AIAA NFFP TC Update and

TAC Proposal on JPC / Conference Consolidation

Presented to the NFFP TCMarriott MarquisSan Diego, CA

Bryan PalaszewskiNASA Glenn Research Center

08-01-2011

Introduction

• Operational issues - Brice Cassenti• AIAA NFFP Short Course taught at NASA JSC• JPC locations.• JPC / conference consolidations.• Logo design.• Greg Meholic (10 minute summary). • Marc Millis (10 minute summary). • Chris Taylor (10 minute summary). • Jochem Hauser (10 minute summary). • Other business.• Dinner at 5:00 PM.• Adjourn.

• Procedure

• Criteria

Award Procedure• Judges chosen from

– Awards subcommittee– N&FFP TC

• No judge can have their paper under consideration

• Chair submits session best paper• Judges can add papers

Awards Criteria

• Paper must be:

– presented in the scheduled slot

– available at JPC

• Each paper rated according to AIAA guidelines for publications

• Each paper ranked

AIAA Guidelines

Excellent Good Fair PoorWeights 5 3 1 0

Technical Content 6 30 18 6 0Importance to Field 6 30 18 6 0Style & Clarity 4 20 12 4 0

Best Paper Award

2010 Best Paper Award

• No papers considered in 2011– Both 2010 sessions will be added to 2011

sessions

• Judges – Need judges for the 2012 JPC– Recall judges cannot have a paper under

consideration

JPC 2011Nuclear & Future Flight Sessions

Session Title Day Time Papers

NFF-1Advanced Propulsion and Power

Systems for ExplorationMon Eve 4

NFF-2 Nuclear Thermal Propulsion I Tue Aft-1 3NFF-3 Nuclear Thermal Propulsion II Tue Aft-2 3NFF-5 Future Flight Propulsion Wed Morn 5NFF-4 Fusion Propulsion Wed Aft 4

2011 Paper Status

• Abstracts– Submitted – 16– Invited – 2– Panelists - 2

• Abstracts Transferred– Out – 0– In – 0

• Abstracts Rejected – 0• Abstracted Accepted – 2• Papers Withdrawn – 1

Chair Responsibilities

• Remind authors of deadlines• Check AIAA web site for session

information• Make arrangements for a laptop at your

session• Please turn in Session Sheet

– Attendance for room choice– Best paper nominations

AIAA NFFP Short Course Taught in May 2011

• Bryan Palaszewski taught the 2 day AIAA NFFP Professional Development Short Course at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in May 2011.

• 28 students in attendance.• The course was well received with very high

customer satisfaction. • Bryan taught all aspect of the course, including a

new section on solar electric propulsion. – Overview of all advanced propulsion concepts– Metallized gelled propulsion– Atomic boron, carbon and hydrogen propulsion (HEDM)– Nuclear thermal propulsion– Solar electric propulsion

AIAA JPC Locations

• 2012 - Atlanta, GA.

• 2013 - San Jose, CA.

• Contracts being signed, and sponsors either identified or nearly on board.

• JPC / conference consolidations may affect planning.

Update from the New Event Model Tiger Team

AIAA TAC Exec TeleconJuly 13, 2011

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Discussion Outline

• Transition Plan and Timeline• Resulting Proposed Baseline Conferences• Proposed Conference Mapping for Transition• Securing Committee Buy-In and Support• Phase-In Plan / Communication Strategy• JPC Transition Example Test Case• Closing Points and Open Action Items

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Transition Plan and Timeline

• Transition annual conferences fully into proposed baseline conferences by 2013• Transition less frequent conferences into proposed baseline conferences by 2014 Remaining Specialty Conferences

International – Conferences currently held outside the U.S. at every other meeting, or less , frequency will continue, with their U.S. meetings folded into the new event model (ex. Space Planes, ICES, Aeroacoustics).

