Aerospace Engineering: What Does It Do And Accomplish?

Aerospace, the field of engineering concerned with developing aircraft and spacecraft, encompasses different areas ranging from flight technology to rocket science. Here’s a brief introduction to this field and why it matters in today’s world.

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Aerospace engineering deals with the design and building of machines that fly. It began in the 19th century with the first experiments in powered flight, and as technology improved, specialties surfaced in the form of aeronautical engineering (designing aircraft such as helicopters and gliders) and astronautical engineering (focusing on spacecraft design and development).

Note that the design of a flight vehicle demands knowledge of many engineering disciplines. It is rare that one person takes on the entire task. Instead, organizations hire design teams specializing in aerodynamics, structural design, propulsion systems, avionics, materials, and control systems. Compromised designs integrate the vehicle specifications as well as available technology and economic feasibility.

Aerospace engineering entails in-depth skills and technical understanding of math, physics, materials science, and aerodynamics. Professionals in this area should be familiar with advanced materials and are also increasingly reliant on computer-aided design (CAD) systems for design drafting and modification along with 3D visualization.

Governments are the usual clients of the aerospace industry, as most of these engineers work on designing military vehicles. The biggest demand also comes from transport, missile, spacecraft and general aviation industries. NASA, for instance, employs many of these specialists, and the recent space race among private firms like SpaceX fuel growth and demand for this expertise.

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Peter Zieve is an inventor with 23 patents and the owner of an innovative business. He is the founder and CEO of Electroimpact Inc., a world leader in design and manufacturing of aerospace tooling and automation. The company is a highly experienced aerospace automation company with an exceptional concentration of engineers. Learn more on this page.