Annual Report
AIAA
Aircraft & Atmospheric
Systems Group
Submitted by
Neal J. Pfeiffer
Director-Technical
February 2009
Annual Report
AIAA Aircraft & Atmospheric Systems Group
Director-Technical: Neal J. Pfeiffer
Deputy Directors: Dimitri Mavris (Aircraft Systems)
Satish Mohleji (Aviation Systems)
Summary:
Balloon Systems:
The Balloon Systems TC is completing preparations for the Balloon Systems Conference in Seattle May 5 – 7, 2009. The conference is co-located with the Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems and the Lighter-than-Air Systems conferences. This co-location has always resulted in very positive feedback from participants. These highly interrelated areas are very well suited for a co-located conference.
Most of the interaction on the TC took place via telecom and email interaction with the group. A positive indication was expressed within the TC to begin work on a position paper that would be published through the AIAA’s public policy section. The position paper will emphasize the utility of high altitude balloons as low cost platforms for space and high energy physics research. In this period of budget constraints, the attractiveness of balloon platforms needs to be publicized as much as possible.
Technical Committees:
· Aircraft Systems – Dimitri Mavris, Deputy Director
· Balloon Systems – Michael S. Smith, Chair
Conferences (with participating TCs):
· COSPAR, Montreal, July 2008 (Balloon TC meeting held)
In keeping with the Balloon Systems TC’s rotation, the balloon sessions at COSPAR are attended in even numbered years. The AIAA Balloon Systems conference is held in odd numbered years. In 2008, the balloon sessions at COSPAR in Montreal were very well attended. Presenters from every international balloon program gave overviews of their work and presented overviews of scientific results. The rotation with COSPAR serves a number of purposes in keeping the membership well rounded. The COSPAR sessions have a very international flavor and there is very much interaction between the international groups. The COSPAR sessions also tend to be more science oriented with a significant amount of presentations that are based on the development of instruments and on the results obtained. During the odd numbered years, the AIAA Balloon Systems conference is more focused on American activities. It is also more focused on technical topics associated with the engineering aspects of balloon design and operations. This rotation has served us well over the years and the international community is very pleased with the interaction as well.
Honors and Awards:
· Nominations are in-process for the Otto C. Winzen Award to be presented at the Balloon Systems Conference in May 2009.
Other Activities of Note:
· Balloon Systems prepared and published a Year-in-Review article for Aerospace America in 2008.