"The Gulfstream V is known as the world's first ultra long-range business jet. It is recognized as the safest, most reliable, most comfortable, high-performance, ultra-long range business aircraft in the world. Gulfstream V completes worldwide missions that exceed the capabilities of all other corporate aircraft. From the unique engine performance and advanced communications capabilities to the cabin that offers maximum passenger comfort and productivity, the Gulfstream V continues the Gulfstream legacy of innovation and quality. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines, the Gulfstream V’s ability to travel non-stop for 6,500 nautical miles and at speeds up to Mach 0.885 sets The World Standard for world travel. Now in its eighth year of customer service, the Gulfstream V routinely flies non-stop from Aspen to Frankfurt, London to Hong Kong, Beijing to New York, and Moscow to Los Angeles. In February 1998, Gulfstream and the GV Industry Team were awarded the prestigious 1997 Robert J. Collier Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association. To date, there are more than 188 Gulfstream Vs in service worldwide. The Gulfstream V, which has set more than 80 world and national records, ended production with the 193rd aircraft in December 2002 when the production line transitioned to the G500 and G550. "
|
"In 1920, the Fokker F.VII airliner was produced by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker, Fokker's American subsidiary, Atlantic Aircraft Corporation and other companies under license. The original Dutch design of 1924 was a single-engined high-winged monoplane. Fokker modified the design with two additional engines to enter the Inaugural Ford Reliability Tour in 1925 , in which it won. Consequently, the production versions F.VIIa/3m, F.VIIb/3m and F.10 all had three engines and the aircraft became popularly known as the Fokker Trimotor. The F.VII was the aircraft of choice for many early airlines, both in Europe and the Americas. Along with the similar Ford Trimotor, it dominated the American market in the late 1920s. However, the popularity of the Fokker quickly came to an end after the death of Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne in the crash of TWA Flight 599. The subsequent investigation, which revealed problems with the Fokker's ply-wood laminate construction, resulted in the banning of the aircraft on commercial flights and the rise of all-metal aircraft, such as the Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2. The F.VII was a 10-seat transport using one 400-hp Gnome-Rhone Jupiter 9-cylinder radial piston engine therefore, giving the airplane a maximum speed of 115 mph, cruising speed of 96 mph, service ceiling of 8,530 feet and a range of 721 miles. The F.VII was used by many explorers and aviation pioneers, including Richard E. Byrd, Lester Maitland, Albert Hegenberger, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Amelia Earhart and Carl Spaatz. "
|
"The 5-AT Ford Tri-motor is a rugged, dependable transport airplane which became the most famous Ford Tri-motor aircraft. The incredible durability of the aircraft was well-proven by NC9683, the thirty-ninth 5-AT built by Ford. On April 12, 1929, 5-AT was sold to Southwest Air Fast Express (SAFE). The company had built 199 %-AT models. It has flown the routes of Colonial Air Transport and later, flew the transcontinental route between Cleveland and Los Angeles. In May 1934, the 5-AT was transferred to the Chicago base and in 1935, it retired from the American Airlines. It was sold to TACA International Airlines and operated in Nicaragua. In 1946, the 5-AT was sent to Mexico, wherein it was used for passenger and cargo hauling until 1954, then, it was sold to a crop-dusting company in Montana. The aircraft ended up beside the a small airfield as someone's living quarters. In 1960, American Airlines required NC9683 and was restored. It was seen flying public relations tours promoting the airline. In November 1962, the NC9683 had made the first regular commercial flight from the new Dulles International Airport, Virginia. The NC9683 was donated to the National Air and Space Museum, hanging in the Air Transportation gallery."
