year Award – Jenna L. Eppink, Research Aerospace Engineer, NASA Langley Research Center
AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award – Thomas C. Underwood, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin
AIAA Public Service Award – Thomas Zurbuchen, Professor of Space Science and Technology, ETH Zurich
Daniel Guggenheim Medal – Charbel Farhat, Vivian Church Hoff Professor of Aircraft Structures School of Engineering, Stanford University
Award Citations
AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award
The highest honor AIAA bestows for notable achievement in the field of astronautics. It was endowed by Mrs. Goddard in the 1940s as the ARS Goddard Memorial Award to commemorate her husband, Robert H. Goddard—rocket visionary, pioneer, bold experimentalist, and superb engineer whose early liquid rocket engine launches set the stage for the development of astronautics.
Indian Space Research Organisation, honored “For the groundbreaking landing of the ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 near the lunar south pole region, to deepen our understanding of the moon and beyond.”
AIAA Reed Aeronautics Award
The highest honor AIAA bestows for notable achievements in the field of aeronautics. The award is named after Dr. Sylvanus A. Reed, aeronautical engineer, designer, and founding member of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences in 1932.
Boom Supersonic XB-1 Team, honored “In recognition of the historic design and development of Boom Supersonic’s demonstrator, XB-1, the first independently developed supersonic jet, which demonstrated Boomless Cruise on two supersonic flights in 2025.”
AIAA Distinguished Service Award
AIAA recognizes an individual member who has provided distinguished service to the Institute over a period of years.
Mark J. Lewis, President & CEO, Purdue Applied Research Institute, honored “For outstanding and notable contributions to AIAA at the sectional, regional, and national level over the past four decades.”
AIAA Engineer of the Year Award
The award is presented to a member of the Institute who has made a recent individual technical contribution in the application of scientific and mathematical principles leading to a significant technical accomplishment.
Jenna L. Eppink, Research Aerospace Engineer, NASA Langley Research Center, honored “For exceptional engineering and technical innovation developing Lensless Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and a simple static-pressure-tap boundary-layer transition detection technique, expanding near-body flow-physics measurement capabilities.”
AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award
The award is presented for a notable contribution made by a young person, age 35 or under, to the advancement of aeronautics or astronautics. This award honors Lawrence B. Sperry, pioneer aviator and inventor, who died in 1923 in a forced landing while attempting a flight across the English Channel.
Thomas C. Underwood, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin, honored “For pioneering contributions to air-breathing electric propulsion and plasma-enabled pathways for sustainable and in situ fuel production.”
AIAA Public Service Award
The award honors a person who has demonstrated sustained and visible support for aviation and space goals.
Thomas Zurbuchen, Professor of Space Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, honored “For bold and impactful leadership through energetic public service in space science, entrepreneurship, education, and NASA space program management.”
Daniel Guggenheim Medal
The Medal was established as an international award honoring an individual who makes notable achievements in advancing the safety and practicality of aviation. Jointly sponsored by AIAA, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), SAE International, and Vertical Flight Society (VFS), the Medal recognizes contributions to aeronautical research and education, the development of commercial aircraft and equipment, and the application of aircraft to the economic and social activities of the nation.
Charbel Farhat, Vivian Church Hoff Professor of Aircraft Structures School of Engineering, Stanford University, honored “For pioneering advances in the computational mechanics of fluid–structure interaction, transforming simulation methodologies and enabling major breakthroughs in aircraft design and optimization.”
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 SciTech Forum 2026 Adds Prominent Speakers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2025 – Reston, Va. – AIAA will kick off SciTech Forum 2026 with opening remarks from America’s most experienced astronaut, Peggy Whitson, Vice President of Human Spaceflight, Axiom Space. The event is scheduled 12–16 January, Hyatt Regency Orlando. Other daily plenary speakers will cover the latest innovations transforming aerospace, including:
- Jonathan Arenberg, Fellow and Chief Mission Architect for Science and Robotic Exploration, Northrop Grumman, shares insights from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
- Arbi Karapetian, Director, Innovation and Technology, Formula 1, brings nearly 30 years of aerospace experience to reveal how innovation fuels performance across industries
- Jason Levin, SVP of Engineering for Air Dominance & Strike, Anduril, showcases lessons learned in developing its Collaborative Combat Aircraft, Fury
- Craig Martell, CTO, Lockheed Martin, and Ylli Bajraktari, President and CEO, Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), discuss the challenges and opportunities of next-gen artificial intelligence
AIAA SciTech Forum is known for setting the pace of innovation and connection for the year. This year’s inspirational theme, “Breaking Barriers Together: Boundless Discovery,” will envision the possibilities for aerospace’s future. Other notable speakers include:
- Camille Alleyne, Founder and CEO, Arusha Space, LLC
- Carissa Christensen, CEO, BryceTech
- Todd Citron, CTO, The Boeing Company
- Greg Ombach, Senior Vice President, Airbus
- Will Roper, CEO, Istari Digital, and former Assistant Secretary of Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, U.S. Air and Space Force
- Brad Rothenberg, CEO, nTop
- Ryan Tseng, President, Co-founder, and Chief Strategy Officer, Shield AI
- Danica Vallone, CEO, Making Space
The new Career Accelerator Program for university students will deliver an intensive day of career advice and tools from AIAA Corporate Member hiring managers and recruiters, plus confirmed speakers:
- Hillary Coe, Chief Design and Marketing Officer, Vast
- Amy Medina Jorge, Educator and Blue Origin commercial astronaut
- Joan Misner, Social Media Influencer @YourFemaleEngineer
Registration with the best pricing is available through 15 December. For the most up-to-date program information, visit SciTech.aiaa.org. Journalists can request media credentials at [email protected].
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 LinkedIn, Instagram, X/Twitter, and Facebook.
Space Force Announces SpaceX, ULA Assigned to First Set of Key Launches Beyond FY27
Breaking Defense reports, “The Space Force announced today that it has assigned the first seven future launches under its National Security Space Launch Program (NSSL) program for critical missions: five to SpaceX and two to United Launch Alliance (ULA). NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 launches carry high-value, must-go payloads and/or those headed to orbits that are more difficult to achieve. The Space Force is using firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery contracts for these types of launches.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)
Space Force Announces ATLAS Space Domain Awareness Software Now Operational
Breaking Defense reports, “The Space Force announced today that its software-centric program for managing, processing and disseminating space monitoring data, the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS), has been accepted as ‘operational.’ The move paves the way for the service to finally rid itself of its dysfunctional 1980s-era computer system called the Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC), which as been used to keep tabs on satellites, spacecraft and dangerous space junk even after nearly two decades of failed replacement efforts.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)
Space Command Headquarters to Move from Colorado to Alabama
CBS News reports, “President Trump announced Tuesday afternoon that U.S. Space Command headquarters is moving from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Huntsville, Alabama. In 2018 he had signed an order reestablishing U.S. Space Command, after it had been absorbed in 2002 into U.S. Strategic Command. Its main goal is to find ways to defend U.S. interests in space.”
Full Story (CBS News)
Korean Air Announces Largest-ever Boeing Jet Order
Reuters reports, “Korean Air announced a $50 billion order on Monday for 103 Boeing airplanes and GE Aerospace engines and servicing coinciding with the visit of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to Washington. The order, the largest in the Korean air carrier’s history, includes a mix of 787s, 777s and 737 Boeing airplanes worth about $36.5 billion.”
Full Story (Reuters)