Reasons to Attend

While there are many reasons to attend AIAA SciTech Forum, we’ve carefully narrowed it down to five.

• 1. Extensive Technical Program

  The 2024 forum's technical program featured approximately 3,000 technical presentations across more than 60 disciplines. Topics for the 2025 forum include but are not limited to:

  • Applied aerodynamics
  • Digital engineering
  • Fluid dynamics
  • Guidance, navigation, and control
  • Hypersonics
  • Intelligent systems
  • Propellants and Combustion
  • Spaceflight mechanics

• 2. Significant News and Announcements

  As the premier aerospace R&D event of the year, it’s no surprise that organizations are making announcements and sharing news during the forum. Below are some of the highlights from the 2024 forum:

  • NASA leaders revealed additional details on their agreement with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre of the United Arab Emirates, in which the centre will supply an airlock for Gateway, humanity’s first space station that will orbit the moon.
  • AIAA announced a new Aerospace AI Advisory Group to advance the appropriate use of AI technology, particularly in aeronautics, aerospace R&D, and space.
  • Elysian Aircraft, a start-up company based in Delft, Netherlands, unveiled its battery-electric aircraft design and technology.

• 3. Inspiring Speakers and Compelling Programming

  Each year, AIAA SciTech Forum offers a prestigious lineup of speakers and visionaries. Here are just a few of the speakers that graced the stage during the 2024 forum:

  • Lt. Gen. Larry James, USAF (Ret.), Deputy Director, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Lauren Knausenberger, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, SAIC
  • Ken Plaks, Director, Tactical Technology Office, DARPA
  • Jennifer Uchida, President, Society of Flight Test Engineers

• 4. The HUB and Expo Hall

  Located in the Expo Hall, the HUB features stories that inspire, interactive demonstrations, industry panels, speaker Q&As, and more. The Expo Hall is where you can immerse yourself in technologies on display, learn about company projects, and even secure your dream job.
  
  Below are a few of the technologies that were on display during the 2024 forum:

  • Collins Aerospace shared their newest spacesuit designed to equip NASA astronauts on future missions to the International Space Station, Gateway, the moon, and Mars.
  • Northrop Grumman provided a display of their B2 Stealth Bomber, a mainstay in stealth technology for the U.S. Air Force for decades.
  • NASA JPL showcased EELS (Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor), a snake-like robot designed for exploration of previously inaccessible terrain.
  • NASA JPL displayed a scale model of Psyche, a spacecraft designed to journey to a unique metal-rich asteroid orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter.

• 5. Building Your Network and Have Fun While Doing It

  At the forum, you’ll have daily networking opportunities—including a happy hour, luncheons, coffee breaks, and other special events—to connect with peers, engage with industry leadership, discuss the latest developments coming out of the forum, and meet with prospective employers.