UCCS Welcomes the AIAA Rocky Mountain Section Annual Technical Symposium
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is excited to host the AIAA Rocky Mountain Section (RMS) Annual Technical Symposium (ATS) on September 12, 2025. This prestigious event brings together regional leaders, technical experts, and academics from the aerospace and astronautics industries. ATS serves as a forum to shape the industry's future, offering a platform for professionals at all career stages to gather, network, and collaborate. It's an opportunity to explore new topics, gather inspiration, and make the connections needed to turn ideas into reality.
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Keynotes
Bruno Bachinger
Bruno Bachinger is the Chief Engineer at Radia, overseeing all technical development for the WindRunner project. Before this, he served as Director of the Flight Sciences IPT at Radia, leading teams in aerodynamics, performance, loads and dynamics, mass properties, stability and control, and acoustics.
He was Director of Flight Physics at Archer Aviation, a leading eVTOL startup. Prior to that, he spent 23 years at Boeing in both Commercial and Military divisions, managing engineering in research and product development. His projects ranged from commercial airliner design and Open Rotor feasibility to scramjet-powered hypersonic vehicles (NASA X-43 Hyper-X) and advanced aircraft concepts like the Blended Wing Body and Low Boom supersonics.
He holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and an MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business.
Col Charles Cooper is the Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Space Operations Command(SpOC), U.S. Space Force at Peterson SFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado. In this role,he synchronizes and integrates policy, plans, procedures, and cross functionalteams across one thousand two hundred headquarters personnel to support over nineteen thousand air and space mission ready personnel.
Colonel Cooper graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology and earned his commission from the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2004. Heis a Master Space Operations officer and has commanded the 533d TrainingSquadron. Col Cooper has served in a variety of operational and staff positionswithin the Space Force, Air Force, and National Reconnaissance Office.
Prior to his current position, Col Cooper was the Deputy Director, Plans, Programs and Requirements, Space Training and Readiness Command, Peterson SFB,Colorado.
Colonel Charles Cooper
Mike Dickey
Mike Dickey, Founding Partner of Elara Nova, is a career aerospace executive specializing in national security and U.S. space competitiveness. A former Air Force officer and senior civilian leader, Dickey served as Chief Architect of Air Force Space Command and then the U.S. Space Force as well as instrumental in standing up the Space Warfighting Analysis Center.. His career spans space operations with the Air Force and NRO, missile defense development, B-2 bomber flight testing, and NASA ISS support.
He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado, a Master of Strategic Studies from Air University, and has earned numerous military and industry honors, including the NASA Group Achievement Medal and NRO Gold Medal.
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Schedule
Friday September 12th
7:45am – 12:00pm
8:05am – 8:30am
9:00am – 4:00pm
8:30am – 9:15am
9:20am – 10:10am
10:10am – 10:30am
10:30am – 11:15am
11:15am – 12:00pm
12:00pm – 12:45pm
12:45pm – 1:00pm
1:00pm – 3:00pm
3:00pm – 4:00pm
4:00pm – 4:15pm
4:15pm – 5:00pm
5:00pm – 5:15pm
5:15pm – 7:00pm
Check-In
Welcome Opening - UCCS, AIAA, State Representatives
Exhibit Hall
Morning Keynote - Bruno Bachinger, Chief Engineer, Radia, Inc.
Panel - Aerospace Innovation in Colorado
Networking Break
Future Aerospace Innovation Fireside Chat (small-medium businesses)
Networking & Lunch
Lunch Keynote - Col Charles Cooper, Chief of Staff, USSF/SpOC
Networking Break
4 Technical Tracks (5 talks each; 20 total)
Exhibit Hall Afternoon Break & Poster Session
Networking Break
Closing Keynote - Mike Dickey, Founding Partner, Elara Nova
Closing Remarks and Poster Awards
Happy Hour Clyde’s @UCCS and Silent Auction
7:45am – 12:00pm
Check-In
8:05am – 8:30am
Welcome Opening - UCCS, AIAA, State Representatives
9:00am – 4:00pm
Exhibit Hall
8:30am – 9:15am
Morning Keynote - Bruno Bachinger, Chief Engineer, Radia, Inc.
9:20am – 10:10am
Panel - Aerospace Innovation in Colorado
10:10am – 10:30am
Networking Break
10:30am – 11:15am
Future Aerospace Innovation Fireside Chat (small-medium businesses)
11:15am – 12:00pm
Networking & Lunch
12:00pm – 12:45pm
Lunch Keynote - Col Charles Cooper, Chief of Staff, USSF/SpOC
12:45pm – 1:00pm
Networking Break
1:00pm – 3:00pm
4 Technical Tracks (5 talks each; 20 total)
3:00pm – 4:00pm
Exhibit Hall Afternoon Break & Poster Session
4:00pm – 4:15pm
Networking Break
4:15pm – 5:00pm
Closing Keynote - Mike Dickey, Founding Partner, Elara Nova
5:00pm – 5:15pm
Closing Remarks and Poster Awards
5:15pm – 7:00pm
Happy Hour Clyde’s @UCCS and Silent Auction
