Tag: Announces

AIAA Announces 2024 International Student Conference Winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 29, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the 2024 International Student Conference winners in partnership with the AIAA Foundation. During the 2024 AIAA SciTech Forum in January, 21 technical paper first-place finalists from all seven 2023 AIAA Regional Student Conferences and the PEGASUS – Europe Conference presented their research papers related to aeronautics and astronautics.

“Congratulations to these exemplary students on their accomplishments. The AIAA Foundation is committed to preparing the next generation of aerospace innovators through events like the International Student Conference,” said Basil Hassan, chair, AIAA Foundation. “We are pleased to welcome so many AIAA student members to AIAA SciTech Forum. They will be our industry’s next leaders and problem-solvers and we look forward to seeing how they shape the future of aerospace.”

The International Student Conference is an invitation-only event contained within the annual AIAA SciTech Forum, where first-place winners from each of the previous year’s AIAA Regional Student Conferences present their winning papers. They are judged by a panel of AIAA professional members in the undergraduate, master’s, and team categories. AIAA Foundation awards a $1,000 cash prize to each category’s first-place winner. All participants’ papers are published as part of the AIAA SciTech Forum proceedings and become part of the enduring aerospace industry technical archive found in AIAA’s.Aerospace Research Central (ARC).

2024 International Student Conference Winners

Undergraduate Category
1st place: “Development and Testing of a Stereo Photogrammetry System for Multi-axis Optical Tracking of Free-flight Models” by Georgia Warren, University of New South Wales
Master’s Category
1st place: “Development of a Potassium Permanganate Catalyst-Infused Fuel Grain for Hydrogen Peroxide Hybrid Thruster Ignition Enhancement” by Ryan Thibaudeau, Utah State University
Team Category
1st place: “Aerodynamic Evaluation of Longitudinal and Lateral-Directional Stability Coupling on the NASA Orion Crew Module” by Patrick Koenig, Joseph Roy, Lucas Yantis, Casey Fagley, United States Air Force Academy

Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804.397.5270 cell
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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.

AIAA Announces Class of 2024 Honorary Fellows and Fellows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 8, 2024 – Reston, Va. –The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) proudly congratulates its newly elected Class of 2024 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. The class will be inducted during a ceremony on Tuesday, 14 May, in Washington, DC, and celebrated during the AIAA Awards Gala on Wednesday, 15 May, at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts*, Washington, DC. AIAA Awards Gala tickets are available now.

“The Class of 2024 AIAA Honorary Fellows and Fellows are among the most respected names in the aerospace profession. Congratulations to each member of this year’s class for their many accomplishments,” said Laura McGill, AIAA President. “These distinguished individuals have earned the respect and admiration of our broad science and engineering community. We are in awe of their creativity and exceptional contributions to advance the performance and capability of aerospace systems.”

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, 242 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 2,064 persons have been elected as an AIAA Fellow.

“AIAA takes great pride in honoring the Class of 2024 Honorary Fellows and Fellows. These professionals have made significant and lasting contributions to the aerospace community. Their passion and dedication are inspiring the generations that follow to reach even greater heights,” added Dan Dumbacher, AIAA CEO.

2024 AIAA Honorary Fellows
Hitoshi Kuninaka, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science / Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
John S. Langford III, Electra.aero
Azad M. Madni, University of Southern California
Christopher Scolese, National Reconnaissance Office

2024 AIAA Fellows
Igor Adamovich, Ohio State University
Stephen Blanchette Jr., The Aerospace Corporation
Ruxandra M. Botez, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS)
Robert D. Cabana, NASA Headquarters (retired)
John R. Chawner, Pointwise (retired)
Charles J. Cross, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory
Misty Davies, NASA Ames Research Center
Srinath Ekkad, North Carolina State University
Edward H. Gerding, The Boeing Company
John Mace Grunsfeld, Endless Frontier Associates LLC
Richard Hofer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Yiguang Ju, Princeton University
Joseph Majdalani, Auburn University
Richard Mange, Lockheed Martin Corporation
J.D. McFarlan III, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Mehran Mesbahi, University of Washington
Clayton Mowry, Voyager Space / International Astronautical Federation
Alison Nordt, Lockheed Martin Space
Daniella Raveh, Technion – IIT
Gregory W. Reich, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory
Katherine Rink, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Donna Cowell Senft, Air Force Global Strike Command
Jeffrey P. Slotnick, The Boeing Company
S. Alan Stern, Southwest Research Institute
John Tylko, Aurora Flight Sciences, A Boeing Company
Craig Wanke, The MITRE Corporation
Annalisa Weigel, Fairmont Consulting Group
Lesley A. Weitz, The MITRE Corporation

* Note: This event is an external rental presented in coordination with the Kennedy Center Campus Rentals Office and is not produced by the Kennedy Center.

