AIAA technical committees (TCs) and integration and outreach committees (IOCs) have selected the best professional and student technical papers presented at recent AIAA forums. With a standard award criteria and selection process from the respective committees, the following technical papers were selected as the “best,” and the authors were presented with a Certificate of Merit. The papers can be found online at the AIAA Aerospace Research Central (arc.aiaa.org), marked as “Best Paper.”
BEST PROFESSIONAL PAPERS
2025 AIAA Hypersonics Best Paper Award
“A Step Towards the Full-Integrated Aero-Thermo-Chemo-Mechanics Simulation of Hypersonic Systems” (AIAA 2025-2631)
Authors: James Crouse, Summer Hoss, Christopher Quinn, Nathan Falkiewicz, Matthew McLaughlin, and Raul Radovitzky, MIT Lincoln Laboratory.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2025-2631
2026 AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology Best Paper Award
“FLEET Velocimetry Measurements of Boundary Layer Transition on a Hollow Cylinder in Mach 7 Flow” (AIAA 2026-0473)
Authors: Nicholas Webber, Neel Reeves, Sophia Edwards, Kivanc Ekici, and Mark Gragston, University of Tennessee Space Institute – University of Tennessee Knoxville.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-0473
2026 AIAA Aerospace Design and Structures Best Paper Award
[Sponsored by The Aerospace Corporation] “Guidelines and Designs for Helicopter Airfoils and Blades for Mars Applications with Experimental Validation” (AIAA 2026-2433)
Authors: Haley Cummings, Natalia Perez Perez, Witold Koning, Farid Haddad, Alex Sheikman, Charles Cornelison, Alfredo Perez, Antonio Cervantes, Stephen J. Wright, Ethan Romander, Wayne Johnson, NASA Ames Research Center; J. Ken Smith, Jacobs Engineering; Ravi T. Lumba, Cheng Chi, Marge Donovan, and Anubhav Datta, University of Maryland; Takayuki Nagata, Nagoya University; Keisuke Asai, Tohoku University. Lidia Caros, Oliver Buxton, and Peter Vincent, Imperial College London.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-2433
2026 AIAA Aerospace Power Systems Best Paper Award
“Scalable Tritium Power Systems and Regulatory Flight Path for Nuclear- Powered CubeSats” (AIAA 2026-1345)
Authors: Mark Stone, Peter Cabauy, Jesse Grant, Cedric Flor-Reyes, and Johann Hernandez, City Labs.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-1345
2026 AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Best Paper Award
“Aircraft System Identification Approach for Control Surface Fault Diagnosis” (AIAA 2026-2287)
Authors: Patrick Corrigan, Garrett Asper, Benjamin Simmons, and Craig Woolsey, Virginia Tech.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-2287
2026 AIAA Collier Aerospace HyperX/AIAA Structures Best Paper Award
“Experimental Testing of a 30-meter Triangular, Rollable, and Collapsible Composite Deployable Boom” (AIAA 2026-1858)
Authors: Cyrus Kosztowny, Matlock Mennu, Gregory Dean, NASA Langley Research Center; Richard Larson, Analytical Mechanics Associates.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-1858
2026 AIAA Electric Propulsion Best Paper Award
“Temporal Anti-Aliasing Method for High Speed Imaging of Hall Effect Thrusters” (AIAA 2026-0928)
Authors: Miron Liu, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Wensheng Huang and Matthew Baird, NASA Glenn Research Center; and Benjamin Jorns, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-0928
2026 AIAA Electrified Aircraft Technology Best Paper Award
“Modeling and Vehicle-Level Assessment of Thermal Management System for Hybrid Electric Regional Turboprop Aircraft” (AIAA 2026-2130)
Authors: Chrysoula Pastra, Yu Cai, James Kenny, Ezgi Balkas, Dimitri Mavris, Georgia Institute of Technology.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-2130
2026 AIAA Gas Turbine Engines Best Paper Award
“Experimental Investigation of Annular Twin Cavity Trapped Vortex Combustor” (AIAA 2026-0985)
Authors: Jeongwon Kim, Eric Mayhew, Vincent Coburn, Erik Schroen, Jacob Temme, and Chol-Bum Kweon, DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory; Kyungrae Kang, Casey O’Brien, Sungho Hwang, Joshua Yoon, and Tonghun Lee, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-0985
2026 AIAA High Speed Air Breathing Propulsion Best Paper Award
“Application of the Dynamic Zone Flamelet Model to High-Speed Turbulent Combustion” (AIAA 2026-1756)
Authors: Gabe Holum and Graham Candler, University of Minnesota.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-1756
2026 AIAA Inlets, Nozzles and Propulsion Systems Integration Best Paper Award
“Unsteady Swirl Distortion Characterization in a Coupled Fan-Intake System in Crosswind Conditions Using Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry” (AIAA 2026-2569)
Authors: Tommaso Piovesan, Pavlos Zachos, and David MacManus, Cranfield University.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-2569
2026 AIAA Intelligent Systems Best Paper Award
“Semantic Trajectory Generation for Goal-Oriented Spacecraft Rendezvous” (AIAA 2026-0350)
Authors: Yuji Takubo, Arpit Dwivedi, Sukeerth Ramkumar, Luis A. Pabon, Daniele Gammelli, Marco Pavone, and Simone D’Amico, Stanford University.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-0350
2026 AIAA Liquid Propulsion Best Paper Award
“Development of an Optically Accessible Green Hypergolic Rocket Engine with Bi-swirl Injector” (AIAA 2026-1601)
Authors: Timothee Pourpoint, Yash Amin, Sophie Bates, Bobby Dalton, Andrej Damjanov, Tyler Grimsich, Christopher Ji, Abigayle Moser, Krishna Nagarajan, Cole Nielsen, Tyler Nord, Kevin A. Potthast, Josh Romanowski, Caleb Kruse, Purdue University.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-1601
2026 AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Best Paper Award
“Effects of Motion Fidelity on Pilot Performance Using Mixed-Reality Visuals” (AIAA 2026-2762)
Authors: Peter Zaal, Matt Blanken, Samuel Orth, Supreethi Penmetcha, and Paul Slade, NASA Ames Research Center.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-2762
2026 AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Best Paper Award
“Establishing a Joint Research-Industry MDO Benchmark Based on the DLR-F25 Aircraft Configuration” (AIAA 2026-0763)
Authors: Mohammad Abu-Zurayk, Časlav Ilić, Patrick Wegener, Jan Himisch, Matthias Schulze, Sebastian Wöhler, Jannik Häßy, Sascha Dähne, Sven Geisbauer, and Stefan Görtz, German Aerospace Center (DLR); Ögmundur Petersson, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH; Joël Brezillon, Raul Llamas, and Cian Conlan-Smith, Airbus Operations S.A.S/S.L./GmbH; Antoine DeBlois and Jasveer Singh, Bombardier Canada; Ben Phillips, NASA Langley Research Center; Eliot Aretskin-Hariton and Jeffryes Chapman, NASA Glenn Research Center; and Christophe Blondeau and Michael Méheut, ONERA – Institut Polytechnique de Paris.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/epdf/10.2514/6.2026-0763
2026 AIAA Propellants and Combustion Best Paper Award
“Numerical Simulation of Scramjet Combustion in Thermo-Chemical Non-Equilibrium within an Arc-Heated Facility” (AIAA 2026-1757)
Authors: Samuel Richardson and Jack Edwards, North Carolina State University.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.2026-1757
2026 AIAA SciTech Software Technical Committee Best Paper Award
“Serverless Avionics: A new Architectural Approach” (AIAA 2026-2264)
Authors: Bojan Lukic, Tim Schubert, Sven Friedrich, Cem Önem, Janick Beck, Nora Breitmoser-Widdecke, Alexander Ahlbrecht, Wanja Zaeske, Umut Durak, and Harro von Viebahn, German Aerospace Center (DLR).
