Aerospace engineering

Aerospace engineering is the branch of engineering dealing with aircraft and spacecraft. It is often also referred to as aeronautical engineering, particularly when dealing solely with aircraft. Some of the elements of aerospace engineering are:

• Aerodynamics - the study of fluid flow around objects such as wings (see also lift) (see also aeronautics)
• Propulsion - the energy to move a vehicle through the air (or in outer space) is provided by internal combustion engines, jet engines, or rockets (see also propeller and Spacecraft Propulsion)
• Control or Flight Dynamics - the study of maneuvering vehicles to achieve the desired position and attitude (that is, which way the vehicle is pointing) (see also astrodynamics?)
• Structures - design of the physical configuration of the craft to withstand the forces encountered during flight

The basis of most of these elements lies in theoretical mathematics, such as fluid mechanics for aerodynamics or the equations of motion for flight dynamics. However, there is also a large empirical component. Historically, this empirical component was derived from testing of scale models and prototypes, either in [wind tunnel]?s or in the free atmosphere. More recently, advances in computer technology have enabled the use of computational fluid dynamics to simulate the behavior of a vehicle, reducing time and expense.

Notable figures in aerospace engineering:

[Orville Wright]?

[Wilbur Wright]?

[Ernst Mach]?

[Osborne Reynolds]?

[Ludwig Prandtl]?

[Richard Whitcomb]?

[Glenn Curtiss]?

[Robert Goddard]?