Editing Aeronautics (section)

==Branches==
[[File:Typhoon f2 zj910 arp.jpg|thumb|The [[Eurofighter Typhoon]]]]
[[File:An-225 Mriya.jpg|thumb|[[Antonov An-225 Mriya|Antonov An-225 ''Mriya'']], the largest aeroplane ever built]]
Aeronautics may be divided into three main branches, [[Aviation]], [[Aeronautical science]] and [[Aeronautical engineering]].

===Aviation===
{{Main|Aviation}}

Aviation is the art or practice of aeronautics. Historically aviation meant only heavier-than-air flight, but nowadays it includes flying in balloons and airships.

===Aeronautical engineering===
{{Main|Aerospace engineering}}

Aeronautical engineering covers the design and construction of aircraft, including how they are powered, how they are used and how they are controlled for safe operation.<ref>[http://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/aeronauticalengineering/ Aeronautical engineering] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727050235/http://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/aeronauticalengineering/ |date=2012-07-27 }}, University of Glasgow.</ref>

A major part of aeronautical engineering is [[aerodynamics]], the science of passing through the air.

With the increasing activity in space flight, nowadays aeronautics and astronautics are often combined as [[aerospace engineering]].

==== Aerodynamics ====
{{Main|Aerodynamics}}
The science of aerodynamics deals with the motion of air and the way that it interacts with objects in motion, such as an aircraft.

The study of aerodynamics falls broadly into three areas:

''[[Incompressible flow]]'' occurs where the air simply moves to avoid objects, typically at subsonic speeds below that of sound (Mach 1).

''[[Compressible flow]]'' occurs where shock waves appear at points where the air becomes compressed, typically at speeds above Mach 1.

''[[Transonic flow]]'' occurs in the intermediate speed range around Mach 1, where the airflow over an object may be locally subsonic at one point and locally supersonic at another.

=== Rocketry ===
{{See also|Rocket}}
[[File:Apollo 15 launch.ogv|thumb|right|Launch of [[Apollo 15]] [[Saturn V]] rocket: ''T'' – 30 s through ''T'' + 40 s.]]

A [[rocket]] or rocket vehicle is a [[missile]], spacecraft, [[aircraft]] or other [[vehicle]] which obtains [[thrust]] from a [[rocket engine]]. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from [[propellant]]s carried within the rocket before use.<ref name="RPE7">{{cite book | last = Sutton | first = George | title = Rocket Propulsion Elements |edition=7th |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LQbDOxg3XZcC | publisher = John Wiley & Sons | location = Chichester | year = 2001 | isbn = 978-0-471-32642-7|chapter=1}}</ref> Rocket engines work by [[Reaction (physics)|action and reaction]]. Rocket engines push rockets forwards simply by throwing their exhaust backwards extremely fast.

Rockets for military and recreational uses date back to at least 13th-century [[China]].<ref name="NASAEARLY">{{cite web |url=http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/rocketry/tl1.html |title=Rockets in Ancient Times (100 B.C. to 17th Century) |access-date=2009-06-28 |publisher=NASA |work=A Timeline of Rocket History |author=MSFC History Office |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709042712/http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/rocketry/tl1.html |archive-date=2009-07-09 }}</ref> Significant scientific, interplanetary and industrial use did not occur until the 20th century, when rocketry was the enabling technology of the [[Space Age]], including [[Apollo 11|setting foot on the Moon]].

Rockets are used for [[fireworks]], weaponry, [[ejection seat]]s, [[launch vehicle]]s for [[artificial satellite]]s, [[human spaceflight]] and [[Space exploration|exploration]] of other planets. While comparatively inefficient for low speed use, they are very lightweight and powerful, capable of generating large accelerations and of attaining [[escape velocity|extremely high speeds]] with reasonable efficiency.

[[Chemical rocket]]s are the most common type of rocket and they typically create their exhaust by the combustion of [[rocket propellant]]. Chemical rockets store a large amount of energy in an easily released form, and can be very dangerous. However, careful design, testing, construction and use minimizes risks.