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From dreaming of following Neil Armstrong’s footsteps to walking in them as an adult — now that’s one giant leap. At 34 years old, Sirisha Bandla, from India, achieved just that. She joined Sir Richard Branson and two other mission specialists on Virgin Galactic’s Unity 22 suborbital flight to an apogee of 53.5 miles above Earth. Bandla, as Virgin Galactic’s vice president of government affairs and research operations, was a meaningful presence on the first fully crewed spaceflight by a private commercial company.
This bucket list moment wouldn’t have been possible without one key decision: choosing to study at Purdue University’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
“I was focused on wanting to go to space and Purdue had the first and the last man on the moon, in addition to so many astronauts,” says Bandla, a 2011 Purdue graduate in aeronautical and astronautical engineering (AAE). “I thought, ‘There is some special sauce that Purdue has and I want it. It’s going to get me to space.’”
Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics stands out as the largest and among the best aerospace engineering schools in the US. It holds the number two spot among the nation’s top graduate aerospace programmes (US N.ews and World Report) and produces the most aerospace engineering graduates (combining bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees).
Purdue University students can get hands-on experiences with clubs like Purdue Space Program, which in 2022 became the first collegiate team to reuse a liquid-fueled rocket. Source: Purdue University
The school sets itself apart through its expansive and constantly updated curriculum. This breadth ensures a well-rounded education that prepares students to tackle any challenge within the field. Ensuring a curriculum remains current in the fast-paced world of aeronautics and astronautics requires a multi-pronged approach. The school achieves this through several key strategies.
“We meet twice a year with our Industrial Advisory Council, which comprises dozens of representatives from every sector of the aerospace industry, private and public,” says William A Crossley, Professor and Uhrig & Vournas Head of Aeronautics and Astronautics. “These regular conversations keep us on top of the skills they need out of our graduates. “
Then there’s the school’s large network of graduates, partners, and friends within the aerospace industry and government research labs. Many have opened doors for current students. “Our faculty are heavily engaged with industry in their research — industry is our third-largest source of research funding, which means our students regularly go there for summer and full-time jobs, and we’re regularly talking with industry partners about our curriculum,” Professor Crossley says.
Meet Zander Hodge, a dedicated graduate student in Purdue’s Aeronautics and Astronautics program. At Zucrow Labs, Zander combines rigorous coursework with hands-on research, pushing the boundaries of aerospace technology and innovation. Source: Purdue University
Such close links help explain how the school transitions students from academic learning to real-world applications. Synergy between coursework and research is another reason behind this success. The programmes are designed so that the concepts learned in class are directly applied to problems encountered in a student’s research work. “So not only are you learning relevant concepts, you are learning how to apply these concepts and then realising that application yourself, which is exactly what engineers and researchers in industry are doing,” says Alexander (Zander) Hodge, a graduate student.
What’s more, it’s no overstatement to describe the school’s research capabilities as unmatched. For instance, Purdue researchers are pioneering the study and design of 3D-printed, rotating detonation rocket engines, a technology with the potential to revolutionise spacecraft and hypersonic vehicles. The school’s commitment to impactful research is further underscored by a recent US$4.5 million USAF-funded project that will see Purdue lead the development of trajectory design tools for future trips to and from the moon.
Pasita Pibulchinda, left, completed her Ph.D. studying under composites legend Professor Byron Pipes at Purdue’s Composites Manufacturing and Simulation Center. Pibulchinda earned the Outstanding Technical Paper award at the Composites and Advanced Material Exposition in 2022.
Prospective graduate students have a variety of programmes to choose from, including MS non-thesis, Professional MS with a focus on Engineering Leadership, MS thesis, and PhD programmes. Regardless of the chosen path, you’ll learn from world renowned experts conducting cutting-edge research in Aerodynamics, Aerospace Systems, Astrodynamics and Space Applications, Autonomy and Control, Propulsion and Structures and Materials. This is only one of several examples of cutting-edge research that Purdue University is collaborating with NASA on.
Just ask Hodge, who’s worked with several faculty members. “I found that more relevant topics were covered in greater detail,” he says. “I was learning concepts that are currently prevalent in the field and actively being researched. Since these classes are taught by professors doing active research related to the topic, it creates a more intimate learning experience.”
Add in Purdue’s world-class research facilities, and students gain invaluable hands-on experience. They get to design and build hardware for propulsion experiments at Zucrow Laboratories, the world’s largest university propulsion lab. What’s more, the university has cutting-edge facilities for hypersonics research, and composite materials development, and even houses one of the largest indoor Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) test facilities globally.
Daigo Kobayashi, studying under Professor Carolin Frueh, is one of many graduate students drawn to Purdue by the prospect of doing meaningful research. He is working on lightweight algorithms to identify the shapes of satellites and orbital debris, which can be used to improve autonomous guidance systems and space junk removal. Source: Purdue University
These facilities have benefited many students including Yen Matsutomi, a graduate and current Senior Director, at Blue Engines Design Office.
“Purdue and Zucrow Labs gave me a solid engineering foundation with cross-discipline experiences and opened the doors to industry/government partnership opportunities,” she says.
She’s not the only graduate who has gone on to make great strides in their career. In fact, many have. For example, Julie Kramer White, a Purdue graduate, rocketed her career during the Space Shuttle era and is now leading NASA engineering efforts that pave the way for missions to the Moon and Mars. Ronak Dave, another Purdue alumnus and a NASA flight director, exemplifies the school’s ability to prepare graduates for leadership roles in space exploration.
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