AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY

It put an astronaut on the Moon in 1969, and it operates shuttle flights and the International Space Station today. Aerospace technology is behind every system and vehicle that takes people and payloads from Earth to space. All the systems used for long-duration space exploration and flight — communication and navigation, launching and landing, and life-support — are run by aerospace technology.

Aerospace technology has more down-to-Earth uses as well, spanning industries from aviation to military defense. Aerospace technicians in a variety of fields work with specialized computers, electronics, and power systems; hydraulics; command and control systems; thermal protection systems; and mechanical and structural systems. They manufacture, assemble, test, repair, maintain, and operate the systems associated with space vehicles, payloads, laboratories, and ground-support equipment. They also assist in conducting research, design, and development of vehicles for the atmospheric and space environments.

Aerospace technology takes principles of math, science, and engineering and uses them in every aspect of aerospace processing and spaceflight. The result: Unprecedented advances in aerospace science and the opening of new career opportunities using applied technology.
"Very few people ever get the chance to go to space, but there is a vast army of people who make space travel possible, and they work right here on Earth. Most of them are not engineers with four year degrees; they are technicians with community college educations and specialized training that gives them hands-on experience."