Aerospace Engineers design, develop and test aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles and supervise the manufacture of these products. Those who work with aircraft are called aeronautical engineers, and those working specifically with spacecraft are astronautical engineers. Aerospace engineers develop new technologies for use in aviation, defense systems, and space exploration, often specializing in areas such as structural design, guidance, navigation and control, instrumentation and communication, or production methods. They also may specialize in a particular type of aerospace product, such as commercial aircraft, military fighter jets, helicopters, spacecraft, or missiles and rockets, and may become experts in aerodynamics, thermodynamics, celestial mechanics, propulsion, acoustics, or guidance and control systems.

The coursework options available in this field include:

The research options in Aeronautical Engineering that are available in various US universities can be classified broadly as below:

Aerospace Computing:

Development and application of numerical techniques in the design of aerospace products. Methods are developed to solve mathematical models of fluid flow ranging from the linearized potential flow equations to the fully non-linear unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. Systems are used to analyze and design vehicles ranging from sailboats to commercial airliners.

Aero Fluid Mechanics:

Involves the study of the interaction of compressible vortices with aerodynamic surfaces, with emphasis on the noise generated by such interactions. Also dedicated to basic studies of the fundamental properties of turbulent flow. Areas of interest include measurements of the structure of turbulent flames, direct numerical simulation of free shear flows, and use of topological methods for interpretation of complex three-dimensional vector fields.

Aerospace Robotics:

Involves creation of experimental systems for developing advanced robot systems and new control techniques with applications to free-flying space robots, to undersea and air systems, to mobile ground robots, and to industrial automation. Basically an interdepartmental program, with specific application into aerospace.

Aircraft Aerodynamics and Design:

Basic research in applied aerodynamics and aircraft design. Work ranges from the development of computational and experimental methods for aerodynamic analysis to studies of unconventional aircraft concepts and new architectures for multidisciplinary design optimization. Involves studies of unusual aircraft configurations and novel flight control concepts.

Turbulence Simulations:

It is a multidisciplinary research field to develop new turbulence models and associated numerical simulation methodologies that will enable a new paradigm for the design of advanced systems in which turbulence plays a controlling role. Research aims to develop simulation technology capable of dealing with systems as complex as a full jet engine and phenomena as complex as the plasma turbulence of a Hall thruster.

GPS & Navigation:

Involved is studying and building systems for vehicle navigation and attitude determination. Since the GPS satellite navigation system became operational in 1993, there is increasing interest in an array of applications for this technology.

Guidance and Control:

Guidance and Control includes a wide spectrum of specialized research for making and testing novel instruments and control systems of extremely high precision. Applications include aerospace vehicle guidance and control, sensing instrument development and applications, internal combustion engine

feedback for improved efficiency and reduced pollution, robotics for manufacturing and operations in space, precision engineering and fabrication, and ultra-precision machine tool design and development.

Hybrid Systems:

Hybrid Systems Research involves designing algorithms for the analysis and control of complex aerodynamic systems. Research ranges from systems design and control for the next generation of Air Traffic Systems, through the development of algorithms for automatic flight-mode switching in flight management systems, to the design and control of a team of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Structures and Composites:

Research encompasses composite structural design, including vibration, stability, impact damage, and environmental effects; biological applications of composites; grid structures; composites in sports equipment; composite manufacturing; fiber optic and piezoelectric sensors; structural health monitoring; and smart structures.

Median Earnings of Aerospace Engineers:

Low: 50k / Med 100K / High $170K