The IEEE Aerospace & Electronics Systems Society (AESS) is turning 50 years old in January 2023. The Society emerged in 1973 from several Institute of Radar Engineers groups during a period of significant research in space systems, avionics, and integrated electronics. The history of these technology innovations is significant in AESS's early influences on system designs and its continued importance on the evolution of system and digital signal processing. Because of continued industry development of space and airborne architectures and highly integrated electronics, the applications are available for worldwide commercial systems development.