Professional Spacecraft Engineering Interview Questions & Answers:
1. What are the personal characteristics to be successful in spacecraft engineering?
☛ Patience in order to be able to zoom out and see a problem from a high-level point of view, dogged determination in order to be able to drill down and see a problem at the pixel or 16th-decimal-place-level.
☛ Ability to be congenial and collegiate in order to work well with a diverse group of staff, engineers and researchers.
☛ Technical aptitude such that you can understand concepts from engineering, mathematics and computer science.
☛ Logical aptitude such that you can differentiate between cause, effect and incidentals in order to more efficiently solve problems.
☛ Most importantly, creative ability such that you can understand and formulate tangible descriptions of problems and find solutions.
2. What are your main tasks of spacecraft engineer?
As a simulation engineer for the vertical motion simulator, my primary task is to integrate simulation models and other necessary software and hardware into the vertical motion simulator real-time simulator environment to allow researchers and designers to evaluate vehicle models, control systems and procedures using realistic piloted simulation.
3. Tell me about your responsibilities as a spacecraft engineer?
Main responsibilities:
☛ Support existing research and experiment requirements
☛ Develop solutions aimed at solving problems related to the specific field being studied (vehicle performance, air traffic systems and simulator design)
☛ Figure things out
In a normal re-entry an entry interface point is selected about 4,000 miles from the landing site. That point is at 400,000 feet and is considered to be at the top of the atmosphere. Since the Shuttle may be orbiting at 200 nautical miles (a nautical mile {NM} is 6080 feet as compared to the miles we are used to which are 5280 feet) its trajectory must be modified to arrive at the entry interface point at the correct angle of descent and of course be at the correct location. If the Shuttle is in an orbit at 200 nautical miles that is equivalent to 1,216,000 feet. The Shuttle fires the Orbiting Maneuvering Engines (OMS) to get on the new orbit that will arrive at the desired entry interface point with the desired conditions.
5. How do you think one can become a professional engineer in the field of spacecraft engineering?
The professional engineer requirements are pretty standard across enginering disciplines, as far as I know. Very few aerospace engineers actually bother to become a professional engineer. The reason is that a professional engineer license is required by someone who has to officially approve engineering design specifications, usually someone self-employed or working for a small business. Most aerospace engineers work for big companies or the government and therefore do not need to become professional engineers. The requirements are to pass a Fundamentals of Engineering exam (that takes a grueling four hours), work under a licensed professional engineer for four years (difficult to do in the aerospace field because there are so few professional engineers to work under) and then take a Principles and Practice of Engineering exam (this one requiring eight hours).
6. Why should we hire you as a spacecraft engineer?
One of the best ways to answer this question is to make a short list of all your advantages and create a paragraph that would point out the positive aspects that you would bring to the new job position.
7. What are your biggest strengths as spacecraft engineer?
Steps to answer this question:
☛ Identify which you are good at: knowledge, experience, skills and abilities.
☛ Prepare a list of your strong points.
☛ Review the recruitment requirements.
8. Tell me about the testing done in spacecraft engineering?
The testing of small rocket engines and entails development by researching on spacecraft. They are responsible to perform and experiment on laboratory facility, which is dedicated to aerospace. One should be capable of solving problems by applying knowledge by solving problem of the research done. They will be working with technical team of researchers and they should have ability handle projects alone.
9. What do you think about the future of research in hypersonic flow?
The future research in hypersonic flow will be focused on development of better CFD tools and physics-based models to support hypersonic air-breathing and planetary entry vehicle technologies. A combination of ground testing and occasional flight testing will provide opportunities to demonstrate these technologies as well as to validate analysis tools.
10. What did motivate you to get into career in spacecraft engineering?
I have always been interested in NASA's space program. A career in aerospace engineering typically begins with curiosity and personal motivation to be involved with aerospace vehicles.
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