Aerospace Research Central

2023

By Aerospace AmericaDecember 1, 2023

December 1, 2023

2023 Year In Review

Aerospace Sciences

Achieving quieter environments in air and space transport

Aerodynamic Measurement Technology

New measurement capabilities demonstrated for 3D flow properties, high-speed facilities and combustion research

Applied Aerodynamics

Cooperation, perseverance yield progress in aerodynamic prediction reliability

The challenge of access to space

Atmospheric and Space Environments

Machine learning, flight experiments highlight progress in aerospace environments

Atmospheric Flight Mechanics

First flights, launches and reentries mark an eventful year

Understanding and controlling fluid behavior in flight-relevant environments

Increased ground testing and testing capability

Guidance, Navigation and Control

Autonomous systems adapting to uncertain and contested operating conditions

Meshing, Visualization and Computational Environments

Powerful new capabilities emerge across the community

Modeling and Simulation

Simulations underpin progress in advanced air mobility planning, standards for aerial refueling

Plasmadynamics and Lasers

Diagnostics, simulations and advanced facilities drive breakthroughs in plasma technology

Growing demand for flight data and plasma wind tunnels in Europe, U.S. to study reentry conditions

Aircraft Technology, Integration and Operations

Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems

U.S. Army tests gravity airdrop, high-altitude parachutes and powered paragliders

Air Transportation Systems

Airline profitability on the horizon after three turbulent years despite air traffic controller shortages

Aircraft Design

Hydrogen and electric aircraft make their mark

Aircraft Operations

Aircraft operations welcomes new Concept of Operations and focus on sustainability

Balloon Systems

Preparing for passenger balloon flights to the stratosphere and scientific flights to Venus

Electrified Aircraft Technology

Flight milestones and lessons learned from X-plane programs

First flights and diverse applications headline 2023 activity

General Aviation

General aviation community advancing toward a sustainable future

Hypersonic Technologies and Aerospace Planes

Hypersonics manufacturing scales up and international allies engage

Lighter-Than-Air Systems

Buyers commit to ordering up to 35 hybrid airships for passenger and freight operations

VSTOL Aircraft Systems

Future long-range assault aircraft and advanced air mobility leading the way

Information Systems

Aerospace Cybersecurity

Space and aviation sectors invest in community awareness, training and education to ward off increasing cyberattacks

Communications Systems

Communications satellites proliferate into an expanding multi-orbit domain

Computer Systems

Innovations in spaceflight computing tempered by semiconductor manufacturing

Digital Avionics

Powered by Moore’s Law, AI-enabled automation makes headway toward certification

Human-Machine Teaming

Artificial intelligence begins to demonstrate the potential to revolutionize aviation

Information Command and Control Systems

Information and command and control systems play pivotal role in modern warfare

Intelligent Systems

A year of machine learning demonstrations and validations for aerospace applications

Sensor Systems and Information Fusion

Expansion of sensor networks continues to improve military security and civilian mobility

New software technology released for advanced air mobility, spaceflight and artificial intelligence

Propulsion and Energy

Aerospace Power Systems

Exploration endeavors beyond Earth’s orbit

Electric Propulsion

A year of firsts for electric propulsion

Energetic Components and Systems

University experiments lead to breakthroughs in combustion, development of customized propellants

Gas Turbine Engines

Gas turbine engines gear up for advanced architectures and measurements

High-Speed Air-Breathing Propulsion

Accelerating toward hypersonic civilian flight

New hybrid rockets prepare for inaugural flights

Inlets, Nozzles and Propulsion Systems Integration

New design and analysis tools, plus collaboration on hydrogen fuel systems

Liquid Propulsion

New engine development on the rise, with liquid methane taking center stage

Nuclear and Future Flight Propulsion

Space nuclear propulsion collaborations prepare to take flight

Pressure Gain Combustion

Advancements continue in rotating detonation engines

Propellants and Combustion

Advances in simulations and experimentation for clean and high-speed combustion systems

Solid rocket boosters enable solid progress in space exploration

Terrestrial Energy Systems

Cryogenic fuels in aviation

Space and Missiles

Life Sciences and Systems

Extracting oxygen from Martian air and growing proteins, neurons in microgravity

Microgravity and Space Processes

Advancements in heat transfer research and a new platform for microgravity experiments

Missile Systems

Hypersonics continue to drive missile industry

Reusable Launch Vehicles

Rocket manufacturers continue to bet big on reusability

Small Satellite

A year of firsts: optical communications, autonomy and hacking

Space Architecture

Expanding the boundaries of space habitat design

Space Automation and Robotics

Space robotic arms and rovers push the limits of lunar exploration

Space Logistics

Space logistics: a burgeoning commercial market

Space Resources

Space resource exploration and demonstration missions advance

Space Settlement

Advancements made toward long-term thriving human communities in spaceAdvancements made toward long-term thriving human communities in space

A year of growth for large constellations and commercial spaceflight

New mission concepts emerge

Space Transportation

From SpaceX to Chandrayaan-3, operators achieve new heights

Weapon System Effectiveness

Drones, hypersonics and missile defense

Aerospace Outreach

Celebrating 50 years since the launch of Skylab and other anniversaries

Society and Aerospace Technology

A year of breaking ground: moon landings, asteroid samples and diverse spaceflight crews

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