Aerospace Engineering

By Author: Erik Hervas
Total Articles: 4717
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In the 1950, two highly specialized sciences combined to become known as aerospace engineering. The two fields represented by the term are aeronautics and astronautics, the study of flight within the earth’s atmosphere, and the study of flight in outer space respectively.

The new designation of study evolved as the U.S. answered Russia’s technology advances. Russia launched the Sputnik satellite in 1957, and the space race was on. The United States began pouring money and efforts into keeping up, and then surpassing the Russian successes in space. In 1958 the first American satellite was launched.

Jobs in engineering spawned from American competition, both militarily and privately. The military saw the potential of defense systems able to spy on unfriendly nations, and the private sector saw potential advances in communication and travel. With both sectors driving the technology advancement, money poured in, and engineering jobs could not be filled fast enough.

The development of aerospace technology has continued, and encompasses complex sciences such as avionics, aerodynamics, ...
... vehicle propulsion, and structural analysis. The student hoping to land engineering jobs in the aerospace industry can expect to undergo rigorous vocational requirements, but the possibilities of advanced careers in a highly trained field are promising.

The industry requires teams of engineers to develop flight vehicles, which must withstand extreme changes in atmospheric pressure, temperature, and dynamic loads. Aerospace engineers are responsible for designing, testing, and overseeing the building of all types of aircraft, spacecraft, and defense weaponry such as missiles and rockets.

The financial burden of development must also be considered by the engineers. The pursuit of space exploration and defense systems is expensive and the benefits of the advances have to be weighed according to the cost.

In recent times, students have wondered if the market for jobs in engineering will be sufficient to find employment upon graduation. However, research has shown that engineering fields remain strong and are expected to increase at the rate of 11% over the next seven years. Aerospace is ranked in the top five engineering branches in demand.
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Aerospace engineering jobs has advanced technology from the first satellite launched into orbit, to prospective orbital space habitats. The amazing display of engineering ability should continue to wow the world for many generations.