Tag: ascend

AIAA Accelerates the Future of Aviation and Space at 2024 AIAA AVIATION Forum and 2024 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 20, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The latest aircraft, spacecraft, technologies, and missions were on display in Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 28 until August 2 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). AIAA co-located two of its signature events – 2024 AIAA AVIATION Forum and 2024 ASCEND – in one venue, Caesars Forum, for the week. Nearly 3,800 aviation and space professionals came together, bridging the gap between aviation’s visionary concepts and tangible technological reality, while also accelerating our off-world future through collaboration.

From the stage, attendees heard more than 350 speakers including senior government officials from NASA, the National Reconnaissance Organization (NRO), the U.S. Space Force and others, as well as prominent industry leaders from companies including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman. They delivered wide ranging insights on aviation and space – from the current view of the industries, to the near-term paradigm shifts that are starting to occur in aviation, to the challenges in building a sustainable space ecosystem.

In a truly unique session designed to attract both audiences of air and space professionals, NASA showcased an unprecedented assembly of NASA technology. NASA Chief Technology Officer A.C. Charania hosted the session featuring all NASA field center chief technologists. Together they took attendees on a tour across the entire United States, sharing the unique features and focus areas of their campus, their core competencies, and their next-generation aviation and space technologies. The session is available on YouTube.

One of the hallmarks of an AIAA event is the deep technical exchange due to the vast number of technical papers presented. Nearly 1,300 papers were presented by researchers, authors, and university students during both events. Awards were presented for the best papers presented by students throughout the AIAA AVIATION Forum, based on assessments by industry professionals.

More than 75 exhibitors filled the 12,500 square-foot Expo Hall – AIAA’s largest exposition ever. The Expo Hall served as the bridge between both events’ communities, providing attendees full access to interact with the latest advanced technologies from the full industry sectors of air and space.

2024 AIAA AVIATION Forum Highlights

Increased dialogue on and demonstration of alternate aircraft propulsion – electrified aircraft, sustainable fuels, hydrogen propulsion
Introduction of autonomy and artificial intelligence (AI) to aircraft design, and accelerating the use of digital twins
Deeper looks at new and novel aviation concepts – blended-wing body concepts, hybrid electric cargo drones, rigid airships, X-planes
The challenges and opportunities around introducing electric air taxis in highly populated areas, including tackling noise problems
Anticipated flight tests of demonstrator aircraft, including supersonics

2024 ASCEND Highlights

Leveraging both government and commercial capabilities to push the frontier
Building a sustainable space economy, tapping into venture capital and building partnerships with allies and international partners
Discussions around innovation, ideas, and challenges for lunar infrastructure – landers, rovers, habitats, mining, regolith management, power sources – for Artemis missions and beyond
Exploring the opportunities to explore Mars, including discussion on Mars Sample Return missions
Pushing toward new applications of In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM), robotics, and developing capabilities in cislunar space
Addressing the growing threat of space debris to orbiting assets, including human-rated spacecraft
Planning for an integrated space defense strategy to maintain U.S. leadership in space with senior defense leaders from the U.S. and its allies
Incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in space-related applications

Space sustainability and environmentalism were tackled by this year’s ASCEND Diverse Dozen (D12) cohort. Their Op-Eds are available to download for free. This year, the D12 is supported by the Office of Space Commerce, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce helping amplify underrepresented voices as they promote messages on space sustainability.

The ASCEND program featured a panel discussion including actors from the Star Trek television series, acknowledging that science fiction engages the imaginations of today’s aerospace community. Together with aerospace industry professionals, they explored the transformative power of art, technology, and reality.

AIAA signed a memorandum of understanding with Boryung, a healthcare investment company based in Seoul, South Korea, to expand the reach of the Humans in Space (HIS) platform as the two organizations seek to foster engagement in the global space healthcare ecosystem.

Ten awards were presented to AIAA members and others from across the community, recognizing excellence in aerospace and aviation. 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.

Highlights of the sessions, speakers, and attendees were captured in the AIAA Flickr album. Session recordings from the main stages of both events are available on the AIAA YouTube channel: AIAA AVIATION Forum Playlist and 2024 ASCEND Playlist.

