Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
We research and teach the engineering of aircraft, spacecraft and other aerodynamic systems. We run undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, and offer doctoral opportunities. Partnerships with organisations from Rolls-Royce to Airbus are at the heart of our activities.
Key facts
96%
of our research outputs rated world leading or internationally excellent
Including a wind tunnel complex used by Formula One and a vacuum chamber with thermal capabilities for spacecraft propulsion testing
Overview
About the Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
Our department is part of the School of Engineering. We're a community of more than 1,000 members of staff and students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels of study.
We carry out fundamental and applied studies of aerodynamics, aeroacoustics, flight dynamics, space physics and spacecraft systems. As part of Engineering, we ranked 4th in the UK for research power in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. Our research impact includes:
reducing aircraft noise and fuel consumption
increasing wind-turbine efficiency
improving the fidelity of computational fluid dynamics software
mitigating space debris
We have the skills and expertise to translate university developed research into applications for industry. We've partnered with Rolls-Royce to develop the University Technology Centre for Computational Engineering. Through it, we use computational tools, methods and environments to address aerospace engineering challenges.
Our long-standing collaboration with Airbus has resulted in the Airbus Technology Centre. The Centre works on noise research and development projects including eliminating noise nuisance outside airport boundaries.
We deliver a suite of undergraduate and master's degrees and research degree options. Our staff use a range of computational and experimental equipment. Students have access to extensive facilities from a jet laboratory to space propulsion facilities.
We've also been recognised for our ongoing commitment to addressing gender inequality with a Bronze Athena SWAN award.
Research expertise
Our research expertise includes:
computational and experimental studies of transitional and turbulent flows
mechanisms of near-wall turbulence
aeroacoustics, wind-turbine arrays
environmental pollution dispersion
race car aerodynamics
electric propulsion
remote sensing
multi-functional spacecraft structures
modelling the solar high-energy radiation environment
guidelines for mitigation of space debris
Extensive facilities
Supporting our research and teaching are a range of the latest computational and experimental equipment. They include:
