On 12 September, the 2025 AIAA Rocky Mountain Section Annual Technical Symposium (RMS ATS) was held at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). Centered on the theme “Beyond the Boundaries: Aerospace Innovations for the Next Frontier,” the event drew over 350 attendees ranging from high school students to seasoned professionals and retirees.
Throughout the day, speakers and presenters underscored the value of bringing together thought leaders, students, researchers, and enthusiasts in a shared forum to foster in-depth discussion and community building. Chris Vigil, chair of the AIAA Rocky Mountain Section and one of the event organizers began by telling the crowd, “Some of the most brilliant minds in aerospace and astronautics are together in this room. And there are also people here who are aspiring to achieve that someday. So, make new connections and strengthen existing relationships… Today, be sure you lean in.”
The opening keynote was delivered by Bruno Bachinger, Chief Engineer for Radia, who spoke about his work designing and building the WindRunner – the world’s largest aircraft, which has 12 times the cargo volume of a 747 and the ability to land on unpaved landing strips.
Col. Charles Cooper, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Space Operations Command (SpOC), U.S. Space Force, addressed attendees midday. In his remarks, Col. Cooper spoke directly to students from Colorado Springs School of Technology and Canon City High School. He encouraged them to pursue an educational path they find both fulfilling and challenging.
The importance of the region was a recurring theme throughout the day. “Colorado is the largest aerospace economy per capita in the country,” said Mark Honnen, Chief of Staff to Colorado Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera. “The secret that makes Colorado so competitive, and such a phenomenal location to be engaged in the aerospace sector, is what is happening today right here. We continuously tell folks that while we’re immensely proud of our aerospace ecosystem, we’re VERY proud of our aerospace community. It’s this interaction, the relationships, and the collaboration that is happening in this room today, and across other rooms throughout this state every day, that’s driving the next generation in innovations that will power our space economy for decades to come.”
The symposium featured four technical tracks, each with five presentations, as well as a panel on aerospace innovation taking place in Colorado and a fireside chat with industry leaders. The event also included a poster session and awards, as well as a silent auction, happy hour reception, and live rocket fuel demonstration by UCCS students.
Michael Dickey, Founding Partner of Elara Nova, former Chief Architect of Air Force Space Command, and co-creator of the Space Warfighting Analysis Center, gave the closing keynote. Dickey said, “I joined AIAA for exactly the same reason as a lot of the students and young people here today: I wanted to give a paper at a conference just like this. I signed up, got to present and defend my paper at the conference, and have been involved ever since. Pretty fun.”
