Tag: ascend

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

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/TwitterFacebookLinkedIn, and Instagram, and visit ascend.events or follow ASCEND on LinkedInX/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 TwitterFacebookLinkedIn, and Instagram.

AIAA to Present Aerospace Excellence Awards During 2024 ASCEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 28, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of two aerospace excellence awards to be presented during 2024 ASCEND, 30 July – 1 August, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. Registration is open for the global aerospace community to attend. Journalists can request a Press Pass here.

2024 AIAA Hap Arnold Award for Excellence in Aeronautical Program Management
  • MiMi Aung, Director, Technical Program Management, Project Kuiper, Amazon
    (Formerly Project Manager for Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
  • Award Citation: For exceptional project management and leadership in delivery of the first aircraft on another planet, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, advancing planetary exploration state of the art, and providing a new Mars exploration technology.

This award is presented to an individual for outstanding contributions in the management of a significant aeronautical or aeronautical-related program or project. The presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, 30 July, 8 a.m. PT.

2024 AIAA Space Systems Award
  • Elena Adams, DART Mission Systems Engineer, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
  • Elizabeth A. Congdon, DART Mechanical Systems Engineer, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
  • Geffrey K. Ottman, DART Electrical Systems Engineer, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
  • Evan James Smith, DART Deputy Mission Systems Engineer, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
  • Award Citation: For outstanding achievement in the development and operation of the DART spacecraft, completing humanity’s first in-space demonstration of planetary defense technology.

This award is presented to recognize outstanding achievements in the architecture, analysis, design, and implementation of space systems. The presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, 31 July, 8 a.m. PT.

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

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/TwitterFacebookLinkedIn, and Instagram, and visit ascend.events or follow ASCEND on LinkedInX/Twitter, and Instagram.

Cessna Citation Ascend Completes First Test Flight

Flying Magazine reports, “The second Cessna Citation Ascend test article has completed its first test flight, advancing development of the business jet program, according to Textron Aviation. The milestone flight for the aircraft—called P1—on Wednesday over Wichita, Kansas, follows that of the Ascend prototype, which completed its first flight in 2023, making the P1 aircraft the first conforming production flight test aircraft, Textron said.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)

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.

2023 ASCEND to Showcase Axiom Space, Boeing, Boryung, Lockheed Martin, NASA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 21, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) today announced dozens of speakers who will appear at its upcoming ASCEND event, 23–25 October, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. ASCEND is the world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space event designed to accelerate building our off-world future.

Powered by AIAA, ASCEND serves as the catalyst for the global space conversation. Prominent industry leaders from across the civil, commercial, and national security space sectors, adjacent industry representatives, and next-generation thinkers from around the world are scheduled to speak. More details and additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. Confirmed speakers include:

  • Adnan Al Rais, Program Manager, Mars 2117, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center
  • Stavros Anthony, Lieutenant Governor, State of Nevada
  • Amy Avjean, Senior Vice President and Third Party Space Liability Leader, Marsh
  • A.C. Charania, Chief Technologist, NASA
  • Brad Cheetham, CEO and President, Advanced Space
  • Kelvin Coleman, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  • Kam Ghaffarian, CEO and Founder, IBX, and Executive Chairman, Axiom Space
  • Mike Gold, Chief Growth Officer, Redwire
  • Max Haot, CEO, Vast
  • Jay Kim, Chairman and CEO, Boryung
  • Tim Morton, Director, Global Design, Husqvarna
  • Nelson Pedreiro, Vice President, Advanced Technology Center, Lockheed Martin Space
  • Kay Sears, Vice President and General Manager, Space, Intelligence & Weapons Systems, Boeing Defense, Space & Security
  • Bill Weber, CEO, Firefly Space
  • Melodie Yashar, Vice President, Building Design and Performance, ICON

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

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

AIAA Announces 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.

2023 ASCEND Diverse Dozen Application Open: Inviting Unique Ideas on Space Safety, Security, and Sustainability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 4, 2023 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has opened applications for its 2023 ASCEND Diverse Dozen program. Thought leaders and activists are invited to apply for this fourth cohort to address the most important issues surrounding space safety, security, and sustainability. Deadline for entries is 2 June.

Known as D12, the program is a partnership between ASCEND and astrodynamicist Moriba Jah, chief scientist and co-founder at Privateer and associate professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at the University of Texas. This exclusive ASCEND community delivers rapid-fire lightning talks during the ASCEND apex event, 23–25 October, Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. The D12 Op-Eds will be published in conjunction with the event.

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

The recording of the 2022 ASCEND D12 cohort presentation is available: 2022 ASCEND D12 session.