|
"Dornier Do X is the largest, heaviest and most powerful flying boat produced by the Dornier company in 1929. On February 20, 1929, the Do X test flight was complete, having 71 flights and had been airborne for 37 hours. Due to several lack of interest and a number of accidents, though not reported to be fatal, had prevented more than three models from being built. On July 12, 1929, it was launched for its first test flight, wherein it broke the world record for the number of people aboard an airplane. On Novermber 3, 1930, the Do X took off from from Friedrichshafen, Germany, commencing a transatlantic test flight. On August 27, 1931, the aircraft went of north to the United States, reaching New York, wherein it spent the next nine months for its scheduled overhaul. The Do X had an all-duralumin hull, with wings made of a steel-reinforced duralumin framework covered in heavy linen fabric, covered with aluminum paint. Do X has a maximum speed of 211 km/h and a range of 1,700 km. It has a seating capacity of 66-100 passengers. Luxurious accommodation approached the standards of transatlantic airliners. The Do X was featured in Michael Murrcock's alternate universe fiction, symbolizing power and style emblematic of the lost era of the 1930's. It was also featured in the 1934 movie, The Perils of Pauline, wherein it featured historic footage of the Do X's flight and in 1985 music video of the Alphaville pop group. Do X was also featured in an episode of Lupin III, Albatross: Wings of Death, wherein it depicted a twin-tail, having only five engines."
|
"The DC-7 is an American aircraft built by Douglas Aircraft company in 1953 to 1958 and was the last major piston engine powered transport of Douglas. The early DC-7s were only sold to US carriers. The extended range variant of the DC-7, the DC-7C ""Seven Seas"" was released by the Douglas Aircraft since European carriers could not take advantage of he small range increase in the early DC-7. Pan American Airlines used the DC-7C aircraft to inaugurate the first non-stop New York-London service. Pan Am flew the DC-7Cs for only two and and a half years before entering the jet age. The DC-7 is the largest propeller transport aircraft that Pan Am has ever used. The DC-7C was also used by several other overseas airlines' fleets. In 1959, Douglas began converting DC-7A and DC-7C aircraft into DC-7F freighters, extending the life of the aircraft past its viability as a passenger transport."
|
"The Douglas DC-3 is a fixed wing, propeller-driven aircraft and is generally considered one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made. The DC3's maiden fight was on December 17, 1935. DC3's were drafted for the war effort and nearly 10,000 military versions were built during World War II and were designated as C-47, C-53, R4D and Dakota. The DC-3 and its military variants were used by the Armed Forces for the transport of troops, cargo and wounded. Both Delta and Continental Airlines operate DC-3s. It was also used to fly air shows today and has been used in various movies. Thousands of surplus C-47s were converted to civil service, became the standard equipment of most world's airlines and it remained in front-line service for many years. The DC-3 has a maximum speed of 237 mph and a range of 1,025 mi. There were 10,655 DC-3s built at Sta. Monica, California and Long Beach, California, both in civil and military versions. In 1998, there are over 400 DC-3s which remained in commercial service."
|
"The B & W Seaplane, also known as the Boeing Model 1, was the first Boeing product. It was named after the initials of its designers, William Boeing and Lieutenant Conrad Westervelt of the US Navy. The first B&W, completed in June 1916, was made of wood, linen and wire. Similar to the Martin trainer that Boeing owned, the B & W had, among other improvements, better pontoons and a more powerful engine. The two B & Ws built were offered to the US Navy, but the Navy was not interested. They were sold to the New Zealand Flying School and became the company's first international sale. On June 25, 1919, the B & W set a New Zealand altitude record of 6,500 feet. The B & Ws were later used for express and airmail deliveries, making New Zealand's first official airmail flight on December 16, 1919. The B & W Seaplane has a crew of two. It has a maximum speed of 75 mph and a range of 320 miles. It incorporates a Hall-Scott A-5 Straight-6 piston engine. The primary user of the B & W Seaplane is the New Zealand Flying School. There's a total of 2 B & W Seaplanes built."
