Los Angeles-Las Vegas

AIAA LA-LV 12/12 Section Special Meeting

(An AIAA LA-LV hybrid event: In-person and online on Zoom)

Monday, December 12, 2022, 3 PM PST / 6 PM EST

(Check-in starts 2 PM PST (GMT -0800) / 5 PM PST (GMT -0500)) 

(Add to Calendar)

DC-X/XA – The Genesis of

Fully Reusable Access to Space

speakers/panelists:

Dan Dumbacher

(Keynote speaker / Moderator)

(NASA interest in DC-X/XA and their linkage to SpaceX)

Executive Director

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

(Online/remote participation)

Jess Sponable

(Speaker / Panelist)

(DC-X Firsts)

President and Chief Technology Officer

New Frontier Aerospace (NFA), Inc.

(Online/remote participation)

Joaquin H. Castro

(Speaker / Panelist)

(Propulsion)

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Space Advanced Programs

(Online/remote participation)

James R. French

(Speaker / Panelist)

(Systems engineering and schedule)

AIAA Fellow (60+ year member of AIAA !)

President, JRF Aerospace Consulting LLC

(In-person participation)

Jeff Laube

(Speaker / Panelist)

Senior Project Leader

The Aerospace Corporation

Associate Fellow, AIAA

Chief Emeritus, Integration and Outreach Division, AIAA Council of Directors

(In-person participation)

In-Person attendance is better, but online welcome.

A very exciting event! Please join us!

Location

Manhattan Beach Library

1320 Highland Avenue

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

(South of 105 Hwy and West of 405 Hwy/Pacific Coast Hwy (1))

(also online for a hybrid event)

(If it's a warm and sunny day, it's highly suggested to arrive earlier as the parking space could be limited, as more people would be on the nearby beach or surfing.)

(This event is not sponsored by the Manhattan Beach Library)

The amazing vertical launching and landing capabilities for the rockets of SpaceX and Blue Origin are very exciting. The facts and histories of the NASA DC-X/XA rockets were rarely mentioned. Please join us for this inspiring mega event / meeting to learn more about it, and experience the thrills and inspirations, from the leaders in this groundbreaking and historic project! And networking together!

Dan Dumbacher

Executive Director

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

Dan Dumbacher is Executive Director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

Before joining the AIAA staff in 2018, Dan was a Professor of Engineering Practice in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University. 

Prior to Purdue, Dan led teams at NASA designing and developing space launch vehicle systems and technologies for 33 years. In his final leadership role at NASA, he served as the Deputy Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Division, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate focused on the Space Launch System, the Orion Crew Vehicle, and Ground Systems Development and Operations. 

Dan holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, a master's degree in business administration from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and he has completed the Senior Managers in Government program at Harvard University.

Jess Sponable

President and Chief Technology Officer

New Frontier Aerospace (NFA), Inc.

Jess is the President and Chief Technology Officer for New Frontier Aerospace (NFA), Inc. NFA is developing high-speed point-to-point aircraft that fly to the edge of space enabling two-hour flight to everywhere. With a wide-ranging background in industry and government, Jess has extensive experience developing space, hypersonic, and reusable space launch systems and technologies. In November 2017 he left the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency where he served over two separate tours and seven years as a program manager. He led multiple space initiatives including the experimental spaceplane, high power solar electric propulsion, autonomous robotic arm, and solar thermal propulsion programs. With a combined budget of over $400 million and 50+ contracts, his efforts included technology maturation of satellite projects, power systems, solar cells, rocket engines, electric propulsion, and space launch. Prior to DARPA he spent over 30 years in the United States Air Force as both a military officer and civilian. His career supported diverse jobs ranging from Atlas launch operations at Vandenberg AFB to project management jobs developing and deploying the early Global Positioning System. Prior to the Space Shuttle Challenger accident, he was selected as an Air Force Manned Spaceflight Engineer and trained as a Space Shuttle payload specialist, then transitioned to support development of hypersonic flight at the National Aero-Space Plane program. Starting in 1991 he served in the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization managing multiple programs including the vertical take-off and landing Delta Clipper-Experimental (DC-X), which inspired many follow-on entrepreneurs. In 1994 he transitioned to the Air Force Research Laboratory supporting NASA's follow-on initiatives DC-XA, X-33, X-34, and related technologies. In the Air Force he led or supported numerous projects and studies maturing hypersonic aircraft, orbit transfer vehicles, reusable space launch/military spaceplanes, and prompt global strike systems. Jess also spent several years in the entrepreneurial space launch sector working for Universal Space Lines and Pete Conrad, the Apollo 12 and Skylab commander. He has served on numerous national space transportation studies and panels. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in physics and holds advanced degrees in Astronautical Engineering and Systems Management. He is a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College.

