CHARTER OF THE AIAA SPACECRAFT STRUCTURES TECHNICAL COMMITTEE Page 1
CHARTER OF THE AIAA SPACECRAFT STRUCTURES TECHNICAL COMMITTEE I. SCOPE The Spacecraft Structures Technical Committee is focused on the unique challenges associated with structural systems that operate in a space based environment. This committee is specifically focused on the challenges of design, analysis, fabrication and testing of those lightweight structural systems that must be ground tested in a simulated zero gravity condition, and are subjected to launch loads, deployment loads, and the space environment. II. OBJECTIVES The principal objectives and responsibilities of the SSTC are: 1. Initiate and organize technical information for AIAA dissemination Conferences, sessions, workshops, forums, short courses Journals, conference papers, books, position papers, policy, standards Organizing sessions at the annual AIAA conference is a core commitment 2. Foster cross-discipline communication among academia, government, and industry communities Maintain liaisons with other AIAA TCs Establish venues for dialogue with operational space community Coordinate with international space community Coordinate with other professional organizations 3. Provide an expertise resource for AIAA, Government, and Industry in technical and policy matters 4. Provide recognition for significant technical contributions 5. Support the development and grade advancement of its members within AIAA III. OFFICERS The SSTC shall have two mandatory officers Chair and Vice-Chair (Chair-elect), and one optional officer, Secretary. The term of the Chair shall be two years and shall be coincident with the annual Technical Committee membership cycle established by the AIAA (now May 1 to April 30) and shall be elected at the AIAA Conference immediately preceding the beginning of the new Chair s term. The Vice-Chair, who shall also be the Chair-elect, shall normally be elected immediately following the election of the Chair. The Chair position should be filled according to a balanced rotation between representatives from academia, government, Page 2
and industry. The need to fill the Secretary position will be determined by the Chair. If needed, the Secretary shall be appointed by the Chair, subject to confirmation by the SSTC membership. IV. MEMBERSHIP The committee membership will broadly represent organizations in industry, government, academia, and foreign countries, with approximately equal numbers of members from each of these four categories. Members will be from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds pertaining to spacecraft structures. Generally, organizations with current activities involving spacecraft structures are encouraged to be represented on the Spacecraft Structures Technical Committee (SSTC) by one or two members. Members are expected to be actively involved in at least one of the SSTC subcommittees, to participate in annual committee meetings at as a voting member, and to review abstracts for the conference. Friends of the committee are encouraged to participate in annual committee meetings as a non-voting member and to review abstracts for the conference. In accordance with general guidelines laid out by the AIAA and with any specific ones adopted by the SSTC (including those given here in Section V), a Membership comprising the Chair, Vice-Chair, (optionally) international member, and (optionally) an at-large member shall select new members from among nominations submitted to the AIAA for SSTC membership. Initial appointments are for three-year terms. Ongoing annual reappointments are permitted provided that some positions are opened each year for new members. Members are encouraged to downgrade to the status of SSTC Friend periodically to allow the opportunity for new members to join the SSTC. V. MEETINGS Each year during the AIAA Conference the SSTC will hold an annual all-members meeting. At the discretion of the Chair, an additional meeting may be convened at another conference or an industrial, academic, or government facility to provide the membership with first-hand exposure to technical developments, products, and/or mission systems. s shall meet in person or by teleconference as required to fulfill their responsibilities. The SSTC officers and appropriate subcommittee representatives shall meet in person or by teleconference periodically as requested by the SSTC Chair in order to coordinate SSTC activities. VI. SUBCOMMITTEES The activities of the SSTC will be conducted by the 6 standing subcommittees listed below. Standing subcommittees may be either created or dissolved at any time according to the organizational needs of the SSTC. For example, specific technical focus areas may be formed into technical subcommittees if determined prudent by the SSTC Chair. All subcommittees shall have a written list of responsibilities and a functional purpose that aligns with the scope of the SSTC. Members of the SSTC are expected to participate on one or more subcommittees, by appointment of the Chair at the time of the annual SSTC meeting in which the member has been accepted into SSTC membership. The responsibilities of the standing subcommittees and their annual schedules of activities are described in the following sections. Page 3
The standing subcommittees are: Membership Conference Publications Website International Liaisons Technical Committee Liaisons The compositions of the standing subcommittees are shown in the figure below. SSTC s Chair Vice-Chair (Chair-elect) Secretary (Optional) Conference Membership Publications Website SSC General Chair* SSC Technical Chair** At-large member* At-large member** At-large member* At-large member** At-large member* At-large member** International Liaison At-large member* At-large member** TC Liaison At-large member* At-large member** *Sub-committee Chair **Sub-committee Vice-Chair Page 4
A. MEMBERSHIP Coordinate selection of new members, friends, associate members, and international members of the AIAA SSTC. Ensures a balance of industry, government, university, associate, and international members. Invites members to apply who represent major industry, academia, or government technical efforts that fall within the SSTC scope. Update and maintain SSTC membership roster, with affiliation, address, phone number, fax number, email address, subcommittee(s), and year of selection to the SSTC. Maintain subcommittee assignment listings. Coordinates nomination of SSTC members for the positions of Vice-Chair (Chair-elect). Coordinates SSTC AIAA membership upgrades including recommendations for Fellow. Attends SSTC annual meeting and periodic leadership teleconferences Coordinate selection of new members by submitting a nomination list to SSTC Chair AIAA SSTC new members nomination Nominates Vice-Chairman Suggest individuals for functions as requested by AIAA Nominate individuals for Managers roster and submits roster update to AIAA technical activities manager and to website subcommittee chair Submits biographical sketch of nominees to SSTC Chair. Background information on individual to requester Two weeks prior to SSTC annual meeting at One week following SSTC annual meeting at Two weeks prior to SSTC annual meeting at As needed Send letter and background January AIAA Fellow Grade information Activity report Summary of accomplishments At SSTC annual meeting at Page 5
