Encyclopedia:
Aerospace,
Aerospace engineering,
British Aerospace,
Aerospace manufacturer,
Bombardier Aerospace,
DaimlerChrysler Aerospace,
Armadillo Aerospace,
Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation,
Ford Aerospace,
Ball Aerospace
Aerospace comprises
air and
space travel, manufacturing and associated research. Aerospace is a very diverse industry, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications.
Aerospace is not the same as
airspace, which is a term used to describe the physical air space directly above a location on the ground.
Overview
In most industrial countries, the aerospace industry is a cooperation of public and private industries. For example, several countries have a
space program under the command of the
government, such as
NASA in the
United States,
ESA in
Europe, the
Canadian Space Agency in
Canada,
Indian Space Research Organization in India,
RKA in
Russia,
China National Space Administration in
China, and
Iranian Space Agency in
Iran.
Along with these public space programs, many companies produce technical tools and components such as
spaceships and
satellites. Some known companies involved in space programs include
Lockheed Martin,
Northrop Grumman,
EADS, and
Boeing. These companies are also involved in other areas of aerospace such as the construction of
aircraft. Many countries have air transport companies, such as
Air France and
Air India.
History
The field of aerospace has been investigated for centuries but it can be said that modern aerospace began with the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk on
December 17,
1903, by the
Wright brothers. From there, aerospace has grown to be one of the most exciting, diverse, and fast paced fields of today. From the
hot-air balloons of 18th century to the first wood-and-cloth plane of Wilbur and Orville Wright to the first trip to the moon on
Apollo 11 to the new and exciting aircraft being developed by companies like Boeing,
Airbus, and
Bombardier, aerospace has come a long way in a little over a century.
Aerospace Manufacturing
Aerospace manufacturing is an industry that produces "aircraft, guided missiles, space vehicles, aircraft engines, propulsion units, and related parts," according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov Web site. Most of the industry is geared toward governmental work. In the United States, the
Department of Defense and
NASA are the two biggest consumers of aerospace technology and products. The BLS reported that the aerospace industry employed 444,000 wage and salary jobs in 2004. Most of those jobs were in Washington and California.
Important locations of the civil aerospace industry worldwide include
Seattle (Boeing),
Montreal in Canada (Bombardier),
Toulouse in France and
Hamburg in Germany (both Airbus).
As of June 2005, the top-performing US aerospace companies, as ranked by
Aviation Week & Space Technology, were:
#
United Technologies Corporation#
General Dynamics Corp.#
L-3 Communications#
Honeywell International Inc.#
Parker Hannifin#
Computer Sciences Corp.#
Thales Group#
Lockheed Martin Corp.#
Northrop Grumman Corp.#
BoeingSee also
*
Aeronautics*
Astronautics*
Aerospace engineering*
Atmospheric reentry*
General aviation*
Space exploration*
SpacecraftExternal links
*
http://www.nasa.gov National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) -
U.S.*
http://www.esa.int European Space Agency (ESA) -
E.U.*
http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) -
Japan*
http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs006.htm BLS site on aerospace industry*
http://www.aia-aerospace.org/ Aerospace Industries Association*
http://www.aiaa.org/ American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics*
http://www.faa.gov/education_research/education/ Federal Aviation Administration*
http://www.bl.uk/collections/business/advertin.html The British Library - finding information on the aerospace industry*
http://aerospacedefense.manubiz.com Aerospace Manufacturing Solutions*
http://www.aio.ir/ Iranian Aerospace Industries Organization*
http://www.vtol.org American Helicopter Society*
http://www.aerodyndesign.com Example of Aerospace DesignCategory:Space explorationbr:Aerospasielcs:Aerokosmonautikaeo:Aerokosma flugadikomt:Ajruspazjusco:Aerospace