The following statement can be attributed to American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) President Roger Simpson:

“We congratulate the crew of STS-115, NASA and its partners on a successful mission. The deployment of the solar arrays was truly one of the most challenging construction tasks in space history and represents a major addition to the International Space Station. Perhaps just as significant, the mission heralds the return to construction of the International Space Station. STS-115 brings us decidedly closer to realizing the completion of the station and fulfilling our vision of international cooperation in space.”

Headquartered in suburban Washington, DC, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) serves over 35,000 members in 65 regional sections and 79 countries. AIAA membership is drawn from all levels of industry, academia, private research organizations, and government and focuses on emerging technologies in aviation, space and defense. For more information visit www.aiaa.org