I became a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) back before Christmas, 2008. I got a welcome packet with a ton of information for new members, but no card. I was a bit confused, but I moved on. (<badjoke>But it felt like I had a hole inside without that card. </badjoke>) But today, I got my AIAA card.
The front of the card look amazing. On the left of the card, there is an image of a blue sky with fluffy clouds. On the right of the card, there is a black background representing space. Down the center of the card, there are three vehicles. From top to bottom, they are: The Space Shuttle, The Wright Flyer II, and the MQ-9 Reaper. (It took me a while to see that it is not the MQ-1 Predator on the card, the Predator has a downwards pointing tail, the MQ-9 Reaper has an upwards pointing tail) In addition to that, there is the member ID and name, the AIAA logo, and the words "Member Services Card".
On the back, we have a magnetic strip. But wait, there is more. The AIAA Mission and Vision are printed on the back.
AIAA Mission: AIAA advances the state of aerospace science, engineering, and technological leadership.
AIAA Vision: AIAA is the shaping, dynamic force in aerospace - THE forum for innovation, excellence, and global leadership.
There is also the contact information the the AIAA headquarters and the AIAA West Coast Office. I feel really good today, I know I'm on the right path to becoming a leader in space habitation. I have to thank Dr. David Livingston of The Space Show for introducing me to AIAA. If you have any tips for me on how to use this membership, please comment.
