Naval officer graduate education in Aerospace Engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School

Abstract

Although the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) was established in 1909 on the campus of the United States Naval Academy, the Department of Aeronautics was not established until 1947. The initial mission of the Department of Aeronautics was to better prepare naval aviation officers for the transition from piston engine powered aircraft to gas turbine powered jet aircraft. In 1987 the Department was expanded to include the field of astronautics. In this paper the educational objectives, programs, and developments in the major areas of concentration are briefly described for the purpose of providing a historical perspective on the Department’s development, major accomplishments and current status.