Joaquin H. Castro

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Space Advanced Programs

Joaquin H. Castro has 43+ years of propulsion engineering, management and leadership experience. After the Aerojet acquisition of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) in June of 2013, he joined the Space Advanced Programs Organization of the newly formed Aerojet Rocketdyne Company.

In 2012 Joaquin assumed leadership of International Advanced Propulsion Programs activities at PWR. From 2006 to 2012 he led the strategy and business development activities for the PWR product lines for DOD applications. In this role he led a national team of Field and Program Managers responsible for the support and growth of PWR's Military Business.

Between 1998 and 2006, Mr. Castro led the high-speed air-breathing propulsion activities at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne with responsibility for all Hypersonic and Combined Cycle Programs. In this role, Mr. Castro's was responsible for P&L, design development and deployment of hypersonic propulsion products including ramjets, scramjets, combined cycle integration and high-speed elements of combined cycle propulsion systems.

During his Pratt & Whitney career, Mr. Castro has participated and led the planning, design, development, certification, vehicle integration, field support and flight test of gas turbine, scramjet and rocket engines including TF-30, F100, SSME, RD-180, various RL10 models and RL60 engines. During his P&W tenure, Mr. Castro's responsibilities have included the Management of P&W's Advanced Upper Stage Rocket Projects, Engineering Manager for the RD-180 development and certification program, Engineering manager for the RL10A-5 Engine Program (four RL10A-5 engines powered the McDonnell Douglas single stage to orbit demonstrator DC-X vehicle), Project Engineer for the development and certification of the RL10A-4 nozzle extension system and Pratt & Whitney's Venezuela's In Country Manager for the Peace Delta Program. Mr. Castro holds two patents, has received numerous professional awards and has authored numerous propulsion publications over his career.

Mr. Castro is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the former Director of the AIAA Propulsion and Energy Group. Mr. Castro was inducted in the International Space Hall of Fame in 2013 as a member of the DC-X Team.

Mr. Castro is a commercial, instrument, land and sea rated pilot and a licensed aircraft mechanic. When not generating thrust with rocket and scramjet engines, Mr. Castro spends some of his time flying and restoring general aviation aircraft.

Joaquin has been married to his wife Lourdes for 43+ years. They have two beautiful daughters Chelsy and Leilani and three granddaughters Eva, Belen and Mackensie.

Education: 

BSE, Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, 1978

Undergraduate and Graduate Business Studies, Florida Atlantic University, 1980-82

MBA, University of Florida, 2006.

James R. French

AIAA Fellow (60+ year member of AIAA !)

President, JRF Aerospace Consulting LLC

James R French graduated from MIT in 1958 with a degree of BSME Specializing in Propulsion. While at MIT, Mr French became the Founding President of the MIT Chapter of The American Rocket Society, an AIAA predecessor. In the ensuing years he has pursued additional education both in technical subjects and management. 

Upon graduation, he accepted a job with Rocketdyne Div. of North American Aviation and during a 5 year employment, worked on developmental testing of H-1 engines and combustion devices hardware for F-1 and J-2 engines used in Saturn 5. He was also involved in various experimental programs. Moving on to TRW Systems, Mr. French was Lead Development Test Engineer on the Lunar Module Descent Engine and was responsible for bringing on-line the High Altitude Test Stand use for all-up LMDE testing at TRW's Capistrano Test Site. He also was involved in experimental testing of exotic propellants.

After leaving TRW as propulsion work ran down, Mr. French joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he worked on testing and launch vehicle integration for Mariners 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; Viking 1 & 2 and Voyager 1 & 2. Mr. French was Advanced Planetary studies Manager for JPL for several years as well as Chief Engineer for the SP-100 Space Nuclear Power System. He was Chief Engineer of a RTG powered Mars Rover study for a vehicle essentially identical to Curiosity.

Leaving JPL after 19 years, Mr. French was VP Engineering and Chief Engineer for American Rocket Company developing hybrid rocket launch vehicles.

