Fundamental Terminology in Aerospace Engineering.
Fundamental Terminology in Aerospace Engineering.
20 terms
Your quick guides to key concepts shaping aircraft and spacecraft design.
- anechoic room
- An anechoic chamber (an-echoic meaning "non-reflective" or "without echoes") is a room designed to stop reflections or echoes of either sound or electromagnetic waves. They are also often isolated from energy entering from their surroundings. This combination means that a person or detector exclusively hears direct sounds (no reflected sounds), in effect simulating being outside in a free field.
- computer numerical control
- In machining, numerical control, also called computer numerical control (CNC), is the automated control of tools by means of a computer. It is used to operate tools such as drills, lathes, mills, grinders, routers and 3D printers. CNC transforms a piece of material (metal, plastic, wood, ceramic, stone, or composite) into a specified shape by following coded programmed instructions and without a manual operator directly controlling the machining operation.
- computer-aided design
- Software for mechanical design uses either vector-based graphics to depict the objects of traditional drafting, or may also produce raster graphics showing the overall appearance of designed objects. However, it involves more than just shapes. As in the manual drafting of technical and engineering drawings, the output of CAD must convey information, such as materials, processes, dimensions, and tolerances, according to application-specific conventions.
CAD may be used to design curves and figures in two-dimensional (2D) space; or curves, surfaces, and solids in three-dimensional (3D) space.
- environmental impact assessment
- The assessment of the environmental consequences of a plan, policy, program, or actual projects prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed action. In this context, the term "environmental impact assessment" is usually used when applied to actual projects by individuals or companies and the term "strategic environmental assessment" (SEA) applies to policies, plans and programmes most often proposed by organs of state.
- exoplanet
- An exoplanet is any planet beyond our solar system. Most of them orbit other stars, but some free-floating exoplanets, called rogue planets, are untethered to any star. We’ve confirmed more than 5,600 exoplanets out of the billions that we believe exist.
- extra vehicular activity
- Activity done by an astronaut in outer space outside a spacecraft. In the absence of a breathable Earthlike atmosphere, the astronaut is completely reliant on a space suit for environmental support.
- geostationary orbit
- referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit[a] (GEO), is a circular geosynchronous orbit 35,786 km (22,236 mi) in altitude above Earth's equator, 42,164 km (26,199 mi) in a radius from Earth's center, and following the direction of Earth's rotation.
- liquid-propellant rocket
- utilizes a rocket engine burning liquid propellants. (Alternate approaches use gaseous or solid propellants.) Liquids are desirable propellants because they have reasonably high density and their combustion products have high specific impulse. This allows the volume of the propellant tanks to be relatively low.
- payload
- The object or the entity which is being carried by an aircraft or launch vehicle. Sometimes payload also refers to the carrying capacity of an aircraft or launch vehicle, usually measured in terms of weight.
- product lifecycle management
- In industry, product lifecycle management (PLM) is the process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from its inception through the engineering, design and manufacture, as well as the service and disposal of manufactured products.PLM integrates people, data, processes, and business systems and provides a product information backbone for companies and their extended enterprises.
- R&D
- Set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products.
- selective laser melting
- Form of 3D printing that involves using a high-powered laser to selectively melt and fuse metallic powders layer by layer to create complex, fully dense parts. This technology enables the production of intricate geometries that are often impossible or impractical to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods.
- solid-fuel
- Composed mostly of a mixture of granules of solid oxidizer, such as ammonium nitrate, ammonium dinitramide, ammonium perchlorate, or potassium nitrate in a polymer binding agent, with flakes or powders of energetic fuel compounds (examples: RDX, HMX, aluminium, beryllium). Plasticizers, stabilizers, and/or burn rate modifiers (iron oxide, copper oxide) can also be added.
- space-shuttle
- A retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official programs name was Space Transportation System (STS), taken from the 1969 plan led by U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew for a system of reusable spacecraft where it was the only item funded for development.
- stall
- A condition in aerodynamics and aviation such that if the angle of attack on an aircraft increases beyond a certain point, then lift begins to decrease. The angle at which this occurs is called the critical angle of attack.
- structural engineering
- Branch of engineering that focuses on the design, analysis, and integrity of structures specifically used in aircraft, spacecraft, and other aerospace vehicles. It involves ensuring that these structures can withstand various loads, stresses, and environmental conditions throughout their operational lifespan.
- thermal protection system
- collection of materials and designs used to protect spacecraft from the extreme temperatures encountered during a re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. TPS is crucial for the safety and integrity of spacecraft, requiring advanced materials and engineering to withstand high thermal loads
- thrust-to-weight ratio
- Dimensionless number that compares the thrust produced by an engine to the weight of the aircraft. It is a critical parameter in determining an aircraft's performance, especially during the takeoff and climb. A higher T/W ratio indicates better acceleration and climb performance.
- water recovery system
- Process water vapor collected from the atmosphere and urine into water that is intended for drinking.
- winglets
- Vertical extensions at the tips of an aircraft's wings designed to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency by mitigating the effects of wingtip.