Aviation, Space, and Launch Vehicles

These three areas are closely linked through common disciplines and also through shared design goals. Both aviation and space exploration are different from other engineering endeavors because of the need for the lightest possible vehicles. This need for lightness has lead to unique engineering designs, use of advanced materials, and reduced margins-of-strength in aircraft and spacecraft.

When and accident or failure does occur, the high monetary and societal loss leads to intense public scrutiny of the investigation, and also a desire to prevent future accidents. In this regard, these investigations are somewhat different that other failure investigations we do. The nature of these investigations requires the involvement of multiple disciplines.

Principia's engineers have been involved in many of the major air and space accidents of the last two decades. Our experience includes:

• rotorcraft (helicopters)
• gliders
• general aviation aircraft
• commercial passenger aircraft
• launch vehicles
• payload (satellites)
• aircraft and spacecraft components, materials, and systems