Call for Papers

18 th AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference and Seminar


May 23-26, 2005
The Forum Hotel
Munich, Germany


Panorama of Munich and silhouette of the Alps

Conference & Seminar Information



Important Dates:

  • Submission of Abstracts
    April 1 - September 1, 2004

  • Notification of Acceptance
    September 30, 2004

  • Deadline for Submission of One Page Summary
    March 15, 2005

  • Deadline for Submission of Manuscript
    May 1, 2005

  • ADS Technology Seminar
    May 23, 2005

  • 17 th ADS Conference
    May 24-26, 2005


Beer garden waitress



Munich Nymphenburg (castle)

Conference and Seminar Topics:

The AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems (ADS) Technical Committee is actively seeking papers for the 18th Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference, to be held at the Forum Hotel on 24-26 May 2005 in Munich, Germany. The purpose of the conference is to provide a forum for the world’s leading experts, scientists, and engineers in parachute and aerodynamic decelerator system technologies to present recent advances in the field. The conference will foster an environment for the free exchange of information, provide an opportunity for technical interaction amongst leading researchers and developers, and cultivate an atmosphere of cooperation on an international scale in the aerodynamic decelerator systems field. For the third time, this conference is being held outside the United States in order to bolster international participation and collaboration.


A one-day ADS seminar will be presented on 23 May 2005 prior to the ADS conference. The topic “A Systems Engineering Approach to Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems ” will be presented by a panel of invited experts in the field of systems engineering and integration.

The three-day ADS conference will begin on 24 May 2005. Technical papers are solicited in all areas related to research, development and design of aerodynamic decelerator systems. These include progress, status, completion, and lessons-learned reports on any phase of the research, development, production and use of aerodynamic decelerator systems, subsystems, components, and materials. Topics range from basic research and development to applied and advanced technologies. Papers may include theoretical, experimental, and/or numerical approaches; papers bridging these approaches have additional value.

Abstract Submittal

Drafts of papers or abstracts of at least 350 words (approximately one page) are invited. All papers and presentations will be in English and must be unclassified and cleared for presentation. Abstract submissions for the conference will be accepted electronically via the AIAA Web Site. This site will be open for abstract submittal starting 1 April 2004. When submitting through the website, please indicate the appropriate technical topic area for your abstract. Authors having trouble submitting abstracts electronically should e-mail AIAA technical support. Questions about the full draft manuscripts themselves or manual abstract submissions should be referred to the Technical Chairs.


Karlsplatz Square/Stachus

Each author will be prompted to provide his or her address, corresponding author information, citation information, AV requirements, and biographical information. Finally, authors will be prompted to upload their abstracts in any one of five formats: MS Word, WordPerfect, Text, RTF, and PDF. The system will accept abstracts for this conference until 1 September 2004.

The Technical Chairs will notify authors of paper acceptance or rejection on or about 30 September 2004. Authors of accepted papers will be expected to submit camera-ready manuscripts to AIAA headquarters for publication no later than 1 May 2005. Instructions for submitting the final manuscript will be provided by AIAA when a paper has been accepted.

A bound copy of single-page technical paper synopses will be provided to each conference attendee at registration. The authors of accepted papers should submit a one-page summary to the AIAA website no later than 15 March 2005. The one-page summary will be text only with no diagrams or figures and should be based on the final manuscript being submitted.

The proceedings of the conference will be available either online from the AIAA website and/or on CD after the conference. No bound copy of the full proceedings will be prepared. Online access to the proceedings will be available to conference attendees on or about 9 May 2005.

A “no paper, no podium” rule will be strictly enforced for this conference; no author will be permitted to make a presentation at the conference if a written paper has not been submitted to AIAA Headquarters by the 1 May 2005 deadline. Prospective authors should keep this rule in mind when submitting their draft manuscript.

Technology Transfer and International Visa Considerations:
Prospective authors are reminded that technology transfer guidelines have extended the time required for review of abstracts and completed papers by U.S. government agencies. Internal (company) plus external (government) reviews can consume 16 weeks or more. Authors should determine the extent of approval necessary early in the paper preparation process to preclude paper withdrawals or late submissions.

If you require a visa for international travel, it is incumbent upon you to apply for a visa with the U.S. embassy (consular division) or consulate with ample time for processing. Due to new security-related procedures, the processing time for visa applications has been significantly increased. To avoid bureaucratic problems, AIAA strongly suggests that each prospective traveler submit their formal application to U.S. authorities a minimum of 120 days in advance of the date of anticipated travel.

Prospective visa applicants should first contact AIAA to request an official letter of invitation. Applicants should include their full name, city and country of origin, phone and fax numbers, and mailing and e-mail addresses. The invitation letter, along with the conference call for papers, should be presented along with any required documentation to U.S. consular officials as part of the formal application process.

Organizing Committee

General Chair
Mr. Timothy Lott
Textron Systems
Phone: 978-657-2350
tlott@systems.textron.com

Administrative Chair
Mr. Thomas Jann
Institute of Flight Systems
Phone: +49-531-295-2682
thomas.jann@dlr.de

Technical Co-Chair
Dr. Kenneth J. Desabrais
U.S. Army - Natick Soldier Center
Phone: 508-233-5946
kenneth.desabrais@natick.army.mil

Technical Co-Chair
Mr. Paul Mortaloni
U.S. Army - Yuma Proving Ground
Phone: 928-328-6781
paul.mortaloni@yuma.army.mil

Additional Information

The Forum Hotel - Munich

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