Impulse Space and L3Harris win AIAA Los Angeles technical excellence awards

By AI, Created 6:41 PM UTC, May 28, 2026, /AGP/ – The AIAA Los Angeles Section has named Impulse Space and L3Harris Technologies its 2026 Technical Excellence Award recipients for aerospace work that includes autonomous orbital rendezvous and NASA Artemis II hardware. The honors were presented at the section’s annual awards dinner in El Segundo, California.

Why it matters: - The AIAA Los Angeles Section used its 2026 Technical Excellence Awards to recognize work that the section says has had a major impact in aerospace. - Impulse Space’s award highlights a milestone in autonomous orbital operations. - L3Harris’ award underscores the hardware and propulsion work supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission.

What happened: - The AIAA Los Angeles Section presented its 2026 Technical Excellence Awards to Impulse Space and L3Harris Technologies. - The awards were presented at the AIAA LA Section Annual Awards Dinner at the Cambria Hotel LAX in El Segundo, California. - Impulse Space received its award for the Remora Mission, in partnership with Starfish Space. - L3Harris received its award for work on the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft “Integrity” for NASA’s Artemis II mission.

The details: - Impulse Space was recognized for designing, developing and deploying an industry-first fully autonomous rendezvous and proximity operation, or RPO. - The Remora Mission used a single lightweight camera and Starfish Space’s closed-loop guidance, navigation and control software. - The maneuver brought two of Impulse Space’s Mira spacecraft within 1,250 meters of each other in low Earth orbit. - Dr. Gary Li, Impulse Space’s director of government business development, accepted the award. - L3Harris was recognized for designing, manufacturing and deploying the core stage rocket engines and key components on the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft. - The company’s work supported NASA’s Artemis II mission, which the release says set a new record for the farthest human spaceflight. - Mike Lauer, general manager and program manager for RS-25 and the Space Launch System at L3Harris, accepted the award. - The AIAA Los Angeles Section says it gives the award annually to individuals, businesses or academic groups for innovative technical achievement with a major aerospace impact. - Previous recipients include Skyryse, Millennium Space Systems, Aerojet-Rocketdyne, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Lab USA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Virgin Galactic, USC Viterbi School of Engineering Rocket Propulsion Lab and SpaceX.

Between the lines: - The selection points to growing recognition of autonomous spacecraft operations as a practical capability, not just a demonstration. - The L3Harris award signals continued emphasis on the propulsion and core systems that enable deep-space human missions. - The recipient list shows the AIAA Los Angeles Section tends to honor companies tied to both near-term flight milestones and long-horizon exploration programs.

What’s next: - The AIAA Los Angeles Section invites inquiries through Dr. Kenneth Lui. - The section also directs readers to its social media channels for updates and announcements. - More information: AIAA Los Angeles Section