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Aerospace Engineering In College Challenges In Future Rocket Design

Join Eduardo Caicedo, Flight Controls Engineer at The Boeing Company, as he discusses the challenges and future of rocket design in aerospace engineering. Discover the essential skills and disciplines needed, explore educational opportunities and funding options, and gain insights into the exciting field of aerospace engineering.

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Aerospace Engineering In College Challenges In Future Rocket Design

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  1. Aerospace Engineering In CollegeChallenges In Future Rocket Design Pequea Valley High School May 11, 2016 Eduardo Caicedo Flight Controls Engineer The Boeing Company

  2. Short Bio • Loved airplanes since childhood, decided to become an aerospace engineer in high school • Bachelor’s degree 2001, Master’s degree 2004 - Aerospace Engineering • 2004-2012: Senior member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories • Rocket autopilot engineer • Lead attitude control system engineer for space vehicle • 2012-Today: Guidance Navigation & Control engineer for Boeing Commercial Airplanes • Part of the team responsible for development of flight control software for the new Boeing 777-X

  3. What is an Aerospace Engineer? • An aerospace engineer is someone who applies fundamental knowledge of science and nature to design, build, test, and fly aerospace vehicles (airplanes, rockets, satellites, drones)

  4. Aerospace Electrical Mechanical Civil Petroleum Biomedical Chemical Computer Industrial Nuclear Math/Physics Chemistry Biology Material Sci Geology Engineering Disciplines & The Sciences

  5. You Should Consider Aerospace Engineering If… • You like math and science • You like to understand “how things work” • You are creative • You enjoy working in teams • You enjoy facing different challenges constantly • Your face lights up when you see an airplane, or think about a rocket

  6. How To Pay For College • Scholarships*… if you don’t apply, you’ll never get! • Loans*… take ‘em if you need them • Parent Support*: don’t forget to thank them! • Co-ops/Internships*: Get paid well, use that to pay for school • NASA Internship • Continental Co-Op • Bottom Line: Education is the best investment you’ll ever make, never be afraid to get in debt for education expenses • * = things Eduardo used

  7. What Is It Like To Be An Aero Engineering Student? • Freshman and Sophomore Years: • Most classes will be the same with other engineering disciplines (math, physics, chemistry, statics, dynamics, thermodynamics, material science, computer programming, english, electives) • One AERO class: Intro to Aerospace Engineering • Tough but will help you to solidify desire to be an engineer

  8. Junior Year • More difficult and specialized courses in your field • many students say the toughest academic year • Senior Year • Specialization courses within each discipline (i.e. control theory, jet propulsion, aerodynamic wing design, structural design for aerospace engineering) • Senior design courses: most time-consuming, yet most rewarding

  9. Senior Year Pictures (Switch to Picture PPT)

  10. Future Challenges in Rocket Design and Space Exploration • Work for aerospace engineers will be around for the foreseeable future • Faster, Cheaper, Better • All rocket programs will continue to explore ways to reduce costs and turn-around time • What is needed: people that are extremely competent at what they do • SpaceX is a great example of this: they are able to reduce costs by hiring the smartest people they can so they can come up with great solutions to complex problems

  11. More Challenges in Rocket Design and Space Exploration • Environmentally-friendly rocket propulsion • This challenge is more for the chemists, but we should continue to identify opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of rockets • Weight, weight, weight • Every single pound of weight matters, weight can be reduced by using light yet strong and durable materials, and by improving design of parts • Smart, smart, smart • Intelligent software that adapts to changing conditions allows more efficient use of resources, thereby reducing weight, at the expense of complexity

  12. Some Advice… • Most importantly: do what you love but work hard at being be the best at it. Love is important but not enough, sweat is part of the process • Remain open to changing paths • Get in debt if you have to in order to gain the skills you need to succeed, but nothing else • The time to get good at science and math is now, not when you show up at college physics class

  13. Questions And Open Discussion

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