Vended - Events organized for government organizations, as requested, with AIAA acting as a partner rather than the contractor will continue as makes sense (ex. MDA, FAA)

• No other AIAA specialty conferences beyond 2013 • Move fully into this approach with the change impacting all AIAA committees equally• Committees may continue to support as many non-AIAA conferences as they wish, but TCs should be reminded

that AIAA will continue to only fund meals for two TC meetings per year, and at least one of these should be held at an AIAA conference

• Encourage shifting any sessions they are organizing for these conferences to AIAA conference events instead, where it makes sense to do so

• Workshops and Symposiums• Committees may continue to organize workshops or symposiums at non-AIAA conferences within or outside of

the U.S., so long as they understand full AIAA support will be unavailable beyond 2013.• Careful coordination with local organizations will be critical in the success of these meetings

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Resulting Proposed Baseline Conferences

• “Aerospace Sciences and Technology” Conference (ASTC) – January Meeting• Similar to the conference currently known as ASM• Technology core with added R&D outlook and workforce issues• ASTC 2013 – January 7-11, 2013, Grapevine, TX*

• “Aviation 20XX” Conference – Late Spring / Early Summer Meeting• Focused on the aviation domain• Aviation 2013 – May 13-17, 2013, Boston, MA*

• “Space 20XX” Conference – Late Summer / Early Fall Meeting• Focused on the space domain• Space 2013 – July 15-19, 2013, San Jose, CA*• Considering leaving this meeting in Southern California due to strong ties to local sponsors (SMC, JPL) and the brand

this has created for this conference

• “Aerospace Defense Forum” (ADF) – Late Fall/ Winter Meeting• U.S. Only with Restricted/Classified Sessions Combines StratTac, Missile Sciences, WSE, and adds in restricted sessions on guidance, propulsion, structures, and

other disciplines Requires further investigation into locations capable of supporting a 500 person conference of this type

*Possible conference timing scenarios available through current contract opportunities

Proposed Conference Mapping for Transition

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* Look closely at the proposed baseline conference and the year for transition for each of the conferences associated with your group, and identify any challenges with meeting this milestone

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Securing Committee Buy-In and Support

• Top concerns for small conference organizers will likely include:• Loss of “small conference feel”• Loss of choice of small conference location

• Design networking opportunities to preserve the “small conference feel” in 2013• Use a “village within a large metropolitan area” type approach to keep the new attendees from feeling lost or overwhelmed• Assign areas within the large conference where the transitioning small conference sessions will all be located – “Neighborhoods /

Villages”• Locate small conference tracks together and spread coffee break refreshments to the different “neighborhoods” to allow them to still

easily network together within the large conference• Consider topic receptions and/or industry sponsored receptions focused on current small conference topic areas

• Address the conference location concern head on with a “seat at the table”• Immediately give reps from the joining small conferences a vote in planning for future conference locations• Encourage movement of the conference through the different regions of the country to maximize opportunities for proximity to desired

locations

• Adapt the “neighborhoods / villages” approach as merge into the baseline conference tracks• Bring together similar subject matter sessions with those sessions already transitioned• Transition track planning for baseline conferences away from committee alignment to subject matter alignment with multiple

committees working together on tracks for common subjects

• Track and report progress• Track transition metrics from 2011 - 2013 to show progress towards the new model• Track baseline conference metrics 2013 – 2015 to reinforce the positive changes occurring as the result of the change• Track growth metrics from 2015-2017 to show steady continued growth resulting from the new model implementation

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Phase-In Plan / Communication Strategy

• Phase One – Planning and Agreement (2011) • Plan development and discussion of the coming transition – May – July 2011• TAC leadership review and approval - August 2011• Directors open discussions with their TCs via telecon to encourage early support – Aug – Dec 2011• Final AIAA executive leadership level approval – no later than December 2011

• Phase Two – Roll Out, Training, and Baseline Conference Planning (2012)• Roll out and train committee Chairs at the January 2012 workshop• Deploy Directors and their Deputies to as many committee meetings as possible to discuss the changes face-to-face

with the membership, answer questions, and address concerns• Plan to shift the locations for all annual conferences to the 2013 Baseline Conferences during all conference

planning meetings• Plan to shift the locations for all conferences meeting less frequently to the 2013 or 2014 Baseline Conferences

during all conference planning meetings

• Phase Three – Implement Baseline Conferences and Begin Conference Consolidation (2013)• Implement phase two plans to shift all annual conferences to 2013 locations selected for the Baseline Conferences• Begin to implement phase two plans to shift all less frequent conferences to the Baseline Conferences

• Phase Four – Complete Conference Consolidation (2014)• Complete final transitions with all conferences consolidated into the Baseline Conferences, except for the allowed for

specialty conferences

JPC Transition Example Test Case

JPC 2011 Topic Areas

• Advanced Propulsion Concepts for Future Flight

• Air Breathing Propulsion Integration• Electric Propulsion• Emerging Commercial Propulsion• Energetic Components & Systems• Gas Turbine Engines• Ground Test• History• Hybrid Rockets• Hypersonic & High Speed Air-