Plans are already underway for next year’s events in Las Vegas: 2025 AIAA AVIATION Forum, 21 – 25 July 2025, and 2025 ASCEND, 22 – 24 July 2025. Papers and sessions are invited from the aviation and space communities, as well as adjacent industries through the Call for Content which will open on 24 September 2024.

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

2024 AIAA David W. Thompson Lecture in Space Commerce Presented by Sir Martin Sweeting During 2024 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2024 – Reston, Va. – AIAA is pleased to announce the 2024 AIAA David W. Thompson Lectureship in Space Commerce is awarded to Sir Martin Sweeting, Executive Chairman, Surrey Satellite Technology, Ltd. (SSTL) and Distinguished Professor, Surrey Space Centre, University of Surrey. The lecture, “Small Satellites – The Foundation of NewSpace,” will be presented Tuesday, 30 July, 12 p.m. PT, during 2024 ASCEND, 30 July – 1 August, Las Vegas.

Sweeting’s lecture will trace 20 years of small satellites’ impact on life on Earth and look toward future developments. The emergence in the early 2000s of low cost and rapid response, yet operationally capable small satellites initiated a fundamental gear-change in the economics of space. Two decades later, small satellites are mainstream and the basis of mega constellations in low Earth orbit providing communications and Earth observation services with the private sector now playing a dominant role. Recent developments in launchers, both large and small, have accelerated this trend, often referred to as “NewSpace,” enabling far wider participation by nations and commercial companies. The next generation of launchers on the horizon will stimulate the next gear-change in space, with dramatic implications for industry and society.

In 1979, with a Ph.D. in radio engineering from the University of Surrey, Sweeting pioneered rapid-response, low-cost, and highly capable small satellites utilizing modern consumer electronics to change the economics of space. In 1985, he founded a university spin-off company, SSTL, that has designed, built, launched, and operated in orbit over 70 nano-, micro-, and mini-satellites for customers worldwide providing missions for communications, Earth observation, space science, and the demonstration of active space debris removal techniques. Sweeting was knighted in 2006 by HM the Late Queen and is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Physics. He has received numerous international awards, and has been identified as one of the UK’s 20 most influential engineers. He is regarded as the “father of small satellites” that led to NewSpace.

This lectureship recognizes a prominent industry leader or senior management team who has created or grown a space-related business and generated substantial economic benefits and market value. It was endowed by Orbital ATK to commemorate the long and distinguished career of commercial space pioneer, David W. Thompson. The lecture will be delivered in person, as well as recorded and available on demand.

Registration for 2024 ASCEND is open. Press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

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

About AIAA
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 X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and visit ascend.events or follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and Instagram.

2024 AIAA von Kármán Lecture in Astronautics on OSIRIS-REx Mission Presented by Dante S. Lauretta During 2024 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2024 – Reston, Va. – AIAA is pleased to announce the 2024 AIAA von Kármán Lectureship in Astronautics is awarded to Dante S. Lauretta, Regents Professor, University of Arizona, Tucson. The lecture, “Unlocking the Secrets of Our Solar System’s History: The OSIRIS-REx Journey,” will be presented Tuesday, 30 July, 10:45 a.m. PT, during 2024 ASCEND, 30 July – 1 August, Las Vegas.

Lauretta’s lecture delves into the challenges, discoveries, and scientific implications of OSIRIS-REx as it unveils the ancient secrets of our solar system’s history. Lauretta will discuss the mission’s planning and execution, from the spacecraft’s voyage to asteroid Bennu’s surface to the precision required to retrieve a pristine sample of this celestial time capsule and deliver it to Earth for scientific analysis. He will explore the groundbreaking findings from the returned sample, which are already revolutionizing our comprehension of solar system formation and evolution. This lecture not only showcases human ingenuity and perseverance, but also celebrates the collaborative ethos driving the forefront of space exploration.

After receiving B.S and B.A. degrees from the University of Arizona, he obtained his Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis in 1997. Transitioning to Arizona State University for postdoctoral work, Lauretta embarked on crucial research analyzing the mineral composition and formation processes of meteorites and asteroids. His pivotal move to the University of Arizona in 2001 marked the beginning of his most significant contributions as a faculty member within the historic Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. Lauretta’s exceptional work in cosmochemistry led to his selection as the principal investigator for OSIRIS-REx in 2011. The mission launched in 2016. The Lockheed Martin-built spacecraft reached Bennu in 2018, collected a sample in 2020, and commenced its return to Earth in 2021. The samples landed on Earth on 24 September 2023.

