She joins a distinguished lineup of speakers from industry, government, and academia. These visionaries will take the stage during plenary and Forum 360 programming and will offer you their global perspectives on critical aerospace issues. Join us 12–16 January in Orlando, FL.
The Washington Post reports, “James A. Lovell Jr., the American astronaut who commanded the Apollo 13 spacecraft on its lunar voyage in 1970 and shepherded it on a perilous four-day journey back to Earth after an oxygen tank exploded, an ordeal that transfixed the world, died Aug. 7 in Lake Forest, Illinois. He was 97.”
Full Story (Washington Post – Subscription Publication)
SPACE reports that SpaceX has pushed the launch of the historic Polaris Dawn astronaut mission back 24 hours, to Wednesday morning (Aug. 28), due to a helium leak. “’Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical. Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low Earth orbit,’ SpaceX announced in an X post on Monday evening (Aug. 26).”
Full Story (SPACE)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) issued the following statement by AIAA CEO Dan Dumbacher:
“The AIAA community is saddened to learn of the passing of Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford, USAF. As a pilot who pushed the boundaries of air and space, he contributed in profound ways to our body of technical knowledge, as well as through his decades of leadership. He was a giant in the aerospace community and future generations will continue to stand on his shoulders. We were thrilled to name him an AIAA Fellow in 1977. It has been an extreme honor to work with Lt. Gen. Stafford over the years. His knowledge and superlative leadership influenced the future of space exploration and aerospace for decades to come.
Lt. Gen. Stafford’s leadership and participation in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project were celebrated by the Institute with distinguished awards. He personally won the AIAA Chanute Flight Test Award in 1976 “for outstanding contribution as the commander of Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in furthering peaceful cooperation in the use of space in the international arena. ”
He and fellow NASA astronauts, Vance Brand and Deke Slayton, won the AIAA Haley Space Flight Award in 1978 “for outstanding performance as the United States flight crew during the Apollo Soyuz space flight, the first international manned space mission. Through their efforts, it was possible to carry out a significant cooperative venture with the Soviet Union in a space flight that successfully demonstrated joint orbital operations and tested a universal docking system, opening the way for mutual assistance in the exploration of the universe.”
His contributions as the commander of the Apollo 10 mission – piloting the lunar module near the moon’s surface and commanding the fastest vehicle known to humans at nearly 25,000 mph – directly led to placing humans on the moon. His legacy forms the basis for today’s Artemis program and returning humans to the moon.
The AIAA community sends our condolences to Lt. Gen. Stafford’s family and friends. We are immensely grateful for his contributions to shaping the future of aerospace.”
Media contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
Aviation Week reports that as his U.S. record-setting mission “aboard the International Space Station (ISS) draws to a close, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio says he knows his body will take months to fully readapt to gravity and its impacts on his bones, muscles and vestibular system.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
The AP reports that on Wednesday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy “will speak with agency astronaut Frank Rubio about his record-breaking mission aboard the International Space Station.” Rubio, who is “serving on a year-long mission aboard the orbiting laboratory, today surpassed NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei’s U.S. record of 355 days in space as the longest single spaceflight by an American.” When he “lands on Earth at the end of the month, Rubio will have 371 days in space.”
Full Story (Associated Press)
CBS News reports that NASA astronaut Nicole Aunapu Mann is set to become the first Native American woman to travel to space when “NASA launches its next crew aboard a SpaceX Dragon this fall.” Liftoff is targeted for September 29. Mann “will be joined on the Crew-5 mission by NASA astronaut Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata and Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina.”
Full Story (CBS News)
ExecutiveGov reports that NASA “is seeking industry input on capabilities and ideas for astronaut crew rescue services in support of the space agency’s Commercial Crew Program and Exploration Ground Systems missions.” NASA “said it is considering a commercial offering for the required services during launch, free flight and landing phases of the programs such as real-time communication with the agency, crew retrieval and basic medical care while in transport.”
Full Story (ExecutiveGov)