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Aerospace Engineering

Prospective Students

aerospace engineering
 
 

 

Program Overview

All Aerospace Engineering students take the same introductory Aerospace, engineering mechanics and computing courses during their sophomore year, but at the start of their Junior year, the students may choose one of two specific tracks of study in either Aeronautics or Astronautics. Those students who select "aero" study topics including aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and flight vehicle performance. Students in the "astro" track focus their studies on the space environment, astrodynamics, spacecraft systems, and spacecraft attitude dynamics and control. Both tracks conclude with a culminating design course where Midshipmen apply their engineering knowledge to the design of an aero or space flight vehicle to emphasize the hands-on aspects of conceiving, designing, building, and operating flight vehicles.

The department faculty includes both civilian and military professors from a variety of backgrounds. The Naval Academy's aerospace laboratory facilities are some of the most advanced and extensive in the country and include structures labs, propulsion and rotor labs, simulation labs, subsonic and supersonic wind tunnels, computer labs, and the Satellite Ground Station.

Upon commissioning, there is ample opportunity for students to apply their skills and background in aerospace engineering. These skills are demonstrated when the graduates are faced with everyday technical problems in areas such as flight testing, aircraft and space vehicle design, propulsion tailoring and weapons systems integration. Graduates from the aerospace engineering major are also fully prepared to undertake postgraduate education programs in engineering disciplines at the Naval Postgraduate School, Air Force Institute of Technology, and civilian universities. Naval officers with advanced degrees in the Aero/Astro fields may be assigned to billets involved with the research, development, testing, and evaluation of Navy/Marine Corps aircraft or spacecraft projects. Organizations with technically challenging billets include the Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Research Laboratory, Test Pilot School, the Naval Network Warfare Command, the United States Strategic Command, of course, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) where more than a dozen graduates of the Naval Academy's Aerospace Engineering program have become astronauts.

 

 








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