B. CONFERENCE Organize Spacecraft Structures sessions and abstract reviews for the AIAA. (See guidelines in Appendix.) Organize committee for selecting the best Spacecraft Structures Conference (SSC) paper presented at the conference, and notify AIAA Honors and Awards focal of selection. Organize Spacecraft Structures sessions at other conferences as needed Attends SSTC annual meeting and periodic leadership teleconferences Call for Papers Provide Call for Papers to AIAA Several months prior to previous Plan Spacecraft Structures sessions (See Appendix) Attend planning meetings At previous, at future, and during the fall at the future location Attend long-range planning meeting At previous and at future Coordinate abstract reviews July-September Assign abstracts to sessions August - September Discuss planning with Chair October Submit sessions plan Per AIAA schedule (Oct-Nov) Send letters to session chairs January - February Conference summary report SSTC annual meeting at Best Paper Award Send selection criteria to One month before the sessions chairs Receive nominated paper Immediately after the copies from session chairs Send copies of 10 finalist After papers to selection committee Select winner from selection committee ballots and notify SSTC Chair and AIAA September Activity report Summary of accomplishments At SSTC annual meeting at Page 6
C. PUBLICATIONS Initiates and coordinates book publications related to the SSTC as needed. Coordinates and submits the SSTC Highlights article for December issue of Aerospace America. Attends SSTC annual meeting and periodic leadership teleconferences. Book Publications Initiates and coordinates book As needed publications Highlights Article for Aerospace America Solicit inputs At and following Write and submit article Due in September for the December highlights issue Activity report Summary of accomplishments At SSTC annual meeting at D. WEBSITE Post the minutes, Highlights article, membership list, charter on the Website. Attends SSTC annual meeting and periodic leadership teleconferences. Website Updates website regularly with SSTC materials After each SSTC meeting, after the annual Highlights article is published Activity report Summary of accomplishments At SSTC annual meeting at Page 7
E. INTERNATIONAL LIAISON Keeps the SSTC abreast of relevant international developments Ensures the needs and interests of international members are accommodated by the SSTC Attends SSTC annual meeting and periodic leadership teleconferences. Notify SSTC of international As needed issues Point of contact for international members of SSTC Activity report Notifies the SSTC of relevant information At SSTC annual meeting at F. TECHNICAL COMMITTEE LIAISON Attends the meetings of relevant outside Technical Committees as a representative of the SSTC. Outside TC s may include but are not limited to the following: Structures, Adaptive Structures, Materials, Decelerator Systems, and Space Systems. Coordinates with outside Technical Committees on matters of mutual interest Attends SSTC annual meeting and periodic leadership teleconferences. Represents the SSTC on At least once a year matters of mutual interest Attends outside relevant Technical Committee Meetings Activity report Notifies the SSTC of relevant information and areas of mutual interest At SSTC annual meeting at Page 8
APPENDIX GUIDELINES FOR PLANNING TECHNICAL SESSIONS (Responsibilities may be shared by Conference Chair and Technical Chair) (April) July August November January February March April Week before Prepare new Call for Papers input prior to previous year s. Attend planning meeting at previous year s. Attend long range planning meeting at previous year s. Make list of potential session chairpersons and begin contacting them to confirm that they would be willing to serve. Plan a special panel session if desired. Find a chairperson to organize it. Identify and invite a keynote speaker. Ask for abstract reviewer volunteers Abstracts arrive. Return incomplete ones for revision before accepting them. Organize papers into sessions. 6 papers in a session is best; 7 is good; do 5 or 8 only as necessary. Prepare AIAA Session Planning Sheets. Plan the sessions schedule. Avoid scheduling an author for presentations in two concurrent sessions. Assign co-chairs to sessions (two per session). Generally, try to assign sessions within the chairpersons areas of expertise. * Avoid assigning someone to a session in which another person from the same organization is presenting a paper. (This prevents a conflict of interest in making the best paper nomination for the session.) * Avoid assigning a chairperson to any session running concurrently with another session in which that person is a presenter. Pair foreign chairs with U.S. ones. Attend fall planning meeting usually on location at the next year s. Be prepared with information about sizes of rooms needed for the sessions. Attempt to obtain adjacent rooms for concurrent sessions. Submit final Session Planning Sheets to Technical Program Chair. Write to all co-chairs with directive to contact all authors and inform you of their status. Include Session Planning Sheet (AIAA will also send this to them) and Best Paper selection criteria document, with instruction to obtain 2-3 copies of each author s paper before the conference if at all possible (to enable a head start on the nomination selection). Send paper additions and withdrawals to JPC Technical Program Chair. Call the co-chairs to check on status of papers in their sessions. Compile list of paper withdrawals and send to JPC Technical Program Chair for inclusion on conference errata sheet. Determine who next year s GSF Technical Chair will be and submit new Call for Papers to AIAA. E-mail complete withdrawals list with latest additions to AIAA paper coordinator. This is used for putting Withdrawn signs in place of withdrawn papers in paper sales room. i
At After Inform paper sales persons of any additional withdrawals. At SSTC meeting, give a briefing summarizing the conference, the number of sessions and papers, the number of withdrawals, etc. Attend long range planning meeting Attend the next year s planning meeting Introduce the SSTC keynote speaker Give instructions to all authors at one of the speaker s breakfasts Provide electronic copy of list of session chairs addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses to the chairperson of the Best Paper Award selection committee. Update the list of authors who have withdrawn papers each year from the with those who withdrew this year. Pass on the GSF technical chair material, including electronic files, to next year s chair. ii