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-2264
2026 AIAA Sensor Systems and Information Fusion Best Paper Award
“Cooperative Orbit Determination for Trusted, Autonomous, and Decentralised Satellite Operations” (AIAA 2026-0825)
Authors: Beth Probert, Ruaridh Clark, and Malcolm Macdonald, Applied Space Technology Laboratory, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde; and Erik Blasch, Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/epdf/10.2514/6.2026-0825
2026 AIAA Shahyar Pirzadeh Memorial Award
“High-Fidelity, Low-Dissipation/Symmetry-Preserving Numerical Scheme for Solving the Euler Equations with Unstructured, Metric-Based Mesh Adaptation” (AIAA 2026-0765)
Authors: Kevin Doetsch, Ryan Glasby, J. Taylor Erwin, Nicole Nutter, Lawton Shoemake, Doug Stefanski, Marco Delchini, Stuart Slattery, Kwitae Chong, and John Langford Jr., Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-0765
2026 AIAA Small Satellite Best Paper Award
“Structured Radio Waves for Radar Imaging” (AIAA 2026-2616)
Authors: Yosuke Tanabe, Miki Yonehara, Hisatoshi Kimura, Makoto Ito, Keigo Nakamura, Tsukasa Funane, Shinichi Saito, Koichi Watanabe, Kenta Suzuki, Yuya Takahashi, and Yohei Magara, Hitachi, Ltd; Satoshi Ikari and Shinichi Nakasuka, University of Tokyo; Tadashi Masuoka, Akihisa Uematsu, Satoru Ozawa, and Yasuyuki Miyazaki, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2026-2616
2026 AIAA Solid Rockets Technical Committee Best Paper Award
“A Machine Learning Framework Using Neural Networks for Conceptual Design of First Stage Engine” (AIAA 2026-2448)
Authors: Lucandrea Mancini, Giacomo Della Posta, Matteo Bernardini, and Agostino Neri, Sapienza University of Rome.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-2448
2026 AIAA Space Logistics Best Paper Award
“A Tradespace Approach to Quantifying On-Orbit Servicing Value for Space Observatories” (AIAA 2026-3077)
Authors: Bryce Kampert and Daniel Hastings, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-3077
2026 AIAA Spacecraft Structures Best Paper Award
“Continuum Modeling for Deployable Space Trusses with Collapsible Tubular Masts” (AIAA 2026-0801)
Authors: Derek Geiger, Coleridge Nash, Rishi Ghosh, and Andrew Lee, North Carolina State University; Juan Fernandez, NASA Langley Research Center.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-0801
2026 AIAA Structural Dynamics Best Paper Award
“Guidelines and Designs for Helicopter Airfoils and Blades for Mars Applications with Experimental Validation” (AIAA 2026-2433)
Authors: Haley Cummings, Natalia Perez Perez, Witold Koning, Farid Haddad, Alex Sheikman, Charles Cornelison, Alfredo Perez, Antonio Cervantes, Stephen J. Wright, Ethan Romander, and Wayne Johnson, NASA Ames Research Center; J. Ken Smith, Jacobs Engineering; Ravi T. Lumba, Cheng Chi, Marge Donovan, and Anubhav Datta, University of Maryland; Takayuki Nagata, Nagoya University; Keisuke Asai, Tohoku University; Lidia Caros, Oliver Buxton, and Peter Vincent, Imperial College London.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-2433
2026 AIAA Terrestrial Energy System Best Paper Award
“Clean Dual-Waste Fuel Combustion of Glycerol-Methanol Blend with Simulated Landfill Gas by Utilizing a Novel Fuel- Flexible Injector” (AIAA 2026-0651)
Authors: Md Fahad Hossain Mishu, Opeyemi Samuel Eso, Yang Li, Alex Yokochi, and Lulin Jiang, Baylor University.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-0651
BEST STUDENT PAPERS
2026 AIAA Aerospace Power Systems Best Paper Award
“Topology Optimization of Light Trapping Structures for Extra-Terrestrial Photovoltaic Devices” (AIAA 2026-1347)
Authors: Naser Almutairi and Pinar Acar, Virginia Tech.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-1347
2026 AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Technical Committee Best Paper Award
“Neural Projection Operators for Real-Time 6-DoF Powered Descent Guidance” (AIAA 2026-1169)
Authors: Jiwoo Choi, Dohoon Lee, and Jong-Han Kim, Inha University.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-1169
2026 AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Best Paper Award
“Thermodynamically Consistent Vibrational-Electron Energy Exchange and Application to Hypersonic Plasmas” (AIAA 2026-1819)
Authors: Felipe Martin Rodriguez Fuentes and Bernard Parent, University of Arizona.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-1819
2026 AIAA Solid Rockets Technical Committee Best Paper Award
“UV-Cured Composite Solid Propellants: Characterization of Binder and of 3D-Printed Samples” (AIAA 2026-1855)
Authors: Alessandra Noemi Lucarno, Stefania Carlotti, and Filippo Maggi, Politecnico di Milano.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-1855
2026 AIAA Space Automation and Robotics Best Student Paper Award
“Compensating Disturbance to the Base Spacecraft using the Second Arm for a Dual-Arm Space Robotic System” (AIAA 2026-2421)
Authors: James Talavage, Andrew Barth, and Ou Ma, University of Cincinnati.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-2421
2026 AIAA Walter Lempert Best Paper Award
“Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering in a Supersonic Inductively Coupled Plasma Torch” (AIAA 2026-1305)
Authors: Spenser Stark, Noel Clemens, and Philip Varghese, University of Texas at Austin.
https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2026-1305
