Aeronautics, NASA and Lockheed Martin

Aeronautics is a Greek term that, translated literally, means "soaring the air." It's fitting that aeronautics translates into such a romantic term: Humans have been in love with flying for millennia.
 
Today, aeronautics describes a field of study and industry that includes such important organizations as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.
 
 

Defining Aeronautics
Aeronautics originally applied to the art and science of operating aircraft. As flight technology became increasingly complex, aeronautics' meaning broadened to include any technology, business or area of study that involved any type of aircraft.
 
Aviation and aeronautics are often confused. While both terms deal with flight, aeronautics involves any type of aircraft, including balloons. Aviation refers solely to the flight of heavier-than-air machines.

Aeronautic Degrees

Aeronautics is a broad term, and the field offers employment to people with a wide range of educational levels. A scientist with a Ph.D. in aerodynamics working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration works in the field of aeronautics, and a Lockheed Martin Aeronautics employee with an associate's degree in engineering also works within the field.
 
Because aeronautics has a wide career field, universities and colleges offer a range of degrees and certifications that can be used in the industry. Associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees, as well as Ph.D. programs, are all available for students seeking careers in aeronautics.
 
Some degrees specifically train students for the aeronautics industry. Others, such as electrical engineering, are more general degrees that can be applied to aeronautics.

NASA

A job at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a dream job for many people in the aeronautics industry. NASA is one of the giants in the field of aeronautics.
 
NASA is about much more than space shuttles and astronauts: Consider the great success of the Mars rovers Discovery and Opportunity. Multiple aeronautics disciplines and teams of aeronautics specialists were needed to ensure that these two rovers would remain safe during their trips to Mars, including their descent to the planet's surface.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

NASA is a government entity, as are many organizations in the aeronautics industry. Private companies, however, also employ large numbers of aeronautics specialists.
 
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is also a giant in the aeronautics industry. Much of the company's income comes from defense contracts.
 
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has provided the U.S. Air Force with some of its most successful planes, including:
  • the C-130J Super Hercules
  • the F-117 Nighthawk
  • the F-16.

Aeronautics Jobs

Aeronautics jobs are not limited to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' military contracts or to NASA's space programs. Every airport has its own aeronautics staff, as does every company that manufactures airplanes, satellites and even weather balloons. If a product or vehicle flies through the air, it's been designed, built and tested by aeronautics experts.
 
The range of aeronautics jobs is remarkable. Here are just a few of the careers available within the aeronautics industry:
  • accident investigator
  • accident prevention
  • air traffic controller
  • aircraft crew member
  • aircraft manufacturer
  • airport management
  • avionics
  • electronic engineering
  • ground support services
  • pilot.
Resources
 
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. (n.d). What Can You do with a Degree in Professional Aeronautics. Retrieved January 23, 2008, from the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Web site: www.erau.edu/hawaii/whatcanido.html#pa.
 
Lockheed Martin. (n.d). Aeronautics. Retrieved January 23, 2008, from the Lockheed Martin Web site: www.lockheedmartin.com/aeronautics/.
 
NASA Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology. (n.d.). What is Aeronautics? Retrieved January 23, 2008, from the NASA Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology Web site: www.ueet.nasa.gov/StudentSite/aeronautics.html.