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

"This the first time anyone has conceived using fire whirls for oil spill remediation, and it's really just the beginning," said Oran, professor of aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

Thornton, 22, launched the Huntington Beach defense tech startup in 2023 after dropping out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied aerospace engineering.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

Formed in 2021 through a merger between Honeywell Quantum Solutions and a U.K.-based start-up, Quantinuum has built a roster of collaborators across the energy, aerospace, and finance sectors.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

"We were sound asleep when that thing came ripping through our neighbourhood," recalls Cantey, an aerospace engineer and consultant based in northern California.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

The problem so far with such an aerospace plane is that, in order to get into orbit, the plane must fly very fast through the upper atmosphere.

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