Category Archives: Lunch and Learn

Nominate Someone for the ’24 AIAA Elections

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The AIAA Houston Section is holding elections for positions in the Executive Committee, including the following
positions:

  • Vice Chair
  • Openings on the Executive Committee

aiaa flyer for upcoming events and 2024 elections

We have made great strides in our Houston Section, and we are looking for dynamic individuals that are interested in
growing our membership and leading our technical tracks as we progress forward to the Moon and Mars.

If interested, please fill out the form here
by May 17th

As a reminder, we have our section Social every third Thursday of the month.

We also have an upcoming virtual LunchnLearn with special guest Dr. Hashima Hasan.

Happening every Saturday: Join us via Zoom every Saturday for all things space, exploration, engineering,
and more!

Lunch & Learn with AIAA – Houston!

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Join AIAA Houston Section for a hybrid Lunch & Learn event with special guest Dr. Albert Allen Jackson IV, this Friday
April
26th, 2024 at 11:30 CST in person and over Google Meet.

Sign up to attend: Lunch-n-Learn Sign UP

“The Interstellar Ramjet: A Technical History”

In 1960 Robert Bussard published a solution to the mass ratio problem for interstellar flight. He laid out
the design of a starship that scooped interstellar hydrogen compressed it in a fusion reactor, extracted energy
and produced thrust. The process is similar to a terrestrial ramjet.
Bussard outlined the propulsion method, presented the equations of
motion and made general assessments of performance and
propulsion efficiency.

Sagan suggested magnetic ‘scoops’ for collecting working
matter from the interstellar medium. Fishback in 1969 calculated
important limitations on the ramjet magnetic intake and quantified
drag and radiation losses for the ramjet.
Fishback showed there was a limiting Lorentz factor for an
interstellar ramjet imposed by the material properties of the scoop
source.

Tony Martin expanded Fishback study and made some
important observations. The main problem with the concept was
using proton-proton reactions for fusion, this proves very difficult.
In 1975 Dan Whitmire made progress towards solving the fusion reactor problem of the interstellar ramjet
by noting that one could use the CNO process rather than the PP mechanism as method of fusion operation.
Bond and Jackson suggested alternative ramjet operation using augmentation. An alternative to the
Bussard Ramjet was presented in 1977. The Laser Powered Interstellar Ramjet, LPIR. This vehicle uses a
solar system-based laser beaming power to a vehicle which scoops interstellar hydrogen and uses a linear
accelerator to boost the collected particle energy for propulsion bypassing fusion reactor problems.

Link:
https://meet.google.com/iyr-kzbv-pbc
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/iyr-kzbv-pbc?pin=9178300833796
Or dial: (US) +1 314-474-3017 PIN: 913 841 786#

Hope to see you there!

AIAA Houston Section

Virtual Speaker Luncheon Series: Emily Matula, PhD

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JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING LUNCHEON EVENT!

Featured Speaker: Emily Matula, PhD

8th September 2022 12:00 CST

Virtual

Join the meeting via Zoom
Meeting ID: 856 7586 4761
Dial by your location: +1 346 248 7799 85675864761# US (Houston)
Find your local number: here
Biography

  • Martian Greenhouse Project 3.0 team, in collaboration with AIAA and the Aldrin Family Foundation, is seeking to design a food production system for human habitation on Mars.
  • Students drive the learning while teachers facilitate a relationship between their students and the mentors. Participating schools are found world-wide (US, Belize, UK, etc) and is a great opportunity to increase the diversity of STEM.
  • The Martian Greenhouse Project is expected to run September-November 2022.

Virtual Speaker Luncheon Series: Bob Mitchell

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JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING LUNCHEON EVENT!

Featured Speaker: Bob Mitchell

9 December 2021 12:00 CST

Virtual

Join the meeting via Zoom
Meeting ID: 982 2968 6981
Dial by your location: +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Find your local number: here
Biography

  • Bob Mitchell joined Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP) in 2001. In 2008 he became President and has led numerous initiatives including recovery efforts following Hurricane Ike, working to reinstate adequate funding for NASA’s human spaceflight program in 2010, assisting in the passing of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Act of 2014, and ongoing advocacy to build a coastal spine to protect the Texas Gulf Coast from hurricane storm surge.
  • In recognition of his work with NASA JSC, its contractors, and the Houston Airport System, Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Bob to the Texas Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee. Mitchell also serves on numerous boards including UTMB Health System Advisory Board, HCA Gulf Coast Regional Advisory Board, and the Rotary National Space Achievement Board of Advisors.

Virtual Speaker Luncheon Series: U.S. Congressman Brian Babin

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JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING LUNCHEON EVENT!

Featured Speaker: Brian Babin

14 October 2021 12:00 CST

Virtual

Join the meeting via Zoom
Meeting ID: 932 9495 6229
Dial by your location: +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Find your local number: here
Biography

  • Congressman Dr. Brian Babin was born in Port Arthur, TX and grew up in Beaumont. He graduated from Lamar University and completed dental school at the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston. Following his graduation, he was commissioned as a Captain in the US Air Force stationed in Ramstein, Germany.
  • On January 5, 2015, Dr. Babin was sworn into the 114th Congress. He was appointed to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Serving as the Ranking Member, he serves as a national leader for America’s space policy matters of NASA and represents the interests of the Johnson Space Center, also located in his district.
  • He and his wife Roxanne have been married since 1972, have 5 children and 16 grandchildren.
  • Making America safe, strong and economically secure for the future of his children and grandchildren remains his reason for running to maintain his seat in Congress and proudly served the people of TX-36th district.