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

AIAA Announces 2024 Premier Award Winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 8, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of the AIAA Premier Awards, recognizing the most influential and inspiring individuals in aerospace whose outstanding contributions merit the highest accolades.

AIAA will present the 2024 AIAA Premier Awards during the AIAA Awards Gala on Wednesday, 15 May, at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts*, Washington, DC. The Institute also will recognize its Class of 2024 Honorary Fellows and Fellows at the AIAA Awards Gala. Tickets are available now.

“Congratulations to our premier award winners,” said AIAA President Laura McGill. “We are inspired by their achievements. These prestigious awards celebrate their truly significant work that is shaping the future. AIAA is committed to recognizing aerospace professionals for their innovations and discoveries that advance aerospace capabilities and performance.”

The winners are:

AIAA Award for Aerospace Excellence – U.S. Air Force Combat Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology Demonstration Team

AIAA Public Service Award – Leland D. Melvin, Former NASA Astronaut, Leland Melvin LLC

AIAA Reed Aeronautics Award – Mark S. Miller, Leidos, Dynetics Group

AIAA Distinguished Service Award – Paul D. Nielsen, Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University

AIAA International Cooperation Award – Jean-Yves Le Gall, CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales), ESA Council (European Space Agency), Arianespace, IAF (International Astronautical Federation)

AIAA Engineer of the Year Award – Kurt Polzin, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award – W. Michael Hawes, Lockheed Martin Space (retired)

AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award – Michelle N. Banchy, NASA Langley Research Center

Award Citations

AIAA Award for Aerospace Excellence
This award honors a unique achievement by a group or team in the aerospace community that is shaping the future of aerospace and inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in aerospace. The award is designed for timely recognition of a recent program or mission.

U.S. Air Force Combat Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology Demonstration Team, honored “For demonstrating AI piloting the XQ-58A Valkyrie uncrewed jet aircraft, building on previous demonstrations with a crewed (F-16) VISTA X-62A, but taking it one step further to a full demonstration, and amplifying the importance of military government partnerships with industry and academia.”

AIAA Public Service Award
The award honors a person who has demonstrated sustained and visible support for aviation and space goals.

Leland D. Melvin, Former NASA Astronaut, Leland Melvin LLC, honored “For tirelessly promoting STEAM and aerospace to young people of all demographics by word and personal example.”

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.

Mark S. Miller, Leidos, Dynetics Group, honored “In recognition of contributions to engineering advancement of grid-fin aerodynamic control technology from seminal research through pervasive technology adoption into flight systems including reusable launch vehicles.”

AIAA Distinguished Service Award
AIAA recognizes an individual member who has provided distinguished service to the Institute over a period of years.

Paul D. Nielsen, Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, honored “For outstanding and distinguished leadership and service to AIAA and to the aerospace profession over the past four decades.”

AIAA International Cooperation Award
The award is presented to a member who has made a recent individual contribution in the application of scientific and mathematical principles leading to a significant accomplishment or event worthy of AIAA’s national or international recognition.

Jean-Yves Le Gall, CNES, ESA Council, Arianespace, IAF, honored “For extraordinary contributions and leadership, and for major collaborations with the international community in the development and operation of space missions for scientific and civil applications.”

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.

Kurt Polzin, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, honored “For inspired technical leadership as Chief Engineer of NASA’s Space Nuclear Propulsion Project, positioning the nation to rapidly mature, demonstrate, and use nuclear propulsion systems.”

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.

W. Michael Hawes, Lockheed Martin Space (retired), honored “For a lifetime of contributions to the design, manufacturing, and operations of human space flight programs including the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and Orion.”

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.

Michelle N. Banchy, NASA Langley Research Center, honored “For exceptional technical contributions in the field of aerodynamic design toward the development and application of natural laminar flow systems.”