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. The lecture will be delivered in person at 2024 ASCEND, as well as recorded and available on demand.

AIAA is committed to ensuring that aerospace professionals are 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.

Registration for 2024 ASCEND is open. Journalists from around the world are invited to cover 2024 ASCEND; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

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

About AIAA
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.

Call for Content Issued for AIAA’s New Space Conference ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Michele McDonald
703.264.7542
[email protected]

December 11, 2019 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has issued a Call for Content for ASCEND, a new outcomes-focused, transdisciplinary conference dedicated to the space economy.

ASCEND, happening 16–18 November 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, will focus on three macro themes:

Accelerating the near-term commercialization of space
Enabling the long-term human exploration and settlement of space
Exploring the security, policy, and legal ramifications of space endeavors

Scientists, engineers, economists, educators, legal professionals, artists, investors, and entrepreneurs are among the wide range of experts invited to submit content. ASCEND will explore emerging space-related applications and opportunities across all industries such as aerospace, agriculture, construction, entertainment, hospitality, manufacturing, mining, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications.

Call for Content categories include, but are not limited to:

Defining the space economy
Education, outreach and workforce development
Information systems and software
National science priorities
National security space
Propulsion
Space exploration architectures and enabling infrastructures
Space life sciences and systems
Space policy and law
Space resource utilization
Space traffic management and integration
Transformative research and technologies

Subject-matter experts may submit to lead an engagement session, or present technical papers on their work in progress, completed research, and case studies. Submissions will be accepted at ascend.events/cfc through 17 March 2020.

Please contact Nathan Boll, [email protected], for more information about submissions. To register, visit www.ascend.events.

About ASCEND
ASCEND stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration and New Discovery, and is designed to bring together technical and business leaders to solve problems that affect the entire planet and beyond. Launched by AIAA, ASCEND’s inaugural event will occur 16–18 November 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, please visit www.ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

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 85 countries, and 95 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, or LinkedIn.

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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
12700 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 200, Reston, VA 20191-5807
Phone: 703.264.7558 Fax: 703.264.7551 aiaa.org

Press Passes Available for 2020 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Register now to have access on Monday, 16 November

November 12, 2020 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND is the first international space event specifically focused on how to expand the $4 billion space economy to an anticipated $1.5 trillion in the next two decades. ASCEND will bring together top scientists, engineers, economists, medical professionals, educators, legal professionals, artists, investors, and entrepreneurs to discuss the most important challenges and complex issues facing thousands of space professionals.

There will be a dedicated Media Lounge for registered media to access industry press releases and other digital resources.

Sessions will be recorded and available on-demand for registered media.

WHAT:

The space ecosystem event, ASCEND, powered by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
WHO:
Notable speakers include:

James Bridenstine, NASA Administrator
Kari Byron, Producer and Television Personality
John W. “Jay” Raymond, First Chief of Space Ops & Commander, U.S. Space Force
Barbara Barrett, Secretary of the Air Force
Dhani Jones, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, NFL Linebacker, Author and Host
Sandra Magnus, Deputy Director, Engineering, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; Former NASA Astronaut
Harrison Schmitt, Apollo 17 Astronaut and Former U.S. Senator
Kathryn Lueders, Assoc. Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations, NASA
Marillyn A. Hewson, executive chairman, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Ellen Stofan, John and Adrienne Mars Director, National Air & Space Museum
Andy Weir, Author, The Martian and Artemis
Steve Jurvetson, Venture Capitalist and Co-Founder of Future Ventures
Carissa Bryce Christensen, Founder and CEO, Bryce Space and Technology
Heather Doty, President, Society of Women Engineers

WHEN:
Monday–Wednesday, 16-18 November 2020; programming begins at 9 a.m. EST
REGISTER: AIAA has reserved a limited quantity of passes for credentialed members of the media whose primary responsibility is the coverage of the space, science and high-tech industries. Request a press pass now for this online event at ascend.events. Questions? Contact Rebecca Gray at 804-397-5270 or [email protected].

