Aerospace vehicles require parts and systems from various aerospace and defense industry segments. Here are four segments and companies that operate in them:
- Flight and Aerodynamics
- Rolls Royce: Yes, that Rolls Royce! However, BMW Group acquired the rights to produce the cars in 2003. Today, Rolls Royce mainly focuses on aviation technology and systems for civilian and military applications. The company is known for its Trent turbofan engines, used by aerospace manufacturers Airbus and Boeing.
- Spacecraft Propulsion
- Aerojet Rocketdyne (AJR): Owned by L3Harris, Aerojet Rocketdyne manufactures propulsion systems for various end users, including spacecraft, space vehicles, and missiles. AJR and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are collaborating on electric propulsion thrusters for NASA’s Gateway lunar station space station.
- Space Exploration
- United Launch Alliance (ULA): ULA, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, manufactures rockets for low Earth orbit navigation and space exploration. The company was founded in response to Elon Musk’s Space X, which changed the space exploration game with reusable rockets.
- Flight Control and Orientation
- Collins Aerospace: A division of Raytheon Technologies, Collins Aerospace makes electronic displays, flight control, and information management systems for aircraft and aerospace vehicles. The company provides computing and processing, perception sensing, and end-to-end communications for autopilot and other autonomous systems.