Aerospace engineering
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Names | Aerospace engineer |
Occupation type | Profession |
Activity sectors | Aeronautics, astronautics, science |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Technical knowledge, analytical skills, management skills (see also glossary of aerospace engineering) |
Education required | Bachelor's degree |
Fields of employment | Technology, science, space exploration, military |
| Part of a series on |
| Astrodynamics |
|---|
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. 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. Aerospace engineering, particularly the astronautics branch, is often colloquially referred to as "rocket science".