Mission engineers are individuals who create designs for tools to be used in outer space missions, such as space vehicles. These types of professionals use science and math to come up with the structures and functions of various parts of objects that transport people including astronauts. A person who seeks to become a mission engineer needs to earn a four-year bachelor’s degree in aeronautics or engineering and acquire practical experience in a real-world setting. He or she is responsible for producing designs and ensuring that his or her company adheres to industry standards when generating products. The mission engineer also establishes site-specific specifications with which his or her own company must comply in addition to completing continuing education classes in this field.
A major task of a mission engineer is to develop designs for vehicles used to travel through space. He or she uses software to model and analyze how a spacecraft launches and operates prior to its production. The mission engineer has to make sure that products meet requirements related to propulsion, thermal specifications, and communications needs.
An engineer also must make sure that his or her company’s products are in line with established industry standards. Engineering benchmarks that dictate how mission systems should be designed come from administrations and councils in the field as well as government bodies. Meeting these requirements is necessary to ensure that manufactured goods feature mechanisms that are safe to use in space and remain high in quality.
Helping his or her organization to develop its own principles for engineering work is another important duty in this career area. A mission engineer has to produce mission design standards that are specific to his or her company as well as support established organizational processes. He or she also must work constantly with mission project managers to provide them with the technical expertise that they need in order to make important decisions regarding space flights.
Remaining up-to-date on changes in the field constitutes a valuable responsibility in this job role as well. Mission engineers should attend seminars at industry conferences to learn about developments in the aerospace, electrical and mechanical areas of study. Colleges and universities also provide continuing education courses that teach a mission engineer about any changes in laws and standards related to space work. Participating in these types of training opportunities will help an individual in this career area to maintain his or her license if required in his or her region to practice mission engineering.