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

About ASCEND
ASCEND stands for Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration and New Discovery and is designed to bring together technical and business leaders to solve problems that affect the entire planet and beyond. Powered by AIAA, the ASCENDxSeries has started conversations that will continue at the three-day event on 16–18 November 2020. For more information, please visit www.ascend.events, or follow ASCEND on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

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, or LinkedIn.

2024 ASCEND to Feature Europa Clipper Mission in William H. Pickering Lecture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2024 – Reston, Va. – AIAA is pleased to announce the 2024 William H. Pickering Lecture, “Europa Clipper: First NASA Mission to an Ocean World,” by Bonnie Buratti, Deputy Project Scientist, Europa Clipper Mission, 31 July, 12 p.m. PT, during 2024 ASCEND, 30 July – 1 August, Las Vegas.

As NASA’s first detailed exploration of an ocean world with an overarching goal of searching for a habitable zone, Europa Clipper is scheduled to launch in 2024. Europa is one of Jupiter’s four moons discovered by Galileo in 1610. It almost certainly harbors a salty ocean underneath a thick ice crust. This ocean has all the requirements for a habitable zone where primitive life could potentially thrive: liquid water, energy in the form of chemical potentials, and organic molecules. Europa Clipper also will study the geology, interior, and composition of Europa. Buratti’s lecture will showcase the mission’s objectives and its role in the search for life beyond Earth. This lecture will be delivered in person, recorded, and available on demand.

Buratti is Senior Research Scientist, Principal, and Fellow at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. An expert on planetary surfaces, she has held leadership roles on several NASA flight projects, including Cassini to Saturn and New Horizons to Pluto. She is a recipient of the Carl Sagan Medal for Excellence in Public Communication and the Gerard P. Kuiper Prize for outstanding lifetime achievement in the field of planetary science. She is an elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the American Astronomical Society, and author of over 250 papers and the popular book, Worlds Fantastic, Worlds Familiar (Cambridge).

Named for 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.

Registration for 2024 ASCEND is open; press credentials are available here.

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

2023 ASCEND Adds Speakers to Three-Day Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 12, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) today announced more speakers 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, as well as adjacent industries, including:

Dean Bellamy, Executive Vice President, National Security Space, Redwire
John Couluris, Vice President, Lunar Permanence, Blue Origin
Stefanie Countryman, Director, BioServe Space Technologies
Erik Daehler, Vice President, Orbital Systems and Services, Sierra Space
Walt Engelund, Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA
Ron Garan, CEO, ispace U.S.
Bill Gerstenmaier, Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX
Mary Guenther, Director of Space Policy, Commercial Spaceflight Federation
Daniel Hastings, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Eric Ingram, CEO, SCOUT Space, Inc.
Aarti Matthews, Director, Starship Crew and Cargo Programs, SpaceX
Ryan McDevitt, CEO, Benchmark Space Systems
Ralph McNutt, Chief Scientist, Space Science, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Michelle Munk, Chief Architect, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA
John O’Meara, Chief Scientist, W. M. Keck Observatory
Donna Roberts, Deputy Chief Scientist, ISS National Laboratory
Even Rogers, CEO, True Anomaly
Arun Sharma, Assistant Professor, Cedars-Sinai
Matthew Shouppe, Chief Commercial Officer, Kayhan Space
Nathan Simington, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

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.

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 Announces 2023 ASCEND Guiding Coalition Comprised of Prominent Leaders Across the Aerospace Community and Adjacent Industries

June 26, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is proud to announce the 44 members of the 2023 ASCEND Guiding Coalition who represent a diverse mix of leading aerospace companies, government agencies, and academic institutions, each with a shared commitment to the mission of ASCEND to Accelerate Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery.

The ASCEND Guiding Coalition is an advisory board of technology, science, engineering, and business leaders selected to help maximize ASCEND’s reach and impact, including the design and content of its centerpiece annual event. 2023 ASCEND is scheduled for 23–25 October, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas, focused on building our sustainable off-world future through collaboration.

“The members of the ASCEND Guiding Coalition bring a wealth of experience and expertise as leaders in commercial space operations, government space policy, science and technology policy, new entrepreneurial ventures, and business strategy. We are thrilled for their involvement so we can build our off-world future faster,” said Julie Van Kleeck, ASCEND Executive Producer and AIAA Space Domain Lead.

