Mississippi State University Bagley College of Engineering: Make the Dreams of an Aerospace Engineering Career Come True
Since the dawn of time, humans have dreamed of flying—a dream that finally became reality with the first flight in 1903. Ever since that moment, aerospace has evolved at warp speed into a field of study that is riper for invention and discovery
Mississippi State University’s Department of Aerospace Engineering is keeping the dream alive by helping students explore new frontiers of flight through exposure to analytical simulation and experimental resources, including full-scale flight testing at MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory—the largest university flight research facility in the U.S.
A University Tradition of Progress
Created by the Mississippi Legislature in 1878, Mississippi State University opened its doors in the City of Starkville in 1880 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississippi. Its beginning also included designation as a U.S. land-grant college, established by the Morrill Act of 1862, launching it as a comprehensive research university that has—to this day—addressed complex global challenges.
The institution received its first accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1926. In 1958, the Legislature renamed it Mississippi State University
Today, Mississippi State provides a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs to students from all 50 states and 86 countries. Building on its land-grant tradition, MSU strategically extends its expertise throughout the state, region, nation—and globally—offering educational access not only on the main Starkville campus, but on its Meridian campus, through Extension services, Center for Distance Education, and numerous other centers and institutes.
The Full Aerospace Package
Under the leadership of Dr Rani Sullivan, Head and Professor of Mississippi State’s Department of Aerospace Engineering, the university provides students with a comprehensive program of study that emphasizes an active learning protocol along with skills to conduct basic, applied, and interdisciplinary research. Major areas of study include aerodynamics, structural mechanics, controls, and autonomous systems.
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering may concentrate on aeronautics, the study of aircraft that operate in Earth’s atmosphere; or astronautics, the study of spacecraft that operate outside Earth’s atmosphere. MSU also offers enriching graduate programs, including online learning, that lead to Master of Science degrees (thesis and non-thesis) and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
The faculty’s externally funded research, supported by the U.S. Department of Defense, federal laboratories, and the aerospace industry, creates opportunities for graduate assistantships while enhancing MSU’s experimental and simulation capabilities.
Aerospace students benefit from experiential learning opportunities by participating in multi-disciplinary student design teams, co-operative education programs, summer industry internships, and undergraduate research programs. This supports MSU’s goal to produce highly skilled graduates with industry-relevant and research-relevant qualifications.
Innovating for the Future – Aerospace Research
Established in 1935, MSU’s Department of Aerospace Engineering has a rich heritage of educational leadership and innovative research involving aerodynamics, flight mechanics, and composite-structures technology
Distinguished aerospace faculty were instrumental in establishing three major research centers at the university:
● Raspet Flight Research Laboratory (RFRL and an FAA Center of Excellence in Uncrewed Aircraft Systems)
● High-Performance Computing Collaboratory (HPCC)
● The Institute for Clean Energy Technology (ICET)
The first all-composite aircraft (XV-11A MARVEL) and the first experimental all-composite business jet (Honda MH-02) were designed, developed, and flight tested at MSU.
Examples of current research include:
● The development of multiscale and multi-physics models for high-speed aircraft to determine structural response, aerothermodynamics, and material degradation.
● Machine learning for spatial perception in unknown environments, blast energetics performance in hypersonic systems, and design and manufacture of advanced composites for aerospace applications.
Benefiting from close proximity to MSU’s technical workforce, aerospace industries such as Airbus Helicopters, Aurora Flight Sciences, and Stark Aerospace have located in the Golden Triangle region—collectively known as the Aerospace Corridor
Offering Dynamic Aero-Tech Spaces
Mississippi State offers several activities that enable students to stay on top of technology trends, including participation in the August Raspet Student Chapter of the American Society for Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Many students also are members of multi-disciplinary, award-winning competition design teams: Space Cowboys (high-speed rocketry), Xipiter (uncrewed aircraft systems), and CubeSat MSU (space hardware).
The undergraduate curriculum concludes with a year-long senior capstone team project, allowing students an immersive research experience.