Breathing Propulsion Sessions

• In-Space Propulsion Technologies• Liquid Propulsion• Nuclear & Future Flight Propulsion• Propellants & Combustion• Propulsion Education• Public Policy• Solid Rockets• Space and Earth to Orbit Vehicle

Systems• System Concepts and Supporting

Propulsion Technologies

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Blue – Indicates Aviation Focused AreasRed – Indicates Space Focused AreasGreen – Indicates both Aviation and Space FocusPurple – Indicates Aerospace Sciences & Technology Focus

JPC 2011 Special Sessions

• Space and High Speed Systems International Space Executive Panel

• Commercial Space Panel• High Speed Systems Panel• Military and Commercial Aircraft

Systems• Military Engine Industrial Design

Base after F-35 Development Panel

• Propulsion Technology and Integration Challenges Panel

• Regulatory and Business Pull for Green Propulsion Panel

• Commercial Aviation and Space Public Policy and Education

• Federal Test Infrastructure Panel• NSTC Panel (National Science

and Technology Council)

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Aerospace Sciences 2011 Topic Areas

• Aeroacoustics• Aerodynamic Measurement Technology• Air Breathing Propulsion Systems Integration• Aircraft Design• Applied Aerodynamics• Atmospheric and Space Environments• Atmospheric Flight Mechanics• Computer Systems• Design Engineering• Education• Energetic Components and Systems• Fluid Dynamics• Gas Turbine Engines• Ground Testing• High Speed Airbreathing Propulsion• History

• Homeland Security• Intelligent Systems• Meshing, Visualization, and Computational

Environments• Multidisciplinary Design Optimization• Plasmadynamics and Lasers• Propellants and Combustion• Sensor Systems Technology• Society and Aerospace Technology• Software Systems• Space Exploration and Colonization• Space Operations and Support• Systems Engineering• Terrestrial Energy Applications of Aerospace

Technology• Thermophysics

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Space 2011 Technical Session Tracks

• Commercial Space• National Security Space• Robotic Technology and Space

Architecture• Space and Earth Science• Space Colonization and Space

Tethers• Space Exploration• Space History, Society, and Policy• Space Logistics• Space Operations

• Space Resources• Space Systems and Sensors• Space Systems Engineering and

Space Economics• Space Transportation and Launch

Systems• Success Legacy of the Space

Shuttle Program

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“Space 2013” Topic Areas (w/ Added JPC Topics and Special Sessions in Red)

• Commercial Space Emerging Commercial Propulsion Commercial Space Panel

• National Security Space• Robotic Technology and Space

Architecture• Space Exploration• Space History, Society, and Policy

Space Public Policy Space History Space Propulsion Education Space Public Policy and Education Special

Session

• Space Logistics• Space Operations

In-Space Propulsion Technologies Liquid Propulsion Nuclear & Future Flight Propulsion Electric Propulsion

• Space and Earth Science• Space Colonization and Space Tethers• Space Resources• Space Systems and Sensors• Space Systems Engineering and Space

Economics• Space Transportation and Launch

Systems Space and Earth to Orbit Vehicle Systems Hybrid Rockets Solid Rockets

• Space Ground Test Federal Space Test Infrastructure Panel

• Hypersonic & High Speed Air-Breathing Propulsion

Space and High Speed Systems International Space Executive Panel

High Speed Systems Panel

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“Aviation 2013” Topics Transitioned from JPC

• Advanced Propulsion Concepts for Future Flight Regulatory and Business Pull for Green Propulsion Panel

• Air Breathing Propulsion Integration Propulsion Technology and Integration Challenges Panel

• Gas Turbine Engines Military and Commercial Aircraft Systems Special Session Military Engine Industrial Design Base after F-35 Development Panel

• Aviation Ground Test Federal Aviation Test Infrastructure Panel

• Aviation History• Aircraft Engine Propulsion Education• Aviation Public Policy

Commercial Aviation Public Policy and Education Special Session

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“Aerospace Sciences & Technology 2013” Topic Areas (w/ Added JPC Topics and Special Sessions in Purple)

• Aeroacoustics• Aerodynamic Measurement Technology• Air Breathing Propulsion Systems Integration• Aircraft Design• Applied Aerodynamics• Atmospheric and Space Environments• Atmospheric Flight Mechanics• Computer Systems• Design Engineering• Education• Energetic Components and Systems

