Aerospace engineering has two major overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering.
Aeronautical Engineering
Aeronautical engineering looks at military and civil aircraft, including satellites and space vehicles. It tackles the design, construction and use. Aeronautical engineers need knowledge in many different areas. This is because they use science, technology and maths daily. It is the combination of these fields that allows aircraft to be made.
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Women In Aeronautical Engineering
- Elsie MacGill. In 1927, she became the first woman to receive an Electrical Engineering degree in Canada. Elsie became Chief Aeronautical Engineer of the Canadian Car and Foundry Company in 1938. It was here that she designed the Maple Leaf II trainer. This made her the first female aircraft designer in the world!
- Gillian Bullen. Gillians’ first job involved changing engines, wheels and tyres. During this role, she saw how the world was changing to computer-based engineering. Today, Gillian works supporting the hangars and line engineers. She ensures they have the tools and equipment to complete their jobs. Read more about Gillian here.
Hear all about Esther’s journey to becoming an Aeronautical Engineer…
Astronautical Engineering
Astronautical engineering is an exciting field. It involves space shuttles, rockets, space capsules, planetary probes and more! Astronautical engineers design, develop and maintain these different things.
Astronautical engineers can specialise in their role. There are options to work in electrical engineering, spacecraft design, and software engineering. Others focus their efforts on concepts such as space weather or astrodynamics.
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Women In Astronautical Engineering
- Diana Trujillo. As an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, Diana Trujillo is taking us to Mars. Her work on the NASA Mars Curiosity Rover mission gave us our first close-up glimpses of Mars! Find out more about Diana’s career here.
- Minal Sampath. Minal is a scientist and systems engineer with the Indian Space Research Organisation. She helped send the Mangalyaan space probe to Mars. Hear more about Minal’s STEM journey below…
