Tag: exploration

AIAA Statement on the End of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Mission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 31, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) CEO Dan Dumbacher made the following statement:

“We join NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the entire aerospace community in marking the end of mission for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter on 25 January 2024. What a mission it was – 72 powered controlled flights on another planet.

We’ll remember the historic date and location of Ingenuity’s first flight, 19 April 2021, at Jezero Crater, Wright Brothers Field, Mars. Ingenuity’s remarkable mission of taking off-world risks proves anything is possible. Going from a flight test experiment to an operational scout is an amazing accomplishment.

AIAA was honored to present the 2021 AIAA Space Systems Award to the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter team, “For the design and flight test validation of the first helicopter designed for flight at Mars.” In addition, ASCEND was honored to host the 2021 NASA JPL William H. Pickering Lecture on the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter.

Over the years, innovators have chronicled their work on rotorcraft designed for missions on other planets and moons by authoring articles for AIAA peer-reviewed journals, books, and meeting papers for AIAA forums. Their original research results and technological progress have been published in AIAA’s Aerospace Research Central (ARC) at arc.aiaa.org, the leading source of aerospace industry archives. AIAA is committed to ensuring students and professionals have access to the most important advances in aerospace science and technology through ARC. Read more about AIAA publications on the technology and development of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter at aiaa.org/ingenuitymarshelicopter.

On behalf of the 30,000 professional and student members of AIAA, we salute the whole team who made the dream of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter a reality. We admire your engineering determination in combination with your innovative and inspirational thinking.

Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has shaped the future of aerospace.”

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

Axiom Space Names Ax-3 Crew for Mission to ISS

SPACE reports that Axiom Space “named the full crew of four people who will fly to the International Space Station on the Ax-3 mission no sooner than January 2024, in a company announcement Tuesday (Sept. 12).” The crew will be “headed by former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, a dual U.S.-Spanish citizen who also commanded Ax-1 in 2022.” Also on board “will be Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei, who flew to suborbital space with Virgin Galactic’s first commercial launch in June; Marcus Wandt of Sweden, a European Space Agency astronaut; and Turkey’s first citizen in space, Alper Gezeravcı.” It will “be López-Alegría’s sixth mission, Villadei’s second, and the first for Wandt and Gezeravcı.” Ax-3 will “launch to the ISS from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, which is the only American vehicle currently certified by NASA to carry humans to and from the orbiting complex, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.”
Full Story (SPACE)

NASA Celebrating 25th Anniversary of ISS

ABC News reports, “NASA and its astronauts are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the International Space Station being in orbit.” On Wednesday, the agency “broadcast a live conversation between the Expedition 70 crew and NASA Associate Administrator Robert Cabana and Joel Montalbano, space station program manager.” The space station “has been continuously occupied for more than 23 years, ‘testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth,’ NASA said in a press release. According to NASA, the station has been visited by 273 people from 21 countries and has conducted more than 3,300 [investigations].”
Full Story (ABC News)

2022 AIAA SciTech Forum to Focus on Sustainability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Registration Now Open for the World’s Largest Aerospace R&D

October 13, 2021 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced its five-day program on sustainability for the 2022 AIAA SciTech Forum, 3–7 January 2022, San Diego, and virtually. This year’s program features over 3,000 technical presentations and an extensive lineup of industry leaders as speakers, panelists, and presenters. The focus on the timely topic of sustainability will reach beyond traditional environmental sustainability to address the challenges and opportunities in many aspects.

Registration for the 2022 AIAA SciTech Forum is open now for the worldwide aerospace community to attend in person or online. Journalists who wish to cover this event can request a Press Pass here.

“We are excited to welcome the aerospace community to the 2022 AIAA SciTech Forum as we explore the science, technologies, and policies that are shaping our industry’s future and enabling sustainability. There are important issues and perspectives we must share, discuss, and debate around sustainability to strengthen the aerospace industry and position it for continued success,” said AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher. “Following so many online-only events in the past year, we are energized around the chance to gather safely in person again.”

The speakers and panelists participating in the 2022 AIAA SciTech Forum are proven business leaders and innovators within the industry. Attendees will hear their perspectives on socioeconomic and workforce sustainability; operational futures for air and space; sustainability through diversification; and the environment. Some of the speakers confirmed thus far include:

Victoria Coleman, Chief Scientist, U.S. Air Force
The Honorable Steven J. Isakowitz, President and CEO, The Aerospace Corporation
Laura McGill, Deputy Laboratories Director and CTO for Nuclear Deterrence, Sandia National Laboratories
Pamela Melroy (Colonel, USAF, Ret.), Deputy Administrator, NASA
Steven N. Rader, Manager, NASA Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation
Brendan Reed, Director, Airport Planning & Environmental Affairs, San Diego Airport Authority
Óscar Rodríguez, President, Bajio Aerospace Cluster

The 2022 event will cover 50+ research topics, including: fluid dynamics; applied aerodynamics; digital engineering; guidance, navigation, and control; propulsion; and more. Some of the planned programming elements include:

Daily keynote addresses and panel sessions focusing on dimensions of sustainability, including human/socioeconomic, workforce, diversification, operations, and the environment.
The third annual “Idea Challenge” with teams of young professionals pitching ideas or products that fit under “Harvesting Adjacent Industry Technologies to Support Aerospace Sustainability.”