In addition, the Institute will present the 2024 Daniel Guggenheim Medal during the 2024 AIAA Awards Gala to Michimasa Fujino for technical innovation and leadership in conceiving, designing, and bringing HondaJet to a leading position in the business jet market. This award is jointly sponsored by AIAA, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), SAE International, and the Vertical Flight Society (VFS).

*Note: This event is an external rental presented in coordination with the Kennedy Center Campus Rentals Office and is not produced by the Kennedy Center.

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

AIAA Announces 2024 Sustained Service Awards Winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 5, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Sustained Service Awards. The award recognizes sustained, significant service and contributions to AIAA by members of the Institute.

“AIAA volunteers are the aerospace community’s greatest resource,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. “These AIAA members lead by example, using their talent and energy to guide the community. We are grateful for their dedication and hard work.”

Recipients must be AIAA members in good standing who have shown continuing dedication to the interests of the Institute by making significant and sustained contributions over a period of time, typically 10 years or more. Active participation and service at the local section/regional level, and/or the national level is a potential discriminator in the evaluation of candidates.

The 2024 Sustained Service Awards winners are:

Ronald M. Barrett-Gonzalez, University of Kansas
For continued support of AIAA in the Wichita Section, as a student branch faculty advisor, and on national technical committees.Barrett-Gonzalez received B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Kansas in 1988 and 1993, respectively, and an M.S. from the University of Maryland in 1990 in aerospace engineering. He has authored more than 400 technical publications, holds 19 patents, and is a member of the Aircraft Design and Adaptive Structures Technical Committees (TC). He has served on faculties at Auburn, Alabama, TU Delft, and KU as the AIAA Student Branch Faculty Advisor.
John W. Dankanich, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
For continued and dedicated service to AIAA and the aerospace community.Dankanich received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Purdue University in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. He is the Chief Technologist of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and the NASA agency Capability Lead for In-Space Transportation. He is a subject-matter expert in trajectory optimization, mission architecture design, and propulsion technology development and testing.
Stanley D. Ferguson, The Boeing Company (retired)
For sustained service and support to the AIAA Pacific Northwest Section, national committees, technical meetings, student competitions, and STEM activities. Ferguson retired from Boeing after a 40-year career in aerodynamic design, analysis, aircraft integration, and certification. His contributions resulted in numerous patents and awards. He received his MSE degree from the University of Washington in 1979, and BSAE from West Virginia University in 1973. Ferguson has served AIAA in local section positions, national committees, and is an AIAA Associate Fellow.
Kenneth Lui, Ken’s Consulting
For outstanding volunteer service to the AIAA Los Angeles-Las Vegas Section, demonstrating tireless dedication in organizing conferences, and establishing young professional, student branch, and diversity events.Lui is Chair of the AIAA Los Angeles-Las Vegas(LA-LV) Section and has been a Council Member since 2015. An AIAA Senior Member, he is also a member of the AIAA Space Settlement TC and the Microgravity and Space Processes TC. He obtained his Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Carnegie Mellon University and worked in institutes such as the University of Alabama, City of Hope, and UCLA. He has been a consultant for several years.
Anastasios S. Lyrintzis, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
For over 35 years of sustained AIAA service, including leadership roles on committees, conference organization, and publicationsLyrintzis has done research in aeroacoustics, authoring over 200 papers and advising 22 Ph.D. students. He has been a member and Chair of the AIAA Aeroacoustics TC, a member and Chair of the Aerospace Department Chair Association, and the Higher Education Committee. An AIAA Fellow, Lyrintzis has organized several AIAA conferences and served as an Associate Editor for AIAA Journal.
Kurt A. Polzin, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
For sustained, significant service and contributions at the local, regional, and national levels of AIAA.Polzin received his B.S. from Ohio State University and completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. He joined NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in 2004, and is presently the Chief Engineer for NASA’s Space Nuclear Propulsion project. Polzin is an AIAA Associate Fellow and recently completed his second three-year term as Director–Region II.
Lawrence W. Stephens, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control
For many years of impactful leadership and dedicated service to AIAA and its members at the student branch, section, regional, and national levels.Stephens is Director of Engineering Affordability for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. He was previously Director of Systems Engineering and then Chief Engineer for Advanced Programs and Special Programs. His contributions include system development programs in aircraft, space, and missile systems from concept studies through flight demonstrations. Stephens is an Aerospace Engineering graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington and an AIAA Fellow.
Marilee J. Wheaton, The Aerospace Corporation
For sustained contributions to the Economics and the Systems Engineering Technical Committees, for impactful service to the Fellows Selection and Honors and Awards Committees, and for technical leadership of the AIAA SPACE Forum and AIAA SciTech Forum.Wheaton is a Systems Engineering Fellow at The Aerospace Corporation. She provides technical leadership and building capability to include enterprise systems engineering, digital engineering, systems architecting, and model-based systems engineering. Wheaton is a 2008 AIAA Fellow, and she is also a Fellow and current President of INCOSE, and a SWE Fellow and Life Member.

