AIAA’s vision is to be the shaping, dynamic force in the aerospace profession – the forum for innovation, technical excellence, and global leadership.

AIAA’s mission is to address the professional needs and interests of the past, current, and future aerospace workforce and to advance the state of aerospace science, engineering, technology, operations, and policy to benefit our global society.

For more than 70 years, AIAA has been the principal society of the aerospace engineer and scientist. But we haven’t always been AIAA, or even one organization.

In 1963, the two great aerospace societies of the day merged. The American Rocket Society and the Institute of Aerospace Science* joined to become AIAA. Both brought long and eventful histories to the relationship – histories that stretched back to 1930 and 1932 respectively, a time when rocketry was the stuff of science fiction and the aviation business was still in its infancy.

Each society left its distinct mark on AIAA. The merger combined the imaginative, risk-taking, shoot-for-the-moon outlook of Project Mercury-era rocket, missile, and space professionals with the more established, well-recognized, industry-building achievers of the aviation community. The resulting synergy has benefited aerospace ever since.

Today, with more than 31,000 members, AIAA is the world's largest professional society devoted to the progress of engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. The Institute continues to be the principal voice, information resource, and publisher for aerospace engineers, scientists, managers, policymakers, students, and educators. AIAA is also the go-to resource for stimulating professional accomplishment and standards-driven excellence in all areas of aerospace for prominent corporations and government organizations worldwide.

* The two societies were originally the American Interplanetary Society and the Institute of Aeronautical Science.

The first edition of the American Interplanetary Society's monthly Bulletin came out in June 1930. The publisher? An AIAA predecessor. Since then, we’ve earned an international reputation as the primary publisher of innovative aerospace literature and the best source of aerospace industry archives, which date back to the early 1900s. Over the past 70+ years, AIAA and its predecessor organizations have published more than 1000 titles and 300,000 meeting papers. Our current publications include seven journals, two magazines, three book series, national and international standards, growing numbers of electronic products, and a full-service, interactive web site.
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Energizing the industry is a vital part of our mission. How do we light the spark? By acting as the catalyst for information flow and exchange. That takes innovative forums where professionals can present their findings, share views, and benchmark. Forums like the aerospace industry’s most important conferences and events. Its most authoritative technical publications. And exciting new options made available over the web. AIAA supplies them all.
Conference & Events Publications & Papers

AIAA addresses the needs of scientists, engineers and allied professionals who conceive, design, develop, test, construct, and operate air and space vehicles, plus their associated systems and subsystems. Equally important, we reach out to the educators who train the professionals … to the researchers who continuously renew the technology … to the managers who lead their efforts … and to the innovators who generate and nurture new concepts.

For all of these professionals, AIAA offers a wealth of benefits. These include resources for practitioners, such as access to market and management information, links to related societies and businesses, career information, and provocative articles with relevant industry insights. Updated industry news, trends, and company profiles are on the way.
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AIAA’s active public policy and public information programs give its members a powerful voice in government decisions affecting the aerospace industry. Since 1972, we have contributed technical expertise and policy guidance to Congress and the Executive Branch, regularly testifying before the House and Senate on aerospace issues.

Time and again, AIAA provides timely information in response to major events and initiatives. We bring the specialized knowledge of its members to bear on critical national issues and we foster relationships with the media and the public that raise awareness of the benefits that aerospace programs deliver to the nation’s economy, security, and technological development.
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By the turn of the millennium, aerospace had entered a period of sweeping change driven by the advent of exciting new technologies, especially information and communications.

Because of these developments, the aerospace industry now serves four core missions:

• Enabling the global movement of people and goods


• Leading the global acquisition and dissemination of information and data


• Advancing national security interests


• Providing a source of scientific progress and inspiration by pushing the boundaries of exploration and innovation.

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