Aerospace engineering

Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of
aircraft and spacecraft.[3] It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering
and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is similar, but deals with the electronics side
of aerospace engineering.
"Aeronautical engineering" was the original term for the field. As flight technology advanced to
include vehicles operating in outer space, the broader term "aerospace engineering" has come
into use.[4] Aerospace engineering, particularly the astronautics branch, is often colloquially
referred to as "rocket science".[5][a]
Overview

Flight vehicles are subjected to demanding conditions such as those caused by changes in
atmospheric pressure and temperature, with structural loads applied upon vehicle components.
Consequently, they are usually the products of various technological and engineering disciplines
including aerodynamics, Air propulsion, avionics, materials science, structural analysis and
manufacturing. The interaction between these technologies is known as aerospace engineering.
Because of the complexity and number of disciplines involved, aerospace engineering is carried
out by teams of engineers, each having their own specialized area of expertise.[7]
History

Orville and Wilbur Wright flew the

Wright Flyer in 1903 at Kitty Hawk,
North Carolina.
The origin of aerospace engineering can be traced back to the aviation pioneers around the late
19th to early 20th centuries, although the work of Sir George Cayley dates from the last decade
of the 18th to the mid-19th century. One of the most important people in the history of
aeronautics[8] and a pioneer in aeronautical Aerospace engineer
engineering,[9] Cayley is credited as the first
person to separate the forces of lift and drag,
which affect any atmospheric flight vehicle.[10]
Early knowledge of aeronautical engineering
was largely empirical, with some concepts and
skills imported from other branches of
engineering.[11] Some key elements, like fluid NASA engineers, seen here in mission control
dynamics, were understood by 18th-century during Apollo 13, worked to ensure the
safety of the operation and astronauts
scientists. [12]
onboard
In December 1903, the Wright Brothers Occupation
performed the first sustained, controlled flight
of a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft, lasting Names Aerospace engineer
12 seconds. The 1910s saw the development of Engineer
aeronautical engineering through the design of Occupation type Profession
World War I military aircraft. Activity sectors Aeronautics,
Between World Wars I and II, great leaps were astronautics, science
made in the field, accelerated by the advent of Description
mainstream civil aviation. Notable airplanes of
this era include the Curtiss JN 4, the Farman F.60 Competencies Technical
Goliath, and Fokker Trimotor. Notable military knowledge,
airplanes of this period include the Mitsubishi management skills
(see also glossary of
A6M Zero, the Supermarine Spitfire and the aerospace
Messerschmitt Bf 109 from Japan, United engineering)
Kingdom, and Germany respectively. A
significant development in aerospace Education required Bachelor's
engineering came with the first operational Jet degree [1][2]

engine-powered airplane, the Messerschmitt Me Fields of Technology, science,

262 which entered service in 1944 towards the employment space exploration,
end of the Second World War.[13] military
The first definition of aerospace engineering
appeared in February 1958,[4] considering the Earth's atmosphere and outer space as a single
realm, thereby encompassing both aircraft (aero) and spacecraft (space) under the newly coined
term aerospace.
In response to the USSR launching the first satellite, Sputnik, into space on October 4, 1957, U.S.
aerospace engineers launched the first American satellite on January 31, 1958. The National
Aeronautics and Space Administration was founded in 1958 as a response to the Cold War. In
1969, Apollo 11, the first human space mission to the moon took place. It saw three astronauts
enter orbit around the Moon, with two, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, visiting the lunar surface.
The third astronaut, Michael Collins, stayed in orbit to rendezvous with Armstrong and Aldrin
after their visit.[14]

A F/A-18F Super Hornet in flight,

2008
An important innovation came on January 30, 1970, when the Boeing 747 made its first
commercial flight from New York to London. This aircraft made history and became known as the
"Jumbo Jet" or "Whale"[15] due to its ability to hold up to 480 passengers.[16]
Another significant development in aerospace engineering came in 1976, with the development
of the first passenger supersonic aircraft, the Concorde. The development of this aircraft was
agreed upon by the French and British on November 29, 1962.[17]
On December 21, 1988, the Antonov An-225 Mriya cargo aircraft commenced its first flight. It
holds the records for the world's heaviest aircraft, heaviest airlifted cargo, and longest airlifted
cargo, and has the widest wingspan of any aircraft in operational service.[18]
On October 25, 2007, the Airbus A380 made its maiden commercial flight from Singapore to
Sydney, Australia. This aircraft was the first passenger plane to surpass the Boeing 747 in terms
of passenger capacity, with a maximum of 853. Though development of this aircraft began in
1988 as a competitor to the 747, the A380 made its first test flight in April 2005.[19]
Elements

