Research

Fluid Lab


Aerospace Labs
allow students to have hands-on learning experiences and faculty and graduate students to conduct experiments related to their research. Recently with the addition of several new faculty, the department is actively establishing new laboratories in a variety of areas.

Recent Research News


Ari Goldman, aerospace engineering doctoral student (left) and David Scarbrough, associate professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering (right) stand in front of the MARLEN engine, the third generation of subscale RDREs.
Aerospace engineering doctoral student works to advance RDREs
An aerospace engineering doctoral student is focused on improving wave dynamics in rotating detonation rocket engines (RDREs), a compact and high-efficiency propulsion system that could reduce the size, weight and cost of future launch vehicles in space.
3/24/25 2:20 PM
man looking down at engine
Auburn engineering student uses Makerspace to design, test jet engine
Brandon Barnett, a senior in aerospace engineering, used his skills and classroom knowledge to build a functional jet engine in the Makerspace on campus.
2/18/25 1:25 PM
Jonathan Pettus has been named executive director of the Auburn University Applied Research Institute. [Credit: UAH]
Pettus named executive director of Applied Research Institute
Auburn University’s Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and Economic Development has hired Jonathan Pettus as executive director of the Auburn University Applied Research Institute (AUARI) in Huntsville, effective February 1.
1/28/25 3:30 PM
David Scarborough, an associate professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Auburn University (middle) stands with graduate students Daniel Stubbs (left) and Trevor Crane (right).
Auburn rocket plume research to aid future spacecraft landings
David Scarborough, an associate professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Auburn University is working to reduce stress of spacecraft landings by studying thruster-induced plume-surface interactions (PSI) to better predict their outcomes.
1/15/25 2:30 PM
Cutline: Auburn University’s Advanced Propulsion research team stands near a cryogenic RL10 liquid rocket engine. The team is tasked with developing analytical models for cyclonic flows, constructing computational models and studying the stability of different vortex engines. Pictured from left to right are Roy Hartfield, Daniel Little, Emma Signor, Anthony Marcello and Joe Majdalani.
APRL and Altair acquire $1.25M AFWERX contract to advance rocket engines
Auburn’s Advanced Propulsion Research Lab is teaming up with Research in Flight to improve the performance of cyclonic vortex engines that are being developed for use by the U.S. Air Force and commercial space companies such as Sierra Space.
11/25/24 8:20 AM