The Department of Aerospace Engineering continues the two-fold mission it had when it was founded, namely, to provide students with a solid foundation in the component disciplines of aerospace engineering, and to expand existing knowledge through leading edge research.

Although the mission has remained the same, the efforts required to fulfill it have not. In recent years, the needs of the aerospace industry and the science and technology in the field have undergone fundamental changes. Designing, testing, and measuring now utilize laser- based, computer-based and optics-based technologies. Advances in each of these technologies are remarkably fast and new methods and new skills must be continually developed. The rapid changes taking place in the aerospace industry can make specific applications obsolete in a very short time.

The principal strength of both the undergraduate and graduate programs is the strong emphasis placed on understanding how to think, learn, and adapt. The ability to incorporate new theoretical discoveries and technological advances allows Michigan graduates to grow rapidly with the field.