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AIAA Identifies Top Tech Transforming Aerospace

2/27/2026

A new report from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) identifies the top 10 technologies poised to reshape the aerospace industry over the next two decades.

Titled “Technologies Transforming Aerospace,” the report draws on insights from a survey of more than 700 aerospace experts, as well as in-depth interviews with nearly two dozen senior technology leaders in industry, academia, and government.

The experts identified the following technologies set to transform aerospace by 2045:

  • AI-Aided Advanced Design and Engineering
  • Alternative Aviation Fuels
  • Electric Aircraft
  • Fully Reusable Launch
  • High-Temperature Materials
  • Hypersonic Propulsion
  • In-Space Manufacturing
  • Pilotless Aircraft
  • Quantum Computing and Sensing
  • Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion

“Aerospace has reached a technological inflection point,” said Clay Mowry, AIAA CEO. “The technologies highlighted in this report will permeate the aerospace supply chain over the next 20 years, increasing efficiency, enabling mobility, and transforming exploration. The signal is clear: the next aerospace era is here, and AIAA’s engineering community is equipped to shape the future using advanced computing, materials, and propulsion technologies.”

Access more information about the survey details and results via AIAA’s press release.

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