Keywords
Citation
(2005), "IPC keynote speaker makes history", Circuit World, Vol. 31 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/cw.2005.21731aab.005
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
IPC keynote speaker makes history
IPC keynote speaker makes history
Keywords: IPC
IPC has announced that Burt Rutan, founder and CEO of Scaled Composites and designer of SpaceShipOne – the first privately funded rocket ship to carry a human into space – will be the final keynote speaker at its co-located IPC SMEMA Council's APEXÒ/IPC Printed Circuits Expo/IPC Designers Summit exhibition, which takes place on 22-24 February 2005, in Anaheim, CA.
Referred to as “the world's greatest airplane designer,” Rutan is an aviation legend, acclaimed inventor and aerospace engineer. Under his leadership, Rutan has led several teams in the development of groundbreaking aviation designs and projects.
Most recently, Rutan teamed with inventor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen to develop the SpaceShipOne program. On Monday, 21 June 2004, Test Pilot Mike Melvill guided the space vehicle to a record breaking altitude of approximately 62 miles, making Melvill the first civilian and the first private pilot to fly a spaceship out of the atmosphere.
The SpaceShipOne project now stands as the leading contender for the $10 million ANSARI X PRIZE™, a civilian space flight competition between the most talented entrepreneurs and rocket experts in the world to be the first team to privately finance, build and launch a reusable aircraft able to carry three people 62.5 miles, return safely to Earth and be re-launched within two weeks.
“We are excited to have Mr. Rutan speak to our attendees,” said Alicia Balonek, IPC's director of Trade Show Operations. “He is obviously a tried and true technologist, and, as a result, he is very particular about the composition of his audience. But in our case and because of his engineering background, he was excited to address our group”.
Perhaps best known for designing the legendary Voyager – the first aircraft to circle the world non- stop, without refueling – Rutan has received numerous awards and honorary degrees in recognition of his many engineering accomplishments. His awards include Scientific American's “Business Leader in Aerospace” (2003); the 2000 Lindbergh Award by the Lindbergh Foundation; the British Gold Medal for Aeronautics (1997) from the Royal Aeronautical Society; and the Presidential Citizen's Medal, presented by President Ronald Reagan in 1986.
He received his BS in Aeronautical Engineering at California Polytechnic University and advanced training at the Space Technology Institute at Cal Tech and the Aerospace Research Pilot's School at Edwards AFB. Rutan holds honorary doctorates from California Polytechnic State University, Daniel Webster College, Lewis University and Delft University of Technology.
For more information on Rutan and IPC's exhibition and conference, contact Joe Dudeck, IPC's communications manager, at e-mail: JoeDudeck@ipc.org