aerospace

American  

[air-oh-speys] / ˈɛər oʊˌspeɪs /

noun

1. the atmosphere and the space beyond considered as a whole.

2. the industry concerned with the design and manufacture of aircraft, rockets, missiles, spacecraft, etc., that operate in aerospace.

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adjective

1. of or relating to aerospace or the aerospace industry.

aerospace British  

/ ˈɛərəˌspeɪs /

noun

1. the atmosphere and space beyond

2. (modifier) of or relating to rockets, missiles, space vehicles, etc, that fly or operate in aerospace

   the aerospace industry

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aerospace Scientific  

/ âr′ō-spās′ /

1. Relating to the Earth's atmosphere and the space beyond.

2. Relating to the science and technology of flight and space travel.

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Etymology

Origin of aerospace

First recorded in 1955–60; aero- + space

Explanation

The science of airplanes and rockets is known as aerospace. If you're interested in launching rockets or building jets, you should consider a career in aerospace. The term aerospace was coined in the U.S. during the mid-20th century, from aeronautics, the study of planes and other flying machines, and spaceflight. The aerospace industry includes a lot of flying craft, including commercial airplanes, unpowered gliders, military jets, missiles, and space shuttles. Aerospace engineers design these vehicles and develop ways to make them safer and more efficient, as well as testing and maintaining them.

Example Sentences

The S&P 500 might be at or near a record, but aerospace & defense External link has been left out of the party.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

The aerospace industry relies on a limited number of suppliers and production shops, and production shutdowns could cause ripple effects across the aerospace supply chain.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

French AI firm Mistral on Thursday announced partnerships with carmaker BMW and aerospace company Airbus as it aims to boost its growth by fostering links with defence and industry giants.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

“It’s not a science project. They’re trying to actually create a company and drive towards commercialization,” said Charlton, who is a former aerospace engineer.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

As it climbed above the atmosphere and the air ran out, the aerospace plane would have to switch to rocket engines.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins