NASA's normally vibrant presence at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' showcase Aviation and Ascend events was cut to the bone this year as the agency faces crippling budget cuts.

Aviation Week's Graham Warwick, Guy Norris and Garrett Reim were in Las Vegas for the events. They share their impressions from there and concerns about what the NASA cuts could mean for U.S. competitiveness in commercial aviation and space.