Since leaving AMROC in 1987, Mr. French has been consultant to a variety of aerospace companies, SDIO, NASA, and USAF. As a consultant to SDIO he functioned as the government's chief engineer on the DC-X project. He has participated in various startup companies in the private space flight arena and currently consults extensively to Blue Origin, a company in which he has been involved since its beginnings. He has worked with Project Icarus investigating interstellar missions. His current efforts draw primarily upon his extensive experience in rocket propulsion development and operational aspects of launch vehicles.

Mr. French is co-author with Dr. Michael Griffin of the best-selling text Space Vehicle Design, published by AIAA. For over 20 years he taught a 4 day short course, mostly through AIAA, on the same topic. The second edition of the book has received the Summerfield Book Award for 2008. Mr French is also the author of Firing a Rocket, a reminiscence of testing rocket engines for the Apollo missions.

Mr. French is a Fellow of both AIAA and the British Interplanetary Society and a 60+ year member of AIAA. He has held several Technical Committee and other posts in AIAA. In 2018, Mr. French was named Engineer of the Year by the Orange County Section of AIAA.

Jeff Laube

Senior Project Leader,

The Aerospace Corporation

Associate Fellow, AIAA

Chief Emeritus, Integration and Outreach Division, AIAA Council of Directors

Jeff Laube has been rocket scientist and system engineer for over 40 years on a variety of programs with McDonnell Douglas (The Delta/Delta II rocket, DC-X/XA), Lockheed Martin (X-33 & Space Transportation Architecture Study), Northrop Grumman (2nd Gen Reusable Launch Vehicle & Jupiter Icy Moon Orbiter – nuclear spacecraft) and The Aerospace Corporation (Next Generation Launch Services & NASA/AFRL Space Nuclear Power & Propulsion projects). Jeff is an Associate Fellow with AIAA and has served as the Orange County Section Chair, Space Operations & Support TC Chair and recently completed a 3-year term as the Chief of the Integration & Outreach Division for the AIAA Council of Directors.

Manhattan Beach Library

1320 Highland Avenue

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

(South of 105 Hwy and West of 405 Hwy/Pacific Coast Hwy (1))

(Also online for a hybrid meeting)

Parking Information:

https://www.downtownmanhattanbeach.com/parking

https://citymb.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Shortlist/index.html?appid=98d3a934267d42adae0a2249fd347cb7

(If it's a warm and sunny day, it's highly suggested to arrive earlier as the parking space could be limited, as more people would be on the nearby beach or surfing.)

Tickets: (No Refund Within 7 Days of the Event Date or Afterwards)

In-Person: (Online access included)

  $5 Presentation Only -No Dinner

$16 AIAA Student / Educator Member Price (w/ Dinner)

$21 Non-AIAA Member -Student / Educator (w/ Dinner)

$20 AIAA Professional Member Price (w/ Dinner)

$25 Non-AIAA Member -Professional Price (w/ Dinner)

$17: AIAA Life-Time Member (w/ Dinner)

$17: AIAA Member with 20 or more years of membership (w/ Dinner)

COVID-19 Pre-cautions:

The Indoor Mask Mandate has been lifted. It's recommended to wear a mask indoors, but it's not required. (If you are sick or don't feel well, please stay home and attend online.)

Please only RSVP the in-person tickets if you are sure you will show up in-person. No Refund Within 7 Days of the Event Date or Afterwards. Each in-person ticket will include the online access as well.

Online Only:

$2.95: (Online Only) AIAA Professional Member

$5.95: (Online Only) Non-AIAA Member - Professional

$1.95: (Online Only) AIAA Educator Member

$4.95: (Online Only) Non-AIAA Member - Educator

$1.45: (Online Only) AIAA University Student Member

$4.45: (Online Only) Non-AIAA Member - University Student

$0 (No Charge): (Online Only) AIAA High School (HS) Student Member, Non AIAA Member HS Student, and other K-12 Student

(Those K-12 student registrants will be required to type in a statement during registration to confirm with honesty they are indeed High School or K-12 Students.)

$2.95: (Online Only) AIAA Member - Other Categories

$5.95: (Online Only) Non-AIAA Member - Other Categories

$0 (No Charge): (Online Only) AIAA Life-Time Member

$0 (No Charge): (Online Only) AIAA Member with 20 or more years of membership

Disclaimer: The views of the speakers do not represent the views of AIAA or the AIAA Los Angeles-Las Vegas Section

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[AIAA Los Angeles-Las Vegas], [contact@aiaa-lalv.org], [https://aiaa-lalv.org]