June 15, 2016: AIAA Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala, Washington DC.
Standex ETG Technical Representative, Dr. T. Kent Pugmire, was recently honored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) as a Class of 2016 Fellows.
Pugmire has worked with Spincraft / Standex ETG for 20+ years as Technical Representative and Consultant to the Space Systems market. Members of the ETG team were on hand for the celebration, joining several of Pugmire’s family members and business associates at the AIAA Spotlight Awards Gala held in Washington DC June 15, 2016.
AIAA Fellows are recognized as “persons of distinction in aeronautics or astronautics, who have made notable and valuable contributions to the arts, sciences, or technology thereof.” The AIAA board of directors elects only 1 Fellow per 1,000 members; with 24 Fellows appointed to the 2016 Class.
Pugmire was acknowledged by the Institute for his ‘ pioneering contributions to the design, development, and application of in-space propulsion systems, and a half-century of service to AIAA’.
A member of the Institute for 55 years with over 70 publications, Pugmire, a 30 yr. active member of the Liquid Propulsion Technical Committee, has organized and chaired over 50 Joint Propulsion Conference sessions. He developed arc heated reentry test facilities for primes and NASA followed by invention and development of electro-thermal heated engines and propulsion systems for 40 spacecraft, commencing operational use of electric propulsion for spacecraft. One of Pugmire’s electro-thermal concepts is the ongoing basis of over 250, long life, station keeping engines.
ETG President, Len Paolillo, commented: “The recognition Kent received for his contributions to AIAA and to the Aerospace community was overdue and very well deserved. Kent has long been a key contributor to ETG with his technical expertise and business acumen, and a trusted adviser to me personally for a number of years. The entire ETG team is honored and proud to have Kent as our colleague.”