Members

Prof. Wu Meirong was the Director General of the China Center for Resources Satellite Data & Application (CRESDA), Beijing, China. She was responsible for the design and development of the Data Processing System for the transmitted data from three sensors (CCD, IRMSS and WFI) aboard the first of China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS-1) and received by three ground stations simultaneously. She participated in the development of automatic pre-launch testing and checking systems for different launchers. She also participated in the design of 1st digital control for launchers. She was responsible for the development of methods for the testing, evaluating and replacing critical components of rockets to extend its storage life to three times its designed value. With such a record, she was elected a member of the International Academy of Astronautics in 2001 after a bright leadership of an IAA symposium in China. She started to be member of the IAA Board of Trustees, Social Sciences, in 2003 under the presidency of Ed Stone and the vice-Presidents K. Kasturirangan (India), Hiroki Matsuo (Japan), Yuri Koptev (Russia) and Hubert Curien (France). Her twenty years at the IAA Board were highlighted with responsibilities in various standing committees including the finance committee where she successfully stimulated support in China. In 2014 Prof. Wu Meirong received the most prestigious award of the Academy, the von Karman Award. She was the second woman to receive this premier award. Before her, only Eilene Galloway (USA) received such a distinction in 1986 and after her, only last year Chiaki Mukai (Japan) received such a distinction. The 2014 award ceremony was quite special as it happened during the gala dinner at the Ronald Reagan World Trade Center of Washington DC, USA, in front of 500 participants and 35 Heads of Space Agencies for the largest Summit ever organized. Prof. Wu Meirong passed away on July 28, 2024, in Beijing at the age of 88. As per the wishes of her family, the farewell ceremony will be held at 10 am on August 1, 2024, in the Orchid Hall of Babaoshan Funeral Home. In addition to her expertise, we will all remember her mastering to speak several languages, her impressive leadership among scientific audiences, her culture in art and wonderful voice to sing opera among friend circles. We are missing not only a real scientific expert but a friend for so many all over the world.

Prof. Edward C. Stone, former IAA President and director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, longtime project scientist of the agency’s Voyager mission, died on June 9, 2024. Ed Stone was elected IAA Corresponding Member in 1982 and Full Member Section 1 on Basic Sciences in 1985. He was IAA President from 2003 to 2009. He was David C. Duncan Professor in the Physical Sciences, Chair, Department of Astronomy, Cornell University. He was an Associate Professor at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, USA. His research interests concerned theoretical studies of outer solar system bodies: interiors, surfaces and atmospheres, with emphasis on physical chemistry of volatile constituents ; interpretation of spacecraft and ground-based data relevant to such objects, Solar system origin, Physical and chemical processes, in substellar-mass extra-solar objects, Chemistry and dynamics in Earth's atmosphere. Member of NAS.

IAA Newly Elected Full Members received their certificates and IAA pins from IAA President John Schumacher, IAA Vice-President Scientific Activities Ralph McNutt, IAA Vice-President Awards & Membership Chrisoula Kourtidou-Papadeli, IAA Vice-President Publications & Communication Marius-Ioan Piso, and IAA Vice-President Finance Shigeki Kinai, on Monday 25 March 2024 in Paris, France during the IAA Award Dinner ceremony. Photo: Jean-Michel Contant (France), Chrysoula Kourtidou-Papadeli (Greece), Marius-Ioan Piso (Romania), Ralph McNutt (USA), Holger Krag (Germany), Christopher Geiger (USA), Piero Messina (Italy), Peter Ekweozoh (Nigeria), Salvador Landeros Ayala (Mexico), Scott Madry (USA), Shigeki Kinai (Japan), Yuichiro Tsuda (Japan), John Schumacher (USA).

Patrizia Caraveo, IAA Corresponding Member section 1, received the IAA Basic Sciences Book Award 2023 of the International Academy of Astronautics on March 25, 2024 in Paris, France for the book "Saving the Starry Night". Photo: Marius-Ioan Piso (Romania), Jean-Michel Contant (France), Chrysoula Kourtidou-Papadeli (Greece), Patrizia Caraveo (Italy), Ralph McNutt (USA), Shigeki Kinai (Japan), John Schumacher (USA).

IAA Newly Elected Corresponding Members received their certificates and IAA pins on Monday 25 March 2024 in Paris, France during the IAA Award Dinner ceremony.  Photo: Jean-Michel Contant (France), Chrysoula Kourtidou-Papadeli (Greece), Marius-Ioan Piso (Romania), Ralph McNutt (USA), Atsuya Takeshita (Japan), Irina Dyachuk (Ukraine), Adrianos Golemis (Greece), Georg Herdrich (Germany), Thomas Widemann (France), Martin Dominik (UK), Shigeki Kinai (Japan), John Schumacher (USA).

Chiaki Mukai, IAA Member of the Life Sciences section, received the Theodore von Karman Award of the International Academy of Astronautics on October 1st, 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: Shigeki Kinai (Japan), John Schumacher (USA), Julie Payette (Canada), Marius-Ioan Piso (Romania), Chiaki Mukai (Japan),  Ralph McNutt (USA), Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu (Romania), Jean-Michel Contant (France), Elena Fomina (Russia).

Oliver Ullrich, IAA Member section 3, received the Life Sciences Award 2023 of the International Academy of Astronautics on October 1st, 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: Elena Fomina (Russia), Oliver Ullrich (Germany), Jean-Michel Contant (France), Marius-Ioan Piso (Romania).

Anna Kussmaul, IAA Member section 3, received the Life Sciences Award 2021 of the International Academy of Astronautics on October 1st, 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: Anna Kussmaul (Russia), Elena Fomina (Russia), Jean-Michel Contant (France).

Nickolay Smirnov, IAA Member section 2, received the Engineering Sciences Award 2020 of the International Academy of Astronautics on October 1st, 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: Marius-Ioan Piso (Romania), Nickolay Smirnov (Russia), Jean-Michel Contant (France).

Martha Mejia-Kaiser, IAA Member section 4, received the Social Sciences Book Award 2023 of the International Academy of Astronautics on October 1st, 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The Geostationary Ring – Practice and Law Studies in Space Law, Martha Mejia-Kaiser. Photo: Marius-Ioan Piso (Romania), Martha Mejia-Kaiser (Mexico), Jean-Michel Contant (France).