Aerospace engineering major unique to others in department
Always interested in space, NASA projects and mathematics, Jessica and Phillip Anderson, both seniors, decided on mechanical engineering with an emphasis in aerospace engineering for their major.
The couple, who said they met in linear algebra and differential equations, have been married for a little more than a year and both share similar interests in math and science. The Andersons jokingly said they hoped their kids would be pretty smart, “Unless they rebel and do liberal arts, or something like that,” Phillip said.
Aerospace engineering is one emphasis under mechanical engineering, one of six engineering majors. According to the college of engineering Web site, mechanical engineering is the broadest engineering discipline, which prepares graduates for a wide range of career opportunities. Of 100 mechanical engineering majors, Phillip said about a quarter of the graduates are aerospace engineering majors.
And Phillip said what they do is fairly basic.
“We make rockets and spaceships,” he said.
Jessica said aerospace engineering is unique because of what specifically is designed.
“All engineers basically design something,” she said. “Our’s just happens to be things that will fly and float around in space … airplanes, rocket ships and satellites.”
Some classes the Andersons said they have taken are dynamics of space flight, propulsion, lots of physics classes, aerodynamics and space system design. Phillip said he particularly enjoys the propulsion class he is taking this semester.
“We learn what you have to do to make a rocket fly,” he said. “With those classes I’ve been able to get involved in different projects and that’s fun. You learn a lot that way.”
Phillip said he is currently working on an Aerospike Rocket Nozzle.
“It’s a system that reduces the mass of a rocket ship and makes it a lot easier and lighter to get to the moon and back to Mars,” he said.
Phillip said he is also working on a CubeSat – a satellite in the shape of a cube that deploys solar rays to collect power.
Jessica said she is also working with other students on building a rocket that will fly in the NASA U.S. Allied Competition in Huntville, Ala., in April.
“Basically the rocket has to go as close to a mile as possible,” she said. “Some sort of experiment must also be flying on the rocket. Our’s is a system that will stop the rocket at one mile exactly and keep it pointed vertically.”
After graduation, Phillip said he hopes to go on and receive a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from USU. He said once his education is finished there are plenty of opportunities within Utah for employment with places like the Space Dynamics Lab on campus or with ATK, an aerospace and defense company with plants in Utah.
“ATK is a really important company,” Jessica said. “As far as rockets go, they’re one of the better companies out there.”
They both agreed Utah State was the best choice in Utah for aerospace engineering.
“In the state, I think we blow the rest of (the universities) away,” Jessica said. “We have quite a few professors that work with NASA and other government projects. There are lots of opportunities to help with research.”
Phillip said, “In the state I think we’re the best, and we’re pretty competitive nationally. Utah State is running the ad that said USU students send more experiments into space than anywhere in the world. A lot of that has to do with the mechanical and aerospace engineering department.”
–karlie.brand@aggiemail.usu.edu