Los Angeles Section

AIAA Los Angeles Section Evening Meeting 5/28 (Wednesday)

(A hybrid event: In-person and online attendance)

Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 5:30 PM PDT (GMT -0700) (U.S. and Canada)

Disclaimer: The views of the speakers do not represent the views of AIAA or the AIAA Los Angeles Section.

Tentative Agenda (All Times PDT (GMT -0700) (U.S. and Canada)):

5:00 PM: Check-in and Networking

5:30 PM: Introduction and Presentation (with Q&A)

7:00 PM: Adjourn. Networking

7:30 PM: Meeting Room closes.

8:00 PM: Library closes.

Why Failures in Space Structures Occur?

Aircraft, spacecraft, launch vehicles, and re-entry structures are meticulously engineered to prioritize lightweight designs, often incorporating lower safety margins compared to terrestrial applications like civil and mechanical engineering. These aerospace systems are inherently complex, demanding a multidisciplinary approach to ensure the successful execution of missions. Despite rigorous design and testing, structural failures can still occur. To address this, various case studies are examined, showcasing how these failures manifest in space applications and offering insights into strategies for mitigating such risks.

Dr. Vinay Goyal

Technical Fellow, Aerospace Corporation

AIAA Fellow, Class of 2025

Dr. Vinay Goyal is a Technical Fellow at the Aerospace Corporation, Deputy Technical Fellow for NASA Engineering Safety Center Structures, joint professor at UCLA and USC in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Departments, and AIAA / ASME Fellow. He received the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal amongst many prestigious awards from various organizations. He has extensive experience in the areas of launch vehicles, hypersonics, spacecraft, and aircraft analysis and design, with emphasis in the application of advanced materials. He has been involved in the development of more than 20+ aerospace standards for NASA, AIAA, and Space Systems Commend; has published over 100 technical papers and has co-authored three books in aerospace design. He serves in several Independent Review Boards for NASA, SSC, and for the NESC and has been involved in the resolution of many anomalies for NASA, SSC, and FAA. 

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