Expert: Paul Soderman - 8/4/2008

Question
what is best to pursue aero-space,nautical.i really want to know the key differences between these 2.

Answer
Your question is unclear; I believe you are asking the difference between aeronautics and aerospace.  Aeronautics is the science of flight in air.  Aerospace is the science of flight in air and space.  In reality, aeronautical engineering and aerospace engineering are virtually the same thing because students of those subjects study almost the same things.  An aerospace engineer might study a bit more about orbital mechanics and launch physics.  But those are topics an aeronautical engineer could pick up easily if the job required it.  My department at the University of Washington resolved this confusion by calling itself the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.  (Astronautics:  another word dealing with space flight.) Most courses dealt with flight in air; a few dealt with space flight.
Paul