Aerospace
The technology and science of commercial and military air and space flightDiscover Air & Space articles about aerospace science, technology, industry, recreation and government programs.
- Explore more »
Build-It-Yourself Helicopters
If you have 700 hours to spare and can shim a rotor assembly to within .001 of an inch, here's a hobby for you.
August 2010 |
By James R. Chiles
How to Win Enemies and Influence Policy
From the halls of power to field laboratories, the Air Force Chief Scientist helps shape the future of U.S. flight.
August 2010 |
By Mark Wolverton
Sightings: Water Striders
South African pilots go lake-skiing in their AT-6s.
August 2010 |
By Frans Dely
Monster Bomber
At the Pima Air and Space Museum, the B-36 is the largest U.S. warplane ever rebuilt.
August 2010 |
By The Editors
A&S Interview: Story Musgrave
The veteran astronaut is the only person to fly on all five space shuttle orbiters.
August 2010 |
By Diane Tedeschi
The Air Force in 2030
Forecasting technology is a notoriously tricky business. In spite of all the predictions, we still don't have fusion power or flying cars, but in 2010 you can kick around a virtual soccer ball using a handheld camera phone, and who saw that coming?It's the job of the Air Force Chief Scientist and h...
July 30, 2010 |
By Tony Reichhardt
The Flying Fortress Turns 75
A classic symbol of World War II aviation, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is celebrating its 75th anniversary of flight today. To commemorate the airplane’s long history, at least four of them will be at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin this week.Of the nearly 13,000 B-17s produced between...
July 28, 2010 |
By Mary McKillop
The Most Well-Traveled Nobel in the Universe
On May 14, 2010, when the Space Shuttle Atlantis left for the International Space Station (ISS) on its 32nd and final flight, it carried some typical items on board: the Russian mini-research module (which provided a new docking port and storage space for the ISS), and a cargo carrier filled with s...
July 27, 2010 |
By Rebecca Maksel
The Moon, Asteroids, and Space Resources
By abandoning the Moon, the administration’s proposed space policy has left the space community with a huge question mark over the important issue of learning how to harvest and use space resources. Clearly if we don’t go to the Moon with people or machines, there is no way to use the abundant wat...
July 23, 2010 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Asteroid Trackers
Scientists are keeping tabs on an asteroid called Apophis, an 820-foot chunk of rock moseying toward Earth at about 22 miles per second. Apophis—named after an ancient Egyptian god of evil, naturally—will pass near our planet in 2029. How near is near? Closer than our own communication satellites.B...
July 21, 2010 |
By Rebecca Maksel
SpaceShipTwo Gets a Pilot
Some nice scenes here of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo (now known as VSS Enterprise) on a recent captive carry flight—with a pilot (Peter Siebold) onboard for the first time.
July 20, 2010 |
By Tony Reichhardt
Hang Time
Designers of spy planes have come up with any number of ways to increase dwell time over a target, from long-lasting UAVs to slow-moving airships to this hydrogen-powered craft called Phantom Eye, which was unveiled last week by Boeing Phantom Works.According to Boeing, Phantom Eye will be shipped ...
July 19, 2010 |
By Tony Reichhardt
Live From the Moon!
The picture may have been grainy, but it was some of the most riveting TV of the 1960s.
July 19, 2010 |
By Mary McKillop
Technology Seeding
There's a philosophical war going on in space policy circles these days, between those who believe that grand, ambitious missions drive invention (Apollo), and those who believe it's the other way around (DARPA).Honestly, I think either approach can work, given wise management. But NASA's new direc...
July 15, 2010 |
By Tony Reichhardt
Amelia Earhart's Irish Sojourn
On May 20, 1932 Amelia Earhart set off in her Lockheed Vega from Newfoundland intending to fly to Paris. Nearly 15 hours later, she landed in Robert Gallagher's cow pasture in Ballyarnott, in Derry, Northern Ireland, instead, thereby becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.Mrs. Gal...
July 12, 2010 |
By Rebecca Maksel
NASA’s New Mission and the Cult of Management
During a recent interview on Al Jazeera television, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden outlined NASA’s new priorities. His remarks became headlines as the previously ignored story about the redirection of the space agency toward international diplomatic outreach and global climate change research f...
July 10, 2010 |
By Paul D. Spudis
Scenes From Star City
With more NASA astronauts Twittering and YouTubing these days, you can get all kinds of insider views of the spacefarer's life if you're willing to rummage around the Web a bit.
Scott Kelly is training for a space station tour beginning in September, and over the last year has posted video scenes ...
July 08, 2010 |
By Tony Reichhardt