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 aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Announces Plans for CEO Transition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 3, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced today that CEO Dan Dumbacher will step down from his role on September 30, 2024.

“Dan shared his intent to leave his role as steward of the Institute during a recent AIAA Board of Trustees meeting. His leadership over the past six years has been key to solidly positioning us for a strong future, especially successfully navigating through the challenges of the pandemic. We highly value his many contributions to AIAA and the aerospace community. At the heart of that leadership is his enduring commitment to helping AIAA members succeed as they devote their life’s work to unraveling the mysteries of flight and exploring the universe. We wish him all the best in his next chapter,” said AIAA President Laura McGill.

Dumbacher joined AIAA in 2018 as Executive Director (now CEO) following a more than 30-year career at NASA. He also served as a Professor of Engineering Practice in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University, where he taught courses in systems thinking, systems engineering, and space policy. He has been a member of AIAA for almost 40 years.

“It has been a great pleasure to work closely with Dan on inspiring the next generation. In just the past few years of our collaboration, the Foundation has been able to offer new STEM education programs to K-12 students, establish partnerships to impact one million students per year by 2025, create the new Trailblazing STEM Educator Award to recognize deserving teachers, and add valuable new university scholarship opportunities for students studying aerospace engineering,” said AIAA Foundation Chair Basil Hassan.

During his tenure, the Institute has continued to deliver on its mission to help aerospace professionals and their organizations succeed. In 2020, the Institute embarked on a Domain approach to help accelerate innovation and progress in 21^st-century Aeronautics, Aerospace Research and Development (R&D), and Space. Recognizing the systems applications and missions of today, along with the rapidly evolving marketplace, this structure has propelled AIAA into the future as we have established priority issues within each Domain that serve the interests of our members and the industry. AIAA strategically coordinates programs and activities to make progress solving generational-scale challenges across the aerospace industry. The total team effort across the Board of Trustees, Domain Task Forces, Technical Committees, Integration and Outreach Committees, local sections, student branches, and external partnerships has established AIAA’s approach to address the community’s needs while enabling AIAA to operate at the speed of a dynamic and rapidly changing market.

Under Dumbacher’s guidance, AIAA has continued its work as a world-renowned technical leader through the combination of his tireless advocacy of the industry among policymakers and government leaders at state, national, and global levels, and the endorsement of an audaciously bold vision for the future of aerospace.

The Institute’s relentless progress through the pandemic-related challenges contributed to new ways of delivering programs while maintaining the Institute’s industry-leading publishing capability. “Looking back, AIAA members and stakeholders demonstrated their world-class resilience during this unprecedented period. This spirit of perseverance is in our industry’s DNA,” said Dumbacher.

Dumbacher has been a vocal thought leader in aeronautics and astronautics subjects, publishing editorials on timely industry topics, appearing frequently in media coverage of industry events, and sharing his passion about developing the next generation STEM-literate workforce. He has enthusiastically championed diversity, equity, and inclusion in aerospace, helping move the community toward better reflecting the demographics of society. Through his influential contributions, the Institute is viewed as an essential voice for the industry.

“AIAA is a world-class organization fueled by inspiration, perseverance, and extraordinary accomplishments. The Institute is renowned for representing aerospace excellence for nearly a century. It has been a profound privilege to lead the professional team at AIAA and partner with our dedicated volunteer members as we built on the legacy of AIAA’s reputation. I would like to personally thank the AIAA staff, our members, and all of our stakeholders for their guidance and support through the years. I am humbled to have contributed in a small way to the long list of remarkable accomplishments we achieved together,” said Dumbacher.

