(June 21) My Adventures with the X-15 Rocket Plane, with Michelle Evans

When:  Jun 21, 2025 from 12:00 to 16:00 (PT)
Associated with  Los Angeles Section

RSVP and Information: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/vtnajnk/lp/f642bfc6-a7dd-4db9-b457-e1a5a5f5fe8d

AIAA Los Angeles Section Town Hall Meeting 6/21

(A hybrid event: In-person and online attendance) (Documentary viewing session: In-person Only)

Saturday, June 21, 2025, 12 PM PDT (U.S. and Canada) (GMT -0700)

(Check-in starts at 11:15 AM)

Jun 21

(June 21) My Adventures with the X-15 Rocket Plane, with Michelle Evans

“My Adventures with the X-15 Rocket Plane”

Presenter / Speaker:
Michelle Evans
AIAA Distinguished Speaker
Founder of Mach 25 Media (www.Mach25Media.com)
Writer, photographer, and communications specialist in aerospace.
Author, bestselling book “The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space”

(The speaker will present in person.)

(Documentary viewing is for the In-Person attendees only, it's not broadcast online.)

Lawndale Library (Meeting Room)
14615 Burin Ave, Lawndale, CA 90260
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Virtual location

You will receive a confirmation email with a URL.

Jun 21, 2025 12:00pm PT - Jun 21, 2025 04:00pm PT

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

11:15 AM: Check-in starts. Networking and Displays viewing.

12:00 PM: X-15 Adventures talk and Q&A

01:30 PM: Intermission (Break)(Networking and Displays viewing)

02:30 PM: Educational documentary viewing and Q&A (In-person only, not online)

04:00 PM: Adjourn (Additional Networking if needed)

05:30 PM: Meeting Room Closes.

06:00 PM: Library Closes.

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

“My Adventures with the X-15 Rocket Plane”

One of the great adventures of aerospace history was the development and operation of the X-15 experimental aircraft. This gave rise to another adventure, which was the exciting journey of writing a book about the entire project. As the author of “The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space” I will present the story of what it took to achieve this goal of telling the story of the highest and fastest aircraft that ever took to the skies. This is the inside story of the entire decades long project to bring this book to fruition, the ordeals it entailed, and the documentation of the entire saga. I created this presentation in order to inspire others to reach for their goals, no matter how high they may be.

In this presentation, I share my personal journey that started in kindergarten with the idea of someday becoming an author, then my father taking me on field trips to Edwards AFB, which gave me a first-hand look at the X-15. This led to my fascination with this amazing and innovative aircraft, and eventually to my realization that this is what I needed to write about. From there it took 30 more years of interviews, research, and writing to get to the completed manuscript, yet even then my journey was just beginning.

Today I travel the world and speak about the X-15, and tell the stories about not only the rocket plane itself, but all the people who made it the most successful research aircraft program ever undertaken. It is an honor to tell their stories. Come and share this adventure with me.

Presenter / Speaker:

Michelle Evans

AIAA Distinguished Speaker

Founder of Mach 25 Media (www.Mach25Media.com)

Writer, photographer, and communications specialist in aerospace.

Michelle Evans is the founder of Mach 25 Media (www.Mach25Media.com) and is a writer, photographer, and communications specialist in aerospace. She has written the bestselling book “The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space” which was published by the University of Nebraska Press as part of their “Outward Odyssey, People's History of Spaceflight” series.

Michelle's background in aerospace engineering includes serving in the US Air Force working on missile systems, and later in private industry accomplishing environmental testing for systems used in airliners and spacecraft. She has accomplished extensive outreach activities on space exploration at science centers, museums, and other venues. This has often involved working closely with astronauts and others involved with the space program. Her current work primarily involves exciting audiences about the X-15 research aircraft at locations across the country, as well as overseas.

Michelle is a Distinguished Speaker with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and her book on the X-15 was a finalist for the Eugene M. Emme Award for Astronautical Literature. Michelle received the Diverse Community Leader Award from Orange County Human Relations, and was recognized on the Orange County Register’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in Orange County. She has appeared in numerous publications, including Air & Space Smithsonian, Ad Astra, Orange County Register, Los Angeles Times, and New York Times.

Michelle had feature stories about her life in both Time and Newsweek magazines. She was a technical consultant on the Neil Armstrong biopic “First Man,” and has consulted with National Geographic television for their documentary “The Real Right Stuff.”

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

Location

Lawndale Library (Meeting Room)
14615 Burin Ave.
Lawndale, CA 90260
Dial-in Instructions:
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Online Instructions:
Url: https://aiaa.zoom.us
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Contact

Contact AIAA LA

contact@aiaa-lalv.org