Expert: Paul Soderman - 5/4/2010

Question
What is the difference between the study or courses of aeronautical and aerospace engineering?

Answer
There is very little difference.  Aeronautics deals with flight in air, aerospace deals with flight in air and space.  So an aerospace engineering program would probably offer a few classes in something like orbital mechanics or rocket launch physics.  But 95% of the courses would deal with the physics of flight in the atmosphere, which is what an aeronautical engineering program would offer.  Most engineering schools offer aerospace engineering because it sounds better to them (not to me) because it suggests that the school is in tune with the space program even though it may not be.  The difference between the two fields are not worth worrying about.  They are both good.
Paul