In the modern world of Engineering, rapid advancement is taking place every day. In India, the aviation and space sector is also developing rapidly. Many students find their interest in aerospace or aeronautical engineering.
Now, what is the major difference between them? Aerospace Engineering is the study of space crafts, whether they operate within or outside the Earth’s Atmosphere. It focuses on designing spaceships as well as aircraft. Whereas, on the other hand, Aeronautical Engineering is a study that focuses on developing all types of aircraft that operate within the Earth’s atmosphere.
What is Aerospace Engineering?
In the 1950s, engineers believed that they could create aircraft that would be faster and could endure the uppermost atmospheric level of Earth or even the outside of it. In the latter parts of that time, they started creating such aircraft. For example, the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, was launched in 1957, and the Explorer 1 was launched in 1958. Aerospace Engineering is the key to making such advancements possible from designing and manufacturing to testing them within and beyond the Earth.
Aerospace engineering as we know is a study of space crafts as well as aircraft operating within or outside the Earth’s atmosphere. The major subjects in aerospace engineering include astronomic, fundamentals of jet propulsion, spacecraft design, and orbital mechanics. Aerospace Engineers develop leading-edge technologies to integrate them into aerospace crafts systems that are used for transportation, exploration, or communications.
The designing, mechanics, and manufacturing of satellites, aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft is the work of an Aerospace Engineer, even the testing of such space products. It is a multidisciplinary career path as an Aerospace Engineer needs to be very skillful and diverse in the work they provide. This is because aerospace engineering is a very large field that involves jobs in aerospace industries, corporate labs, government labs, universities, aircraft industries, aviation, etc.
Aerospace Vs Aeronautical Engineering. Image Credit: collegesuggest
What is Aeronautical Engineering?
Aeronautical Engineering is a field of engineering that focuses on civil and military aeronautics. Planning the configuration, manufacturing, and testing of such aviation vehicles is the job of an Aeronautical Engineer. By using mathematics and problem-solving ability they design and produce aircraft that could operate within the atmospheric limits and not outside of it.
Subjects covered in Aeronautical Engineering are almost as common as Aerospace Engineering. This is because Aeronautics is just a branch of Aerospace engineering that specializes in aviation on Earth. The major subjects in Aeronautical Engineering are aircraft structures, thermodynamics, heat transfer, etc.
Aeronautical Engineers are offered great employment opportunities in government agencies, engineering sectors, research and development companies, and aircraft manufacturing companies such as Boeing. NASA also hires a lot of Aeronautical engineers, as they require skilled engineers who have great problem-solving abilities in their particular field.
Which of these has a better scope?
Comparatively, the scope of both career options is full of potential. Aeronautics is a growing field in India, and it is statistically in the 3rd highest position worldwide. India has an air traffic of more than 131 million passengers which means the demand for more skilled aeronautical engineers is high. Moreover, the demand is not limited to India only, if a student wants to pave their path to international jobs, Aeronautics is still a good career choice. Additionally, the techniques and study offered abroad are more modern and advanced which makes the scope very high.
Aerospace is a large field requiring a lot of potential and skills. Determining the scope of this career option is easy. Aerospace engineers are typically in demand in many sectors, whether in India or outside. Many companies that manufacture or deal with space research or even aviation require aerospace engineers in their companies. It is a great choice for a career. Additionally in India, the budget for the space sector is more than 1.5 billion dollars. The government wants to expand the space sector thoroughly. ISRO is currently a leading space organisation being in the 5th position worldwide. Also, foreign countries keep looking for Indian aerospace engineers. A good number of Indian students are recruited by NASA every year.
Aeronautical Engineering. Image Credit: kumaraguru
Eligibility Criteria
In order to get admission to top-ranking colleges for Aerospace or Aeronautical Engineering, a student must fulfill certain criteria.
- A student must have to appear and pass 10 plus 2, physics, chemistry, and maths exams. The minimum required score is 60%-70% in physics and chemistry and 70%-75% in mathematics.
- JEE or JEE Mains should be cleared. JEE score matters a lot.
- A candidate must pass a 3-year diploma in any engineering stream.
- One could opt for the AME CET examination, in order to get admission in top ranking colleges for aerospace or aeronautical engineering.
Skills Required for Aeronautical Engineering
- Problem-solving, speed, accuracy.
- Focused, responsible, and attentive mindset.
- Alert and creative, and more.
Skills Required for Aerospace Engineering
- A very strong academic background in the science field.
- Attentive, strong reasoning skills, and mathematics.
- Concentration, Long hours of working and analytical skills, and more.
Best Colleges for Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering in India
| Colleges/ Universities | For | Fees in INR (Annually) | Placement Packages in INR |
| 1. IIT Madras | Both | 2.1 to 3 lakhs | 21,48,000 avg package |
| 2. IIT Bombay | Both | 2.04 to 2.78 lakhs | 21,82,000 avg package |
| 3. Indian Institute of Science Bangalore | Both | 3.0 to 4.5 Lakh | 28,00,000 avg package |
Best Colleges for Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering Abroad
| Colleges | For | Fees | Placement Package |
| 1. MIT, USA | Both | $59,750 (INR 50L) | $78,970 Avg package (Around INR 66L) |
| 3. University of Sydney, Australia | Both | AUD 50500 (Around INR 28L) | Around AUD 84,000 Avg package (INR 45.7L) |
| 4. Harvard University, USA | Both | $60,000 (Around INR 50L) | $115,220 Avg package (Approx. INR 96.6L) |
| 5. University of Cambridge, UK | Both | €40,910 (INR 37L) | €60,000 Avg package (Approx. INR 54.3L) |
Aerospace Engineering. Image Credit: aieesesecondary
Conclusion
We hope this article has given you a basic idea about these career options. These are very intimidating yet interesting courses that require curious and innovative minds. Not only are these career choices great for financial stability but they also come along with responsibility and a sense of respect in society. There is no end to innovation which is why the world keeps evolving. The contribution of aerospace and aeronautical engineers has made a huge impact on the present and will keep doing so in the future. Technology is advancing towards a time when aerospace and aeronautical engineering would not have much difference. Whether you are mesmerized by the flights or allured by the space cosmos, both of these fields are gradually growing to co-exist promising a bright life full of discovery.