AIAA Los Angeles Section Special Event 7/27

An AIAA LA Neil's Day / Apollo 11 Moon Landing Anniversary Event

(In-person attendance)

Monday, July 27, 2026, 6:30 PM PDT (GMT -0700) (5:00 PM Check-in Networking) 
(Family, adults, professionals, students, and the public are all welcome.)

(RSVP / registration online is preferred for seating / logistics.) (Limited seats. If you can't attend in person, please don't register, or please let us know you could no longer attend if you have already registered.)

Tentative Agenda (All Times PDT (GMT -0700) (U.S. and Canada)):

5:00 PM: Check-in and Networking (Welcome to bring your own dinner or join group order.)

6:30 PM: Fireside Chat (with Q&A)

7:45 PM: Adjourn. Networking

8:30 PM: Attendees to leave the Community Room

9:00 PM: Library closes

Disclaimer: The views of the speakers do not represent the views of AIAA or the AIAA Los Angeles Section.

John "Danny" Olivas, PhD PE

Former NASA Astronaut

Danny Olivas is a former NASA astronaut who flew two Space Shuttle missions. He has performed five spacewalks including the only on orbit repair to the thermal protection system of Atlantis. He also made history by being the first Mexican-American spacewalker and holds a PhD in Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering. Through his engineering space career, he has worked on projects ranging from designing spaceports to spacesuits. He was most recently commissioned by NASA to perform an independent technical assessment on the heatshield prior to the historic launch of Artemis II.

Danny is one of the founding members of Astronauts For America, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to defending the U.S. Constitution, promoting science, upholding the rule of law, and reinvigorating democratic values.

He is a recipient of two NASA Space Flight Medals and the NASA Exceptional Service and Exceptional Achievement Medals. 

(Moderator)

Dr. Jeff Puschell

AIAA Region VI Deputy Director of Education,

AIAA Fellow, SPIE Fellow, National Academy of Engineering,

Northrop Grumman Corporation | Space Systems

Dr. Jeff Puschell is Chief Engineer, EO/lR Payloads at Northrop Grumman Space Park in Redondo Beach, California. He is an internationally recognized expert in the system engineering of space-based imaging and remote sensing systems. He has >40 years of experience in developing advanced technology infrared and visible wavelength systems for a variety of operational and research applications. Dr. Puschell has authored or coauthored >160 papers on a variety of topics in astrophysics, imaging, remote sensing and optical communication. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2024 for development of optical, multispectral, and hyperspectral space-based remote sensing systems for Earth observation. Dr. Puschell is an AIAA Fellow and a SPIE Fellow. He and his wife Dana live in Solvang and Hermosa Beach, California.

Donation to Astronauts For America (AFA) is welcome

Please use the Add-on option for donation during RSVP, and select the option for Donation to AFA.

AIAA Los Angeles Section will mail the donations to AFA for the amount received via this event that are dedicated to AFA.

Thank you very much!

No money transaction or solicitations anywhere inside the Palos Verdes Peninsula Center Library.

[AIAA Los Angeles Section], [contact@aiaa-lalv.org], [https://www.aiaa-lalv.org]

Peninsula Center Library (Community Room)

701 Silver Spur Rd, Community Room, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274

Parking lots and the Library main entrance on Deep Valley Drive