The AIAA Board of Trustees has retained Russell Reynolds Associates (RRA) to assist with the national search for its next CEO. The search process is expected to take several months and will be led by Julia McGeorge and Stephanie Tomasso in the RRA Washington, DC, office.

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. For more information, visit aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA Announces $10,000 Scholarship in Partnership with Blue Origin’s Club for the Future

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 16, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation announced today a partnership with Blue Origin’s nonprofit Club for the Future to provide a $10,000 scholarship each year to one high school senior who has demonstrated an interest in pursuing a career in aerospace engineering. The scholarship is known as “AIAA and Club for the Future’s Resilient Student Scholarship.”

Students can apply here. Applications are due by 31 January 2024.

Any high school senior enrolling in a STEM program at a college, university, or technical institution who matches other qualifying criteria will be eligible. In addition to the $10,000 award, the recipient will be matched with an AIAA professional member to serve as a mentor. The scholarship will be offered to high school seniors who are AIAA members; high school membership in AIAA is free. The scholarship is specifically designed to empower and inspire students who have faced unique challenges, including but not limited to: students with disabilities; from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, gender minorities, or disadvantaged socioeconomic circumstances; and first-generation college students.

Students who apply for this scholarship will be asked to describe why they are interested in aerospace and write about their vision for their future career in the aerospace field. They also must submit a short personal essay on their values of compassion, tenacity, and resilience, and how they have used one or all of these traits to problem-solve or accomplish something in their life.

This scholarship follows other support for aerospace young talent development provided to the AIAA Foundation by Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, including a $1 million grant in 2021 for educational programs.

“Club for the Future is proud to empower future innovators to explore the boundless opportunities of space through STEM careers for the benefit of Earth,” said Heather Nelson, director of Club for the Future.

Basil Hassan, chair, AIAA Foundation, recognizes that the scholarship partnership with Blue Origin’s Club for the Future offers an exciting pathway to develop new engineering talent for the aerospace industry. “Giving students a chance to focus their immediate future on aerospace has been one of the goals of the AIAA Foundation since its inception in 1996,” he said. “We have chosen National Scholarship Month to roll out this new program as a way of bringing extra attention to a life-defining opportunity for a graduating high school student. The recipient of this scholarship will be able to explore aerospace engineering in greater detail and develop their expertise in one of the fastest growing industries in the world.”

For more information, visit aiaa.org/foundation.

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

About Club for the Future
Founded by Blue Origin, Club for the Future is a foundation whose mission is to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM for the benefit of Earth. The Club and its collaborators are doing this through Postcards to Space, space-inspired lessons and events, and access to space on Blue Origin’s rockets. For more information visit, ClubforFuture.org.

Joby CEO Announces 84% Completion of Stage 3 FAA Certification Work for EVTOL Aircraft

Aviation Today reports that Joby Aviation CEO JoeBen Bevirt says the company’s eVTOL aircraft is 84% on its way to completing FAA Stage 3 certification requirements. The company “checked off several milestones in the past three months that bring it ever closer to launching commercial passenger flights in 2025.” Joby is “ramping up production at its pilot manufacturing facility in Merina, Calif., with one aircraft in final assembly and two more in production.” It also has “chosen Dayton, Ohio, as the site for the first scaled manufacturing facility, after receiving promises for $325 million in state and local incentives and benefits, Bevirt said.”
Full Story (Aviation Today)

USAF Announces Desired Engine Thrust Range for Future CCAs

Aviation Week reported that the US Air Force “has released a desired thrust range for a future family of uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) that calls for more engine power than offered by several existing candidates, such as the Boeing MQ-28 and Kratos XQ-58.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)

AIAA Announces 2023 Undergraduate Scholarship and Graduate Award Winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 5, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation has announced the 24 winners of its 2023 undergraduate scholarships and graduate awards. Through its Foundation and supported by nearly 30,000 members, AIAA annually awards over $100,000 in academic scholarships and STEM educational grants to support the next generation of aerospace professionals.

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

Applications for the 2024 scholarships and graduate awards are being accepted from 1 October to 31 January. Please visit the AIAA Foundation’s Scholarship and Graduate Awards website for more information.