Wernher von Braun, with the F-1

engines of the Saturn V first stage at
the US Space and Rocket Center

Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft

engineered for descent by parachute

A fighter jet engine undergoing

testing. The tunnel behind the
engine allows noise and exhaust to
escape.
Some of the elements of aerospace engineering are:[20][21]
Radar cross-section – the study of vehicle signature apparent to remote sensing by radar.
Fluid mechanics – the study of fluid flow around objects. Specifically aerodynamics concerning
the flow of air over bodies such as wings or through objects such as wind tunnels (see also lift
and aeronautics).
Astrodynamics – the study of orbital mechanics including prediction of orbital elements when
given a select few variables. While few schools in the United States teach this at the
undergraduate level, several have graduate programs covering this topic (usually in
conjunction with the Physics department of said college or university).
Statics and Dynamics (engineering mechanics) – the study of movement, forces, moments in
mechanical systems.
Mathematics – in particular, calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra.
Electrotechnology – the study of electronics within engineering.
Propulsion – the energy to move a vehicle through the air (or in outer space) is provided by
internal combustion engines, jet engines and turbomachinery, or rockets (see also propeller
and spacecraft propulsion). A more recent addition to this module is electric propulsion and ion
propulsion.
Control engineering – the study of mathematical modeling of the dynamic behavior of systems
and designing them, usually using feedback signals, so that their dynamic behavior is desirable
(stable, without large excursions, with minimum error). This applies to the dynamic behavior of
aircraft, spacecraft, propulsion systems, and subsystems that exist on aerospace vehicles.
Aircraft structures – design of the physical configuration of the craft to withstand the forces
encountered during flight. Aerospace engineering aims to keep structures lightweight and
low-cost while maintaining structural integrity.[22]
Materials science – related to structures, aerospace engineering also studies the materials of
which the aerospace structures are to be built. New materials with very specific properties are
invented, or existing ones are modified to improve their performance.
Solid mechanics – Closely related to material science is solid mechanics which deals with stress
and strain analysis of the components of the vehicle. Nowadays there are several Finite
Element programs such as MSC Patran/Nastran which aid engineers in the analytical process.
Aeroelasticity – the interaction of aerodynamic forces and structural flexibility, potentially
causing flutter, divergence, etc.
Avionics – the design and programming of computer systems on board an aircraft or
spacecraft and the simulation of systems.
 Software – the specification, design, development, test, and implementation of computer
software for aerospace applications, including flight software, ground control software, test &
evaluation software, etc.
Risk and reliability – the study of risk and reliability assessment techniques and the
mathematics involved in the quantitative methods.
Noise control – the study of the mechanics of sound transfer.
Aeroacoustics – the study of noise generation via either turbulent fluid motion or aerodynamic
forces interacting with surfaces.
Flight testing – designing and executing flight test programs in order to gather and analyze
performance and handling qualities data in order to determine if an aircraft meets its design
and performance goals and certification requirements.
The basis of most of these elements lies in theoretical physics, such as fluid dynamics for
aerodynamics or the equations of motion for flight dynamics. There is also a large empirical
component. Historically, this empirical component was derived from testing of scale models and
prototypes, either in wind tunnels or in the free atmosphere. More recently, advances in
computing have enabled the use of computational fluid dynamics to simulate the behavior of the
fluid, reducing time and expense spent on wind-tunnel testing. Those studying hydrodynamics or
hydroacoustics often obtain degrees in aerospace engineering.
Additionally, aerospace engineering addresses the integration of all components that constitute
an aerospace vehicle (subsystems including power, aerospace bearings, communications, thermal
control, life support system, etc.) and its life cycle (design, temperature, pressure, radiation,
velocity, lifetime).
Degree programs

Aerospace engineering may be studied at the advanced diploma, bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D.
levels in aerospace engineering departments at many universities, and in mechanical engineering
departments at others. A few departments offer degrees in space-focused astronautical
engineering. Some institutions differentiate between aeronautical and astronautical engineering.
Graduate degrees are offered in advanced or specialty areas for the aerospace industry.
A background in chemistry, physics, computer science and mathematics is important for students
pursuing an aerospace engineering degree.[23]
In popular culture

The term "rocket scientist" is sometimes used to describe a person of great intelligence since
rocket science is seen as a practice requiring great mental ability, especially technically and
mathematically. The term is used ironically in the expression "It's not rocket science" to indicate
that a task is simple.[24] Strictly speaking, the use of "science" in "rocket science" is a misnomer
since science is about understanding the origins, nature, and behavior of the universe;
engineering is about using scientific and engineering principles to solve problems and develop
new technology.[5][6] The more etymologically correct version of this phrase would be "rocket
engineer". However, "science" and "engineering" are often misused as synonyms.[5][6][25]
See also

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

American Helicopter Society International
Flight test
Glossary of aerospace engineering
Index of aerospace engineering articles
List of aerospace engineering schools
List of aerospace engineers
List of Russian aerospace engineers
Sigma Gamma Tau – aerospace engineering honor society
Space Power Facility
Footnotes

a. However, "rocket science" is a misnomer as aerospace engineers are not scientists,[5][6] and do not
necessarily work on rocket propulsion.
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24. Bailey, Charlotte (7 November 2008). "Oxford compiles list of top ten irritating phrases" (https://www.tel
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Further reading

Dharmahinder Singh Chand. Aero-Engineering Thermodynamics. Knowledge Curve, 2017.

ISBN 978-93-84389-16-1.
External links

NDTAeroTech.com, The Online Community for Aerospace Wikiversity has learning

NDT Professionals (https://web.archive.org/web/200906010 resources about
84901/http://ndtaerotech.com/) Aerospace engineering

Wikimedia Commons has

Kroo, Ilan. "Aircraft Design: Synthesis and Analysis" (https:// media related to
Aerospace engineering.
web.archive.org/web/20010223232617/http://adg.stanford.e
du/aa241/AircraftDesign.html) . Stanford University. Archived from the original (http://adg.sta
nford.edu/aa241/AircraftDesign.html) on 23 February 2001. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
Air Service Training Aviation Maintenance UK (http://www.airservicetraining.co.uk/)
Question and Answer (https://adaptandlearn.online/levele2?q1=Engineering&q2=Aeronautica
l%20Engineering#0) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20211114172352/https://adapta
ndlearn.online/levele2?q1=Engineering&q2=Aeronautical%20Engineering) 2021-11-14 at the
Wayback Machine
DTIC ADA032206: Chinese-English Aviation and Space Dictionary (https://archive.org/details/D
TIC_ADA032206)