Aerospace Internships 2026
Aerospace internships place you at the cutting edge of human engineering achievement — designing, building, and testing aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles. The field is experiencing a generational renaissance driven by commercial space (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab), the Artemis lunar program, military modernization, and sustainable aviation fuel research. Interns work on structural analysis, aerodynamics, propulsion systems, avionics integration, and flight test support. Positions are available at NASA centers, defense contractors, commercial airlines, and the rapidly growing commercial space sector.
Why Aerospace?
Aerospace engineering is one of the most intellectually demanding and rewarding engineering disciplines. Your work directly contributes to national security, space exploration, and global transportation. The field is growing faster than at any point since the Apollo era, driven by private space investment and military modernization.
Key Skills You'll Build
- ✓Aerospace structures and materials (composites, aluminum alloys, titanium)
- ✓Fluid dynamics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools
- ✓Propulsion fundamentals (jet engines, rocket motors, electric propulsion)
- ✓MATLAB and Simulink for flight dynamics and controls modeling
- ✓Systems engineering and requirements management (DOORS, JAMA)
Who Hires Aerospace Interns?
NASA and its 10 field centers (JPL, JSC, KSC, etc.)
Commercial space (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Relativity Space)
Defense primes (Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX)
Commercial aviation (Airbus, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce)
UAV/drone companies (General Atomics, Joby, Wisk, Skydio)
Career Path
Aerospace Engineer → Senior Engineer → Lead Engineer → Technical Fellow → Chief Engineer → VP of Engineering. NASA and defense offer parallel GS/civilian grade ladders.