Aerospace Engineering

Note

For a complete list of faculty members, please consult the Departments’ websites.

Program Objectives

The Aerospace Engineering program is offered jointly by the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Engineering and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Aerospace Engineering is concerned with the engineering science governing flight and the design and construction of aircraft and spacecraft. This includes the mechanisms behind flight and propulsion in the atmosphere and space including aerodynamics, lift and drag as well as the design and control of aircraft such as airplanes, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and rockets. The Aerospace Engineering curriculum comprises fundamental engineering courses followed by technical electives which allow students to obtain some specialization in a particular area of the field depending on their interests and expected future professional activity. Three options are available:

• Option A — Aerodynamics and Propulsion

• Option B – Aerospace Structures and Materials

• Option C — Avionics and Aerospace Systems

Aerodynamics and Propulsion is strongly related to the “flying” aspect of aircraft and includes topics such as aerodynamics, gas dynamics, aerospace vehicle performance, turbo-machinery and propulsion. Aerospace Structures and Materials is related to the design and manufacture of aircraft and spacecraft and includes topics such as aircraft stress analysis, aeroelasticity and vibrations, composite materials and aircraft design. Avionics and Aerospace Systems has significant electrical and computer engineering content in order to provide the necessary background for the avionics and systems engineering required to control modern aircraft and includes topics such as avionic navigation systems, communication networks, spacecraft mission design and flight control systems.