Aerospace engineering uses physics and chemistry to design practical solutions for fluid flow problems. It is related to mechanical engineering and uses computer technology in design. Aerospace engineers work in aviation, military, and space industries. They use computer tools to model fluid flow and can specialize in graduate programs. They also work in the automotive industry and civilian space programs.
Aerospace engineering uses the physical sciences to design solutions to practical problems involving the flow of fluids. It is closely related to mechanical engineering, which students often study before aerospace subjects. In the workplace, it is a field that makes heavy use of computer technology in the design stage. Aerospace engineers often work for the aviation industry, the military, or the space program.
The sciences of physics and chemistry are the basis of aerospace engineering. In particular, the field is usually concerned with the flow of fluid past a rigid object, rather than just the interactions between rigid objects. The discipline that seeks to understand the flow of fluids is called fluid mechanics. The engineering part of aerospace engineering refers to applying this knowledge to building practical devices.
There are undergraduate and graduate programs for aerospace engineering. For graduate programs, however, the field is often combined with a curriculum in mechanical engineering. Many colleges do not offer college-level degrees at all. When an aerospace program is offered, it typically shares many common courses with the mechanical engineering track. The graduate level, on the other hand, can offer significant specialization in aerospace engineering.
Aerospace engineers are increasingly using computer tools in their professions. These can be useful in modeling fluid flow, which is typically too complex to predict and visualize using hand calculations. Computers, however, can perform millions of calculations and solve previously unsolvable problems. Because fluids behave in predictable ways, a computer can combine many predictions to show how a larger system would behave.
Aside from the civilian airline industry, aerospace engineers often find work with the military or its contractors. The Army employs aerospace engineers to develop a variety of defense aircraft and missiles. They can also work to make ships more streamlined in the water. In fact, aerospace engineers have been working in the automotive industry to make car shapes more aerodynamic. By designing the body of cars in a particular way, engineers can make them more fuel efficient or more stable at high speeds.
Another area where aerospace engineers work is the civilian space program. The civilian space program is typically led by government agencies, such as the US National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA). Space agencies directly employ aerospace engineers and hire them as contractors. These agencies pursue goals such as exploration, both manned and robotic, of the solar system’s moons, planets, and asteroids. Since spacecraft must travel through the atmosphere on rockets, aerospace engineers play a crucial role in successful space missions.
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