An Overview, 1954-2004

The year 2004 marked the fiftieth anniversary of one of the United States’ most forward-looking scientific professional associations, the American Astronautical Society (AAS). Established in 1954, the AAS remains the only autonomous scientific and technical organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to the advancement of astronautics. The AAS demonstrates its dedication to the strengthening of the global space program and the advancement of astronautics through cooperative efforts with other national, foreign and international space organizations and scientific societies.
Today the AAS has approximately 1400 individual members and over 40 corporate and institutional sponsors, located in the United States and around the world.   As was true in the early days of the Society, the membership of the AAS is composed of people of many different disciplines and background.  Although many of the Society’s members are engineers and scientists, an increasing number of administrators, military space specialists, physicians, lawyers, educators, historians, journalists, artists, students, others interested in space flight have joined.

Almost since its inception, the AAS has been recognized throughout the space community for the exceptional quality of its national meetings, symposia, publications and other projects.  Its programs are progressive and significant in content, and impact on the shape of the U.S. Space program has been consistently acknowledged.  The AAS provides many opportunities for members to meet and network with leaders and colleagues in the astronautics field and related disciplines.  Information and ideas are exchanged through a variety of respected forums, including local, national and international meetings; a highly-regarded professional journal, The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences; Advances in the Astronautical Sciences; and SPACE TIMES, the bimonthly magazine of the Society.  The AAS fulfills its goals through these services to its members, as well as its education initiatives, and subsequently furthers the goals of the space community.   By advancing astronautics, it also hopes to derive knowledge and technologies that may be used to benefit humankind.

The objectives of the AAS have remained relatively consistent throughout its history.  These objectives, as stated in the Constitution today, are:

1. To present to its members and to all persons and institutions interested and concerned, creditable proposals, theories, facts and plans relating to the exploration and utilization of space.
2. To promote and support scientific research, engineering and exploration activities of the varied sciences required for the exploration and utilization of spaces.
3. To collect, publish and disseminate the conclusions of physical and theoretical research and their relationships to the astronautical sciences in an official journal of the Society.
4. To provide a forum for the presentation, discussion and investigation of matters relating to space technology; to bring to the attention of all members, persons and organizations concerned, this information and material; and to provide a common meeting ground for all persons and organizations through which the astronautical sciences may be supported.
5. To provide a scientific and practical approach to the problems of space exploration and utilization as a guide to planning by military, scientific and commercial organizations.
6. To develop and assume a position of authority and respect in its chosen field which will improve its voice in astronautical affairs both nationally and internationally.
7. To bring astronautics as a career to the attention of young people in the expectation that they will develop the enthusiasm and attitude of responsibility to become the future space scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs; and eventually become members of the Society.

The fifty-four year history of the AAS has witnessed several peaks and declines, corresponding with the activities of the space program overall. Despite the ever-changing environment, however, the Society has sustained its momentum and vision throughout and remains an active and important voice in the space community.