The members of the 2023 ASCEND Guiding Coalition are:

Sirisha Bandla, Vice President, Government Affairs, Virgin Galactic
Bill Beckman, Director, NASA Programs, Boeing Global Sales and Marketing
Tejpaul Bhatia, Chief Revenue Officer, Axiom Space
Robert (Bobby) D. Braun, Head, Space Exploration Sector, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Tory Bruno, CEO, United Launch Alliance
Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear, United States Space Force*
Steven (Bucky) J. Butow, Director, Space Portfolio, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)*
Johnathon Caldwell, Vice President and General Manager, Military Space, Lockheed Martin
Ahsan Choudhuri, Associate Vice President for Aerospace Center and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso
Carissa Christensen, CEO, BryceTech
Sandra Connelly, Deputy Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA*
Michael Costas, General Manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel Nuclear, Security & Environmental
Laura Crabtree, Chief Executive Officer, Epsilon3
Kara Cunzeman, Lead Futurist, Strategic Foresight, The Aerospace Corporation
Robert Curbeam, Senior Vice President, Space Capture, Maxar
Dan Dumbacher, Executive Director, AIAA
Ariel Ekblaw, Director, Space Exploration Initiative, MIT Media Lab
Carol Erikson, Vice President, Digital Transformation, Space Systems, Northrop Grumman*
Debra Facktor, Head of U.S. Space Systems, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, Inc.
James Free, Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA
Michael Gazarik, Vice President, Engineering, Ball Aerospace
Bill Gerstenmaier, Vice President, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX
Phillip Ingle, Manager Director, Morgan Stanley
Lt. Gen. Larry James, USAF (Ret.), Deputy Director, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory*
Steve Jurczyk, Co-Founder and CEO, Quantum Space*
Janet Kavandi, President, Sierra Space*
Joe Landon, CEO, Crescent Space
Sandra Magnus, Principal, Astroplanetview, LLC
Clare Martin, Executive Vice President, Astroscale U.S.*
Jim Maser, Senior Vice President, Space, Aerojet Rocketdyne
Rob Meyerson, CEO, Delalune Space
Mark Mozena, Vice President, Government Affairs, Planet Federal*
Todd Nygren, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Technology Group, The Aerospace Corporation
Shawna Pandya, Director, Space Medicine Group, International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS)
Lt. Gen. John Shaw, Deputy Commander, U.S. Space Command*
Wanda Sigur, President, Lambent Engineering LLC
Lauren Smith, Senior Program Manager, Satellite Servicing, Northrop Grumman
Melanie Stricklan, CEO & Co-Founder, Slingshot Aerospace
Russ Teehan, Principal Solutions Architect, Government Satellite Systems, Amazon
Derek Tournear, Director, Space Development Agency
Julie Van Kleeck, ASCEND Executive Producer and AIAA Space Domain Lead
Matthew C. Weinzierl, Senior Associate Dean and Chair, MBA Program; Joseph and Jacqueline Elbling Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School*
Vanessa Wyche, Director, NASA Johnson Space Center

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

*New Members in 2023

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 to Present Premier Lecture and Technical Excellence Award During 2022 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NASA’s William H. Pickering Lecture also Scheduled

October 4, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of a premier lectureship and a technical excellence award, as well as the recipient of the NASA William H. Pickering Lectureship. The lectures and award will be presented during 2022 ASCEND, 24–26 October, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas, and online.

2022 von Kármán Lecture in Astronautics: “An Orbital Transportation Network to Support the Cislunar Space Enterprise”

Kathleen C. Howell, Purdue University
Monday, 24 October, 1830 hrs PT
This lecture will be delivered in person at 2022 ASCEND in Las Vegas, as well as recorded and available on demand.

The 2022 von Kármán Lectureship in Astronautics has been awarded to Kathleen C. Howell, Hsu Lo Distinguished Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, College of Engineering, Purdue 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.

Professor Howell’s technical research focus is astrodynamics in complex gravitational environments. She has successfully applied these methodologies to various flight missions and mission proposals. Her contributions include mission planning and trajectory optimization, station-keeping and maneuver design, low-thrust applications including small satellites and the development of interactive visual capabilities for complex mission scenarios.

