Aerospace and structures: where are we headed?

Structures, their analytical tools, their manufacturing processes, and their functionality are all in a state of significant change. The author shares his vision on where we, in the aerospace sector, may be headed over the next decade and beyond. With the focus being an affordability, emphasis is placed on educating the designer/analyst regarding the importance of cost in the design process. Cost necessitates that one look at an alternative to factors of safety and uncertainty factors, advancements regarding the use of large-deformation analytical models, consideration of nature’s design practices, the possibilities in multifunctional structure for providing a more holistic, lower cost solution to aerospace design problems, and the potential cost impact in “communicating” with structures.