“How much do you love humanity? Enough to save the planet?!” asks Jah, a space environmentalist who is advancing our ability to understand how human objects in space create both services and risks of collisions. “D12 is centered on the belief that we’re more similar than we are different, and action is best when born from compassion.”

Applications for the 2023 ASCEND Diverse Dozen are due on 2 June.

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 TwitterFacebook, or LinkedIn.

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 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.

2022 ASCEND to Kick Off with NASA, The Aerospace Corporation, SpaceX, U.S. Space Force

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Broad, Bold Perspectives from Inspired Visionaries Lead the Three-Day Event in Las Vegas

August 30, 2022 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND, the world’s premier outcomes-focused, interdisciplinary space event designed to accelerate building our off-world future faster, today announced its agenda for the 2022 ASCEND apex event, 24-26 October at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas, and online. Details are available at ascend.events. Early-bird registration rates are available through midnight, Friday, 9 September; space is limited. Journalists around the world are invited to cover 2022 ASCEND; press passes are available for credentialed media by request.

Powered by AIAA, 2022 ASCEND will open on Monday, 24 October, with perspectives from:

  • Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno, Director of Staff, U.S. Space Force
  • James Free, Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development, NASA
  • Pam Melroy, Deputy Administrator, NASA
  • Todd Nygren, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Technology Group, The Aerospace Corporation
  • Ellen Ochoa, Astronaut; former Director, NASA Johnson Space Center
  • Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX
  • Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA

The three-day program is packed with speakers from leading space organizations and adjacent industries including Axiom Space, Barclays Capital, Maxar Technologies, MIT, NASA, and SpaceX, among others. During the more than 147 sessions across 16 space domain topics, speakers and attendees will tackle important issues and explore exciting opportunities in low Earth orbit and beyond, including:

  • Space Traffic Management and Coordination
  • Sustainable Space Exploration
  • Outpacing the Space Threat
  • Using Space to Protect Our Planet
  • A Competitive and Burgeoning Space Economy
  • Developing the Space Workforce of Tomorrow
  • The Future of Cislunar and Lunar Exploration

2022 ASCEND attendees will experience the energy of presentations by our planet’s off-world pioneers, including Fortune 500 executives, established space agency leaders, government and military officials, professional and citizen astronauts, “new space” companies, international organizations, university professors and students, and start-up CEOs. In addition to the opening speakers, 2022 ASCEND will feature over 250 speakers, including:

  • Bill Beckman, Director, NASA Programs, The Boeing Company
  • Steve “Bucky” Butow, Director, Space Portfolio, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
  • Mark Daley, Deputy Director, Office of Space Commerce, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Debra Facktor, Head of U.S. Space Systems, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc.
  • Paula Grisanti, CEO, National Stem Cell Foundation
  • John Guiney, Vice President, Fleet Operations Management, OneWeb
  • Fiona Harrison, Harold A. Rosen Professor of Physics; Kent and Joyce Kresa Leadership Chair, Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology
  • Amy Hopkins, President, Capella Space Federal
  • Kathleen Howell, Hsu Lo Distinguished Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University
  • Moriba Jah, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Privateer Space
  • Lt. Gen. Larry D. James, USAF (Ret.), Deputy Director, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Steve Jurczyk, Co-Founder and CEO, Quantum Space LLC
  • Bhavya Lal, Associate Administrator, Technology, Policy, and Strategy, NASA
  • Joe Landon, Vice President, Advanced Programs Development, Lockheed Martin
  • Mark Mozena, Vice President, Government Affairs, Planet
  • Kursten O’Neill, Vice President, Dream Chaser Crew Program, Sierra Space
  • Jim Reuter, Associate Administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA
  • Andrew Rush, President and COO, Redwire Space
  • Janice Starzyk, Vice President, Government Operations, Virgin Orbit
  • Erika Wagner, Senior Director, Emerging Market Development, Blue Origin
  • Vanessa Wyche, Director, NASA Johnson Space Center

The 2022 ASCEND program also includes unique features to engage attendees, including:

  • The Diverse Dozen returns. This year’s cadre of young people from 10 countries will shape the dialogue around space safety, security, and sustainability under the leadership of astrodynamicist Moriba Jah, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Privateer Space.
  • The Cyber Star Wargame will explore the implications of cybersecurity on the projection of space power.
  • The MICRO session tabletop exercise, “Defending Earth! What Can We Do to Stop an Asteroid Threat?” will walk through an asteroid threat scenario, following the META session, “Asteroids: Time Capsules and Terror.” It’s based in part on the Planetary Defense Interagency Tabletop Exercise conducted earlier in 2022.
  • Breakout workshop sessions will collect feedback to help NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate identify gaps and plan future investments.

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

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.orgg, and follow AIAA on TwitterFacebookLinkedIn, and Instagram.