Energetic Components & Systems

• Fluid Dynamics• Gas Turbine Engines• Ground Testing• High Speed Airbreathing Propulsion• History

• Homeland Security• Intelligent Systems• Meshing, Visualization, and Computational

Environments• Multidisciplinary Design Optimization• Plasmadynamics and Lasers• Propellants and Combustion

Propellants & Combustion

• Sensor Systems Technology• Society and Aerospace Technology

NSTC Panel (National Science and Tech Council)

• Software Systems• Space Exploration and Colonization• Space Operations and Support• Systems Engineering

System Concepts and Supporting Prop Technologies

• Terrestrial Energy Applications of Aerospace Technology

• Thermophysics

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Closing Points and Open Action Items

• Closing Points:• The time is now for change! - We are in agreement that a fundamental change is critical for

the future of our institute events.• This is a proposal developed through several discussions between the Tiger Team members• We look forward to working with you to refine and improve this proposal into a plan we can

all get behind and fully support in implementation

• Open Action Items:• Directors - Perform a transition exercise, similar to the JPC example test case, for each of

the conferences within your group to determine how your conferences will transition into the new model

• Directors – Look at the proposed year for transition on slide number five for each of the conferences within your group, and identify any challenges with meeting this milestone

• Directors – Consider options for networking events designed to preserve the “small conference feel” as the smaller meetings within your group make the transition

• Others?

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JPC / Conference Consolidation (1/2)

• Recently, however, we’ve begun to see a leveling off of and, in some cases, significant declines in attendance at these events.

• Particularly in industry, many of our professionals can no longer attend 2-3 conferences a year, but must choose the one that is the most relevant. 

• Securing corporate support for all but the largest of our events has become a constant struggle for both staff and our planning committees.

• All of these factors present us with an opportunity - an opportunity to consider fewer, much larger events that span from the traditional discipline-focused technologies across to the systems-level applications, in aviation, space, and fundamental R&D.

• A solid foundation to make this a reality exists in our current technology conferences. Bringing the technology components together under broad domains has the potential to create events that are much more valuable than the sum of their parts.

JPC / Conference Consolidation (2/2)

• Some of this value will come by simply allowing the discipline-focused professionals to mingle in the same meetings with the systems-focused ones.

• For example, the current model would have a professional working on the next-generation, air-breathing-propulsion concept in the same meeting with someone doing advanced work with rocket propulsion.

• There may not be much professional overlap. The new model would allow the air-breathing-propulsion professional to be in a meeting with the people working on the design, structure, control, etc. of the aviation systems that are directly related to his or her work. This provides new synergistic opportunities.

• As of today nothing has been decided. These are some of my initial thoughts from talking with numerous groups across the Institute.

• The tiger team I chartered in May has met a few times to put some initial ideas together. I have been engaged with the team as they’ve been talking and we are keeping at the forefront the best interests of the entire Institute in mind.

• I want to be clear that this initiative is not about saving money or forcing a particular community to give up their conference. We are looking to do what is best for the future of our association.

• Change is never easy, and radical change can be downright painful. With that in mind I’m hopeful that all of us will refrain from conjecture around this topic when talking with our various TCs and PCs. I know that not everyone will agree with this potential direction but hopefully we can all be supportive and respectful of each other (both members and staff) as we continue to study the possibilities. I am committed to communicating with all of you and anyone who would like to listen as much as possible. Please do not hesitate to contact me (bhassan@sandia.gov), Tom Duerr (thomas.e.duerr@aero.org), or Peter Montgomery (Peter.Montgomery@arnold.af.mil) if you have any questions about any of this or would like to offer your assistance as we move forward.

Regards,

Basil Hassan

JPC / Conference Consolidation: Conclusion

• Unanimous polling of the AIAA Propulsion and Energy Group, July 31, 2011:– Maintain the JPC as a major

conference. – Don’t mess it up!

Nuclear and Future Flight Propulsion: Logo Suggestion

(please make alternative suggestions)

NFFP TC Suggestions / Reporting

• Greg Meholic.– Nuclear JPC happenings.

• Marc Millis.– Tau Zero Foundation, etc.

• Chris Taylor.– Nuclear propulsion educational video,

education via video, etc.

• Jochem Hauser.– Gravity modification update.

Other Business

• Dinner at 5:00 PM.

• Adjourn.

• Have a marvelous conference.