As a principal investigator, Professor Howell has obtained numerous grants and received various awards related to her research program as well as in recognition as an engineering educator. She served for many years as the Editor-in-Chief for the American Astronautical Society (AAS) Journal of the Astronautical Sciences; she is also a member of other editorial boards.

Professor Howell is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the International Academy of Astronautics. She is an AIAA Fellow, as well as an AAS Fellow. She earned her B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University, and her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Aeronautical and Astronautical Sciences from Stanford University.

2022 William H. Pickering Lecture: “Early Science Results from the James Webb Space Telescope”

Jonathan Gardner, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Tuesday, 25 October, 1830 hrs PT
This lecture will be delivered in person at 2022 ASCEND in Las Vegas and will be recorded and available on demand.

The William H. Pickering Lecture will be delivered by Jonathan Gardner, Deputy Senior Project Scientist, James Webb Space Telescope, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. 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.

The first science results from the James Webb Space Telescope have engaged the public and surprised the scientists. Early results range from the most distant galaxies to black holes to interacting galaxies
to star-forming regions to exoplanet atmospheres to our own solar system. Gardner will review Webb’s construction, launch, and deployments, and discuss the commissioning of the telescope and its instruments. He will describe what scientists have learned in the first few months of science results from the telescope and look ahead to additional results expected in the coming years.

AIAA Technical Excellence Award: 2022 AIAA Space Systems Award

The Mars2020 Sampling and Caching System (SCS) Team from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is being presented with the 2022 AIAA Space Systems Award for “the design and flight operation of the scientific acquisition system that became the foundation of Mars Sample Return.” This award will be accepted by Keith Rosette and Louise Jandura, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in the architecture, analysis, design, and implementation of space systems and is sponsored by the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee.

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 B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

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

2025 ASCEND to Accelerate Our Off-World Future

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 9, 2025 – Reston, Va. – AIAA announced today a powerful lineup of speakers who will take the stage at 2025 ASCEND, 22–24 July, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. The three-day event will address the most important opportunities and mission-critical challenges that come with the growing pace of activity in space.

“We’re thrilled to once again welcome the global aerospace community to ASCEND. It’s the most dynamic time in space in the last 30 years,” said AIAA CEO Clay Mowry. “ASCEND is where we discuss the critical topics today to ensure the ongoing safe, secure, and prosperous uses of space. This year’s program is sure to generate powerful dialogue among the broad spectrum of attendees including space users, investors, policymakers, innovators, and more.”

Powered by AIAA, ASCEND is the world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space event designed to accelerate building our off-world future. Over 200 industry luminaries from across the civil, commercial, and national security space sectors, adjacent industries, and the next-generation workforce are featured as speakers. Confirmed speakers include:

Tejpaul Bhatia, Chief Executive Officer, Axiom Space
Maj. Gen. Steven “Bucky” Butow, USAF, Military Deputy of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Office of the Secretary of Defense
Robert Carlisle, CEO and Co-Founder, Argo Space
Dave Cavossa, President, Commercial Space Federation (CSF)
Carissa Christensen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, BryceTech*
Tim Crain, Chief Technology Officer, Intuitive Machines
Israel Figueroa, Director, National Security Programs, Firefly Aerospace
Kelli Furrer, Chief Revenue Officer & Chief Marketing Officer, Firefly Aerospace
Mike Gold, President, Civil & International Space Business, Redwire Space
Chris Lay, Co-Founding Partner, Leonid Capital Partners
Mairead Levison, Deputy Director, Space ISAC
Jamie Morin, Vice President, Defense Strategic Space, The Aerospace Corporation
Sho Nakanose, Founder and CEO, GITAI
Shawna Pandya, Director, Space Medicine Group, International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS)*
John Reed, Chief Rocket Scientist, United Launch Alliance (ULA)*
Lee Rosen, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ThinkOrbital Inc.
Matthew Weinzierl, Senior Associate Dean and Chair, MBA Program, Harvard Business School*
Col. Bill Woolf, USAF (Ret.), President and Chief Executive Officer, Space Force Association (SFA)
Col. Matthew Wroten, USSF, U.S. Space Command

*Member of the 2025 ASCEND Guiding Coalition

Experts from NASA will provide wide-ranging updates on a number of timely topics including the Human Research Program, future procurement strategies, and exploration missions to the moon, Mars, and deep space.

