I'd consult with a faculty member in the engineering or physics department at Thomas Aquinas, or elsewhere if you can think of somewhere else you might have connections. From my ill suited position to advise, I would think that getting a BS in Mechanical Engineering or a BS in Aerospace Engineering would be the best first step. You need more classes than you can suitably get from community college, and the higher level math classes (cal iii and differential equations) are generally not the best at community colleges.
I'd bite the bullet, spend the 2 to 2.5 years getting a physics or engineering BS, and then go for a masters or PhD. What chemistry, physics, and math classes are you working with at the moment?