Aeronautical and astronautical engineering

Three MIT engineers named to the National Academy of EngineeringSeveral alumni also elected among 68 new members announced today

Ian A. Waitz named dean of MIT's School of EngineeringSixteenth dean succeeds Subra Suresh

Video: Remembering astronaut, alum Ron McNairOn 25th anniversary of the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster, AeroAstro professor Jeffrey Hoffman remembers his colleague.

Crawley wins National Academy of Engineering’s Gordon Prize$500,000 award recognizes his profound contributions to worldwide engineering education.

Frost-free planes: back to the drawing boardResearch from MIT and GE demonstrates that a proposed passive solution for preventing ice on wings won’t work — but suggests an alternative.

Student design takes flightMIT students build an unmanned aircraft for MIT Lincoln Laboratory research

Building a list of Earth candidatesMIT researchers increase their odds of detecting an Earthlike planet by working on a combination of satellite missions.

An Engineering CareerKent Kresa, former Northrop Grumman CEO and General Motors board chair, returns to MIT

Heading off traumaStudy suggests adding a face shield to military helmets would help more soldiers avoid blast-induced brain injuries.

3 Questions: John Hansman on the Qantas A380 engine blowoutMIT aviation expert discusses why the engine failure could have resulted in a more serious outcome.

A greener way to grow carbon nanotubesStudy suggests new way for manufacturers to minimize environmental impact of carbon nanotube production

Aerospace engineer Joseph Gavin ‘41, SM ‘42 dies at 90Former president of Grumman Aircraft led Lunar Module development for NASA, aided in the rescue of Apollo 13

Lending a handMIT researchers may be closer to understanding why spacesuit gloves hurt astronauts’ hands.

‘Express lanes’ for ionsBy aligning carbon nanotubes in electrodes, researchers boost performance.

MIT-led team’s eco-aircraft receives Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Innovator AwardUnique plane offers significant reduction in emissions, noise and fuel use.

A link between air travel and deaths on the groundStudy suggests pollution from airplanes flying at ‘cruise’ altitudes contributes to 8,000 deaths per year globally.

Robert J. Butler, former design research engineer at MIT, dies at 89An MIT engineer for 25 years, he helped design instruments for NASA’s Voyager spacecraft.

Scientist-astronaut and former MIT professor William B. Lenoir dies at 71An MIT junior faculty member in the 1960s, he later flew on the space shuttle and became a NASA associate administrator.

Personal cushion of airInspired by seeds, proposed air-bag system would surround astronauts and protect them during bumpy landings

A hop, skip and a jump on the moon — and beyondTeam envisions robotic spacecraft that can explore hard-to-reach areas on the moon and other planetary bodies by hopping.

3 Questions: Nicholas Roy on deploying drones in U.S. skiesMIT robotics expert discusses the logistical hurdles of regulating unmanned aircraft for civilian use.

Liebeck to receive Guggenheim MedalAeroAstro professor's award one of aerospace's highest

Fly the eco-friendly skiesMIT-led team designs airplanes that would use 70 percent less fuel than current models.

NASA chief defends Obama’s space planIn MIT visit, Charles Bolden touts proposed expansion in R&D funding

Sheila Widnall named to Toyota North American Quality Advisory PanelInstitute Professor will advise Japanese carmaker as it seeks to address quality and safety issues.

The pull of artificial gravityMIT researchers say a centrifuge on the International Space Station — hinted at in Obama’s NASA proposal — would be a boon for physiological research

In Profile: Missy CummingsFormer U.S. Naval fighter pilot aims to improve how humans and computers interact.

Covert to receive AIAA highest awardAeroAstro professor emeritus named recipient of the Reed Aeronautics Award.

Professor Emeritus Norman D. Ham, helicopter rotor design expert, dies at age 80

The 2010 Kambourides Fellow: Chad LiebermanThe third-year AeroAstro graduate student has been awarded the Kambourides Fellowship in Computational Engineering