Now is a good time to enter aerospace engineering. NASA is beginning to phase out the space shuttles (which will be retired in 2010) and is in the process of developing the Ares rockets. These will be the spaceships of the future. There is a large participation in the development of these rockets. There will be two rockets per trip in the Ares program, one rocket that carries the crew, the Ares I rocket, and one rocket that carries the cargo, the Ares V rocket.
For students starting college in the near future, this is an opportunity to help them develop and work on the next step in space exploration. NASA plans to establish a base on the moon by 2018 and launch a manned mission to Mars from the moon. What an honor and privilege it would be to work the first manned mission to another planet! More than 200 private companies currently have contracts with NASA in the Ares program. NASA is planning the first test flight of the Ares I rocket for 2009.
NASA is also currently developing a new lunar lander called the Altair. Altair will be able to land four astronauts on the moon and provide the astronauts with a temporary base on the moon’s surface for a week. Here at NC State, our aerospace engineering department is working on ablative armor for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), the command module of the Ares I rocket. Ablative armor is the layer of material that burns the ship. space during reentry. Prevent the spaceship from burning when re-entering. Lockheed Martin was awarded the Orion contract.
There are many cooperation and internship opportunities available for aerospace engineers. Many of the private aerospace companies offer cooperatives and internships, and NASA offers some as well. Cooperatives and internships are like long job interviews. They pay you to go to work at an aerospace company and if they like you, then you are already in a good position with the company and the company knows what you are capable of. You may be offered a job even before you graduate! Imagine still being in college and having the peace of mind that when you graduate, you already have a job waiting for you.
Many private aerospace companies are in the development stages of commercial space flight. Virgin Galactic, for example, is working on a spacecraft designed to carry tourists into space for a short period of time. Many other companies are also working on similar civil space projects. Aerospace engineers also develop aircraft and projectiles. The US military is always looking for a cutting edge in aircraft and missile technology.