Above and beyond: flight environments

Abstract

The chapter ‘Above and beyond: flight environments’ examines the physical phenomena encountered as one moves from Earth’s surface upwards through the atmosphere and into our solar system. An aerospace system’s operational environment has a significant influence on its performance; therefore, aerospace engineers must be aware of properties such as temperature, pressure, and density when designing flight systems. The Earth’s atmosphere consists of several layers, each with its own unique characteristics, which are discussed in turn. The nature of electromagnetic energy is then examined, as it directly impacts the structure of Earth’s atmosphere and serves as the primary means of communication with aerospace systems. Electromagnetic energy is also discussed as part of a survey of the phenomena associated with space environments. The chapter concludes with a look at our solar system and the environments spacecraft may encounter as we continue to explore beyond Earth.