Additional speakers and sessions will be announced in the coming weeks, as details are confirmed. For the most up-to-date program and registration information visit aiaa.org/SciTech.

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.

ASCEND Announces Initial Program for November Event

June 10, 2021 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND, the interdisciplinary community focused on building humanity’s off-world future faster, today began rolling out the features of its centerpiece event program. Scheduled for 8–10 and 15–17 November, the ASCEND event will showcase a hybrid blend of live in-person and online programming. Powered by AIAA, ASCEND was launched in 2020 to Accelerate Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery.

The hybrid event launches 8 November with a three-day flight of programming – five hours each day, presented only online. These days will include strategic Meta presentations and operational Micro technical papers and collaborative discussions. Registration will open in late July, with multiple options for live, virtual, and on-demand attendance.

Live from Las Vegas
The following week, 15–17 November, ASCEND will welcome attendees live and in-person at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, and online everywhere. The program will include presentations and conversations led by high-profile thought leaders and rising industry influencers. Content will focus on big challenges, pathways to success, the application of innovation, and the exponential value of interdisciplinary collaboration in space. Select activities will be open only to attendees in Las Vegas.

In addition, ASCEND will host an in-person East Coast Satellite Event in Washington, DC, on 15 November, featuring special programming and a live viewing of Las Vegas sessions. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.

Content presented at 2021 ASCEND will be available for on-demand viewing online throughout the event and the weeks following. Speakers for the visionary Macro sessions and strategic Meta presentations will be announced in the coming weeks as details are confirmed.

“The ASCEND community has stepped up to deliver more of the content and connections we’re hungry for — anywhere on the planet. In fact, we’ve added three days to the schedule to accommodate the new technical and collaborative sessions that will guide building our off-world future faster,” said ASCEND Executive Producer Rob Meyerson.

Technical Presentations Will Be Streamed
Nearly 400 Micro session technical papers will be presented online during 2021 ASCEND, in addition to about 100 collaborative sessions featuring multiple experts discussing focused topics. The international grassroots community includes authors from industry, government, and academia in 27 countries. These Micro session topics range from Accelerating the Space Economy, Space Life Sciences and Systems, and Space Automation and Robotics, to Cybersecurity and Applied Systems Engineering.

“One goal of ASCEND is to connect technical experts with business and government leaders from aerospace and adjacent industries to discuss, test, build, and solve problems together. ASCEND is unique in its ability to convene the technical conversation from the deep aeronautics and astronautics community, as well as from adjacent industries who see their future in space. Expertise can inform the economics and the policies of space exploration and drive the intentional outcomes we need to accelerate building our off-world future,” said AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher.

ASCEND Guiding Coalition Advises on Program Design
“We’re honored this year’s Guiding Coalition continues its role as a critical partner in helping us grow ASCEND as the on-ramp to space for everyone. From rockets and payloads to policy, administration and advocacy, the 33 members of the 2021 ASCEND Guiding Coalition bring an accumulated wealth of experience — millions of miles and billions of dollars invested in space — to inform and inspire the ASCEND community,” Meyerson added.

Tickets to ASCEND in-person experiences will be limited by COVID-19 protocols for safety. Detailed protocols for in-person participation will be announced when attendee registration opens in late July. “Even as we begin to feel comfortable with more face-to-face interactions in the ‘next normal,’ we are pleased ASCEND will be hybrid in nature to maximize its reach and impact,” said AIAA Managing Director of Professional Development Craig Day.

24th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference
The 24th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference also will be presented 15–17 November, in conjunction with the overall ASCEND experience. This leading-edge forum for exploring R&D and the technologies underpinning confidence in this fast-growing field will highlight multiple opportunities for international collaboration, including national programs from North America, South America, Australia, Europe, and Asia.

For the most up-to-date information about ASCEND, RSVP here.

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 serious 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, 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.