Deep Technical Content Scheduled

AIAA events are well known for the depth of technical content presented. Over 200 technical presentations and collaborative sessions are scheduled for 2025 ASCEND.

Vital Interactive Learning Planned

Several workshops are scheduled for valuable in-depth learning opportunities. Topics include:

Lessons Learned, Forward Path, and Collaboration from the Oxygen from Regolith (O2fR) Collaborative Systems Interface Workshop
Empowering the Next Generation: Creating a Circular Space Economy
Why Learning the Language of Business Can Increase the Likelihood of Funding Request Approval
Cislunar & Lunar Ecosystem and Economics Workshop
AstroTactics: Wargaming Space Assets
Collaborative Identification of the Foundations, Formats, and Functions in the Emerging Field of Space Science Communication

Early-Bird Registration Rates Available

Registration for the event is open with early-bird rates ending 23 June. Journalists can request a Press Pass online.

Since 2020, ASCEND has promoted 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. Lockheed Martin is the premier sponsor of ASCEND. For the most updated program information, visit ascend.events and follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Instagram, and X/Twitter.

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, or follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

2025 AIAA David W. Thompson Lecture in Space Commerce Presented by Jamie M. Morin, The Aerospace Corporation, During 2025 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2025 – Reston, Va. – AIAA is pleased to announce the 2025 AIAA David W. Thompson Lectureship in Space Commerce is awarded to Jamie M. Morin, Vice President, Defense Strategic Space, and Executive Director, Center for Space Policy and Strategy, The Aerospace Corporation. The lecture, “Accelerating Space and Defense Innovation Through Savvy Policy,” will be presented Tuesday, 22 July, 11:45 a.m. PT, during 2025 ASCEND, 22–24 July, Las Vegas. The lecture will be delivered in person, as well as recorded and available on demand at aiaa.org.

Registration for 2025 ASCEND is open now. Journalists can request a Press Pass online.

The ability of the United States to advance its leadership in the space sector depends on harnessing the combined energy of both privately-financed, commercially-oriented firms as well as traditional government-led programs. However, there are significant obstacles to doing this at scale.

In today’s space domain, defining a company as commercial is ambiguous when that entity also serves as a government contractor. Commercial products and services benefit both commercial and government sectors, and income from government partnerships enables commercial players to contribute to important issues like climate change and sustainable agriculture. The democratization of space and unique dynamics of the space environment create risks for commercial actors. Indiscriminate threats to national security systems also pose risks to commercial systems. These factors amplify the need for greater collaboration between commercial actors and the U.S. government. When expanding our presence in space, leveraging the commercial sector is advantageous for addressing rapidly developing challenges.

Building on the research of the Center for Space Policy and Strategy, Morin’s lecture will propose a framework for policy and execution to create this powerful hybrid, which is a timely topic given the rise of commercial space and the emphasis on bringing non-traditional contractors into the defense and space ecosystem.

Morin is vice president of Defense Strategic Space at The Aerospace Corporation. He leads technical support to the senior-most levels of the Department of Defense and Department of the Air Force, including the U.S. Space Force headquarters, as well as to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and terrestrial combatant commands. Morin is an AIAA Associate Fellow.

Morin also is executive director of Aerospace’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy, which provides objective analysis to ensure well-informed, technically defensible, and forward-looking space policy across the civil, military, intelligence, and commercial space sectors. He orchestrates the Center’s extensive series of publications, events, and multimedia products to shape the future of the U.S. space enterprise.

Prior to joining Aerospace, Morin served as director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) for the Department of Defense. Earlier, he served for five years as the assistant secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management and Comptroller), and for a year as acting under secretary of the Air Force.

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.

About The Aerospace Corporation
The Aerospace Corporation is a leading architect for the nation’s space programs, advancing capabilities that outpace threats to the country’s national security while nurturing innovative technologies to further a new era of space commercialization and exploration. Aerospace’s national workforce of more than 4,600 employees provides objective technical expertise and thought leadership to solve the hardest problems in space and assure mission success for space systems and space vehicles. For more information, visit www.aerospace.org. Follow us on LinkedIn and X: @AerospaceCorp.