A American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the scholarly society for the field of aerospace engineering. Based within 1963, a AIAA succeeded 2 engineering societies: the Western Interplanetary Society (AIS) down a road called the U.s. Rocket Society (ARS), founded within 1930, & a Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS), founded inside 1932.

A AIAA is the U.S. representative on the International Astronautical Federation and the International Council on the Aeronautical Sciences. As of 2004, the AIAA has to a higher degree 35,000 members. Despite its title, a society has members among aerospace agents worldwide, although a majority come U.s. and/or sleep in a United States. A few AIAA seminars & conventions come restricted to U.S. citizens, ascribable security issues.

A AIAA is split into sevener regions, Northerly-Sou'-east, South-East, Exchange, South-Central, Mid-West, West, & International. A regions come subdivided into Sections, ordinarily depending around major cities. Universities by owning software online within aerospace engineering or related fields may form Student Branches, which are then overseen & around a share funded by their parent Subdivision.

A AIAA has recognized that a U.S. aerospace industry is facing the quickly ageing manpower, & recently has begun pushing to recruit freshly students to the field. Student Branches tend to exist as on the front of this project, sustaining numerous Sections offering funding or even incentives for their Student Branches to increase membership. A AIAA presently has complete 5,000 student members.