2021 ASCEND Guiding Coalition Announced

Executive board of advisors exemplifies the community spirit of space

May 17, 2021 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND, the global community focused on building humanity’s off-world future faster, today announced its 2021 Guiding Coalition. The coalition is an advisory board of technical, scientific, engineering, and business leaders selected to help maximize ASCEND’s year-round reach and impact, including the design and content of its centerpiece annual event.

Powered by AIAA, ASCEND was launched in 2020 to accelerate space commerce, exploration, and new discovery. Following a quarterly series of 2021 ASCENDx programs online, the annual event this November will be presented in a hybrid format — live in Las Vegas and online everywhere. The November program will feature presentations and conversations led by high-profile thought leaders and rising industry influencers. Content will focus on big challenges, pathways to success, the application of innovation, and the exponential value of interdisciplinary collaboration in space.

From rockets and payloads to policy, administration and advocacy, the 31 members of the 2021 ASCEND Guiding Coalition bring an accumulated wealth of experience — millions of miles and billions of dollars invested in space — to inform and inspire the ASCEND community.

2021 ASCEND Guiding Coalition

Rob Meyerson
Executive Producer, ASCENDLt. Gen. Nina Armagno
U.S. Space ForceSirisha Bandla
Virgin Galactic

Bill Beckman
The Boeing Company

Bobby Braun
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Tory Bruno
United Launch Alliance

Michael Costas
Bechtel Corporation

Robert Curbeam
Maxar Technologies

Mary Lynne Dittmar
Axiom Space

Debra Facktor
AIRBUS U.S. Space & Defense, Inc.

Alec Gallimore
University of Michigan

Dan Dumbacher
AIAAMike Gazarik
Ball AerospaceBill Gerstenmaier
SpaceX

Alexis Harroun
Representing Early Career Professionals

Tim Hughes
SpaceX

Phil Ingle
Morgan Stanley

Robert Lightfoot
Lockheed Martin Corporation

Sandra Magnus
AstroPlanetview, LLC

Jim Maser
Aerojet Rocketdyne

Clay Mowry
Blue Origin

Dava Newman
Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology

Todd Nygren
The Aerospace CorporationShawna Pandya
International Institute for Astronautical SciencesCheryl Reed
Northrop Grumman Corporation

Andrew Rush
Redwire Space

Melissa Sampson
Representing Mid-Career Professionals

Robbie Schingler
Planet

Kay Sears
Lockheed Martin Corporation

Wanda Sigur
Lambent Engineering LLC

Ellen Stofan
Smithsonian Institution

George Whitesides
Virgin Galactic Space Advisory Board

Thomas Zurbuchen
NASA

“ASCEND puts exceptional technical content in a larger context designed to attract a wider audience to our year-round conversation about living and working in space. Our goal is to connect technical experts with business and government leaders from aerospace and adjacent industries to discuss, test, build, and solve problems together,” said Rob Meyerson, executive producer of ASCEND. “We’re honored to introduce this year’s Guiding Coalition as a critical partner in helping us establish and grow ASCEND as the on-ramp to space for everyone.”

The 2021 ASCEND Guiding Coalition includes members who participated last year and new additions who represent traditional aerospace sectors and adjacent industries, such as construction and investment banking.

“As the interconnections between space and the world economy grow deeper, it is important for everyone interested in the future to keep a wide perspective on the changes and technologies ahead,” said ASCEND Guiding Coalition member George Whitesides, chair of the Space Advisory Board for Virgin Galactic. “The Guiding Coalition makes sure our community stays abreast of the latest developments and pioneering people impacting our industry.”

In addition to strategic direction, the Guiding Coalition is focused on ensuring ASCEND addresses the interests of early- and mid-career professionals and expands the pipeline for talent in space. As a result, ASCEND attracts a multidisciplinary community of students, professionals, and serious enthusiasts — from classrooms through careers — who are actively pursuing their interests in space.

“In 2020, ASCEND was introduced as the first international community specifically envisioned to work on expanding the space economy. We welcomed more than 6,000 attendees from 33 countries to ASCEND and ASCENDx preview events last year,” added Meyerson. “The whole space ecosystem came together to strengthen the relationships that will make the future of space happen.”
“ASCEND is connecting leaders across disciplines in bold, new ways. AIAA is unique in our ability to convene the technical conversation, so that expertise can inform the economics and the policies of space exploration,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. “We want to have the hard conversations and drive the intentional outputs to accelerate building our off-world future.”

In June, ASCEND will announce the details of the November centerpiece event program. Registration is expected to open in early July. With regard to the in-person experience in Las Vegas and the global virtual participation, the ASCEND team’s highest priority is ensuring attendees’ safety, comfort, and access to the optimal ASCEND experience.

Read more about the ASCEND Guiding Coalition at www.ascend.events/mission/guiding-coalition.

AIAA 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, or LinkedIn.