Everything about Aerospace totally explained
:
This article is about the field of research and industry; for the corporation, see The Aerospace Corporation
Aerospace comprises the
atmosphere of Earth and surrounding
space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through
air and
space. Aerospace is a very diverse field, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications.
Aerospace isn't the same as
airspace, which is a term used to describe the physical air space directly above a location on the ground.
Overview
In most industrial countries, the aerospace industry is a cooperation of public and private industries. For example, several countries have a
space program under the command of the
government, such as
NASA in the
United States,
ESA in
Europe, the
Canadian Space Agency in
Canada,
Indian Space Research Organisation in
India,
RKA in
Russia and
China National Space Administration in
China
Along with these public space programs, many companies produce technical tools and components such as
spaceships and
satellites. Some known companies involved in space programs include
Lockheed Martin,
Northrop Grumman,
EADS, and
Boeing. These companies are also involved in other areas of aerospace such as the construction of
aircraft. Many countries have air transport companies, such as
Air France and
Air India.
History
The field of aerospace has been investigated for millenia but it can be said that modern aerospace began with the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk on
December 16,
1903, by the
Wright brothers. From there, aerospace has grown to be one of the most exciting, diverse, and fast paced fields of today. From the
hot-air balloons of 18th century to the first wood-and-cloth plane of Wilbur and Orville Wright to the first manned mission to the moon on
Apollo 11 to the new and exciting aircraft being developed by companies like Boeing,
Airbus, and
Bombardier, aerospace has come a long way in a little over a century.
Aerospace manufacturing
Aerospace manufacturing is an industry that produces "aircraft, guided missiles, space vehicles, aircraft engines, propulsion units, and related parts," according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States
Web site
. Most of the industry is geared toward governmental work. For each original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the US government has assigned a
CAGE
code. These codes help to identify each manufacturer, repair facilities and other critical after market vendors in the aerospace industry.
In the
European Union, aerospace companies such as
EADS,
BAE Systems,
Thales,
Dassault,
Saab and
Finmeccanica account for a large share of the global aerospace industry and research effort, with the
European Space Agency as one of the largest consumers of aerospace technology and products.
In People's Republic of China, Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenyang and Nanchang are major research and manufacture centres of aerospace industry. China has developed extensive capability to design, test and produce military aircraft, missiles and space vehicles. However, despite the experimental model of Y-10, which was abolished in 1984, China is still developing its civil aerospace industry.
In
India,
Bangalore is a major centre of aerospace industry, being the place where
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the
National Aerospace Laboratories and
Indian Space Research Organisation are headquartered. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is undertaking a project to send an orbiter to moon, due mid 2008. This project has been titled Chandrayaan (Moon Craft).
In
Russia, large aerospace companies like
Oboronprom and the
United Aircraft Building Corporation (encompassing
Mikoyan,
Sukhoi,
Ilyushin,
Tupolev,
Yakovlev, and
Irkut which includes
Beriev) are among the major global players in this industry.
In the
United States, the
Department of Defense and
NASA are the two biggest consumers of aerospace technology and products. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States reported that the aerospace industry employed 444,000 wage and salary jobs in 2004. Most of those jobs were in Washington and California. The leading aerospace manufacturers in the world are
Boeing,
United Technologies Corporation, and
Lockheed Martin Corp..
Important locations of the civil aerospace industry worldwide include
Chicago (
Boeing),
Montreal in Canada (
Bombardier,
Pratt & Whitney Canada),
Toulouse in France and
Hamburg in Germany (both
Airbus/
EADS), as well as
São José dos Campos, where Brazilian
Embraer is based.
Pakistan is also undertaking advancements in the field of aerospace engineering. It is now fulfilling its needs in the guided missile technology. After the establishment of the
Institute of Space Technology
, Pakistan is looking to advance in space technology as well as aircraft design and manufacturing.
The
Aircraft parts industry was born out of the sale of second hand or used aircraft parts from the Aerospace Manufacturer sector. Within the United States there's a specific process that parts brokers or resellers must follow. This includes leveraging a certified repair station to overhaul and 'tag' a part. This certification guarantees that a part was repaired or overhauled to meet OEM specifications. Once a part is overhauled its value is determined from the supply and demand of the aerospace market. When an airline has an aircraft on the ground also known as an 'AOG', the part that the airline requires to get the plane back into service becomes invaluable. This can drive the market for specific parts. There are several online market places that assist with the commoditized selling of aircraft parts.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Aerospace'.
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