The aerospace industry has had a dramatic effect on society by allowing people to achieve something they’re physically unable to do on their own: achieve flight. Since the Wright Brothers’ flight in 1903, the industry has continuously made technical breakthroughs that have led to aircraft that are more and more capable –and that have brought about remarkable changes in our quality of life. As the pace of technological change continues to accelerate, industry observers foresee the emergence of next-generation air vehicles happening sooner rather than later to provide society with potentially profound improvements. This lecture will explore the recent achievements in aerospace, as seen through the perspective of the world’s biggest aerospace company, and will spell out potential revolutionary new ways that aerospace could change the world.