The 2023 undergraduate scholarship winners are:

- The AIAA Foundation, in partnership with Lockheed Martin, is pleased to present the AIAA Lockheed Martin Marillyn Hewson Scholarship to two students. The $10,000 AIAA Lockheed Martin Marillyn Hewson Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship presented to one female high school graduate and one university-enrolled female student each year.

- Anna Maria Zueva, accepted to Columbia University (New York, NY)
- Priya Abiram, currently enrolled at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)

- Two $10,000 Daedalus 88 Scholarships, endowed by former AIAA President John Langford, founder and CEO Emeritus of Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company, and founder and CEO of Electra.aero, were presented this year.

- Lucas Pabarcius, California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, California)
- Jammal Yarbrough, College of the Canyons (Santa Clarita, California).

- The $10,000 David and Catherine Thompson Space Technology Scholarship, named for and endowed by former AIAA President David Thompson, retired chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Orbital ATK, Dulles, Virginia, and his wife Catherine, was presented to Noah McAllister, Rutgers University (New Brunswick, New Jersey).

- The $5,000 Vicki and George Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering, named for and endowed by the late Lt. Gen. George Muellner, U.S. Air Force, former AIAA president and president of advanced systems for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, and his wife Vicki, was presented to Nikolai Baranov, Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana).

- The $5,000 Wernher von Braun Scholarship, named in honor of the German rocketeer and founder of the U.S. space program, was presented to Ashish Cavale, Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Georgia).

The $1,250 Leatrice Gregory Pendray Scholarship, named in honor of Mrs. Leatrice Pendray, an accomplished rocketry researcher and co-founder of the American Interplanetary Society in 1930, was presented to Shruti Jadhav, University of South Carolina (Columbia, South Carolina).

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

The Space Transportation TC presented a $1,500 scholarship to Nelson Pixley, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Blacksburg, Virginia).

The Digital Avionics TC presented five scholarships of $3,000 each:

- The Dr. James Rankin Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Quintan Ajluni, Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana).

- The Dr. Amy R. Pritchett Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Vikas Patel, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach (Daytona Beach, Florida).

- The Ellis F. Hitt Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Ethan Traub, Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Georgia).

- The Cary Spitzer Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Hampton Wohlford, Virginia Military Institute (Lexington, Virginia).

The Denise Ponchak Digital Avionics Scholarship was presented to Sashwat Suman, Hindustan Institute of Technology & Science (Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)

The 2023 graduate award winners are:

- Michaela Hemming, University of Alabama in Huntsville (Huntsville, Alabama), received the Neil Armstrong Graduate Award. This $5,000 award honors the character and achievements of the late astronaut, military pilot, and educator, Neil A. Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the moon.

- Rutledge Fogel and Shaan Stephen, both from North Carolina State University (NCSU), are the recipients of the Dr. Hassan A. Hassan Graduate Award in Aerospace Engineering. Dr. Hassan established the award shortly before his death in January 2019 to entice top NCSU aerospace engineering seniors, who also are AIAA members, to earn their graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in aerospace engineering at NCSU. Two $5,000 awards are presented each year.

- Catherine Nachtigal, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Massachusetts), received the John Leland Atwood Graduate Award. Established in 1999, the $1,250 award, sponsored by endowments from Rockwell and what is now The Boeing Company and named in memory of John Leland “Lee” Atwood, former chief executive officer of Rockwell, North America, recognizes a student actively engaged in research in the areas covered by the technical committees of AIAA.

Sandro Salguiero, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Massachusetts), and Lynn Pickering, University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio), each received the Orville and Wilbur Wright Graduate Award. These $5,000 awards, given in memory of the Wright brothers’ contributions to the evolution of flight, recognize two full-time graduate students.

Three AIAA TCs also presented graduate awards:

- Animesh Shastry, University of Maryland, College Park (College Park, Maryland), received the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) TC’s $3,500 Guidance, Navigation and Control Graduate Award.

- Sybren Bootsma, TU Delft (Delft, Netherlands), received the Modeling and Simulation TC’s $3,500 Luis de Florez Graduate Award.

Daniel Gochenaur, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Massachusetts), received the Air Breathing Propulsion TC’s $1,000 Gordon C. Oates Air Breathing Propulsion Graduate Award.

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. For more information, visit aiaa.org or 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.