What Do Aerospace Engineers Do

From airplanes weighing more than half a million pounds to spacecraft traveling more than 17,000 miles an hour, aerospace engineering produces some of the world’s most extraordinary machines. And the people responsible for designing, constructing, and testing aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles and supervising the development of these products are aerospace engineers.

Aeronautical engineers work specifically with aircraft within aerospace engineering; astronautical engineers operate specifically with spacecraft. Aerospace engineers may become experts in aerodynamics, thermodynamics, propulsion, acoustics, and other scientific aspects integral to their field, depending on their specialization.

Careers for Aerospace Engineers

Aerospace engineers will find comprehensive job opportunities with the federal government, specifically with the U.S., to create new technology for use in aviation, defense, and space exploration. The Defense and Transportation Departments, as well as NASA. Report that aerospace engineers work in the private sector for defense contractors, commercial aircraft firms, and in the fields of technical research and development, advisory, and management.

Aerospace Engineering – Future Prospects

In these areas, aerospace engineering plays a pivotal role in national security, global communication, the economy, and much more. Aerospace engineers face enormous challenges and opportunities with such concerns and technological advancements taking a high profile in our daily lives, and those who choose this profession will gain importance as they work towards the stabilization and well-being of the world.

The following jobs would be important for aerospace engineers:

• Aircraft, spacecraft, and missile design and manufacturing. As well as government-funded agencies working on various military programs, space engineering companies would need engineers to develop missiles that support defense policies and agendas.
• Also, aerospace engineers will be involved in space companies as agencies and businesses investigate and plan for outer space travel and the possible exploration and colonization of other planets and atmospheres.

Professional society and forum for aerospace innovation, technical excellence, and global leadership, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) describes the crucial responsibilities of aerospace engineering in the development of public policies for aeronautics and astronautics. The AIAA regularly testifies before Congress on major events and programs, applying professional experience and advanced information to policy decisions at the highest levels of government, from federal aviation legislation to national security interests.

Schools & Courses with Degrees

In an ever-advancing sector, aerospace engineers hold high credentials earned through intensive study and practice. Several U.S. colleges and universities offer aerospace engineering bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees, or in aeronautical or astronautical engineering in particular. Some colleges offer instruction in aerospace engineering through their departments of mechanical engineering.

Typical aerospace engineering degree programs, along with comprehensive course work in advanced aerospace engineering subjects, include course work in general and mechanical engineering, mathematics, physical and life sciences, engineering design, and computer technology. Undergraduate students should also expect to meet the standards of general education in the social sciences or humanities.

Salaries

The U.S. BLS reports that the national annual salary for aerospace engineers is $ 115,220, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Actual wages can vary greatly depending on field specialization, venue, years of experience, and some other variables. National long-term employment growth forecasts do not reflect economic or employment conditions at local and/or short-term levels and do not guarantee actual job growth.