|
|
"The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser is a luxurious propeller airliner manufactured by Boeing. It was developed from the C-97 Stratofreighter. The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was the civilian version of the C-97 Stratofreighter, which in turn was derived from the B-50 Superfortress. It first flew on July 8, 1947. Despite serious design flaws and a marginal service record, the Stratocruiser was considered one of the greatest post-war propeller airliners. Extremely complex and expensive, only 56 were built. It continued in mainline service until 1960, when it had been made obsolete by the coming of the 707 and other first generation jetliners. The Boeing 377 Stratofreighter has a seating capacity of up to 100 passengers on main deck plus 14 in lower deck lounge. It has a maximum speed of 375 mph and a range of 3,650 nm. It incorporates four Pratt & Whitney R-4360-B6 Wasp Major 28-cylinder radial engines four-bladed propellers with 3,500 hp each. The primary users and operators of the Boeing 377 Stratofreighters are the Pan Am and the BOAC."
|
"Ted is one of two airline divisional brands of United Airlines similar in concept to the Delta Shuttle or the US Airways Shuttle, but specifically targeted to compete effectively in the low cost airline market. The airline is equipped with 57 Airbus A320 aircraft, in a 156-seat all-economy configuration. The A-320 is a short-to-medium range commercial passenger aircraft manufactured by Airbus. Ted was created to give United a way to compete with low-cost airlines, such as Frontier and Southwest. Ted A320s are configured in one class that is split into two sub-classes. Economy Plus is the first sub-class which provides an extra 4 inches to the existing 31 inches of legroom for economy. "
|
"The TH-55 Trainer or better known as the TH-55 Osage was two-seater light pilot training helicopter used by the U.S Army. The Trainer was initially designed as a fully-glazed cockpit with seating for two pilots, or a pilot and passenger. It also had an open-framework fuselage and a three-blade articulated rotor. Manufactured by Hughes Helicopters, the TH-55 Trainer first flew in October 1956. It was produced as the Model 269 family of light utility helicopters, some of which were marketed as the Model 300. Also known as the Hughes 269 was created with a fully articulated, counter-clockwise rotating, three-bladed main rotor, and a two-bladed tail rotor that would remain as distinctive characteristics of all its variants. It also has shock absorber-dampened, skid-type landing gear. The flight controls are directly linked to the control surfaces of the helicopter so there is no hydraulics in the 269. There are generally two sets of controls, although this was optional on the civil 269A. The TH-55 Trainer was powered by a Lycoming O-360-C2B four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine providing a top speed of 136 km/h and a flying time of 2.6 hours. "
|
"The Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopter is the newest aircraft in the US Navy's fleet. It is replacing SH-60B and SH-60F helicopters and combines the capabilities of these aircraft. The helicopter is equipped for a range of missions including: anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), search and rescue (SAR), naval gunfire support (NGFS), surveillance, communications relay, logistics support, personnel transfer and vertical replenishment (VERTREP). For vertical replenishment missions the helicopter is fitted with a 2,721.55kg (6,000lb) cargo hook. Lockheed Martin, Owego, is the mission systems integrator. The maiden flight of the MH-60R took place in July 2001. The first low-rate initial production (LRIP) helicopters were remanufactured SH-60Bs but following MH-60Rs are all new-build. The first new production MH-60R helicopter was delivered in August 2005. Operational evaluation (OPEVAL) was completed in October 2005 and full-rate production approved in April 2006. Production levels are planned to increase to up to 30 helicopters a month. The US Navy expects to operate 252 MH-60R helicopters by 2015."
|
"The CV-22 Osprey is a joint service, multimission, military tiltrotor aircraft. It combines the vertical takeoff and landing qualities of a helicopter with the long range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. Built by the joint development team of Bell Helicopter Textron and Boeing Helicopters collectively known as Bell Boeing, its primary role is to conduct long range infiltration, exfiltration and resupply missions for special operations forces. The CV-22 is the United States Air Force version of the US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey. Formally approved for full-rate production by the Pentagon on September 28, 2005, the Osprey is the world's first production tiltrotor aircraft. The CV-22 is versatile and self-deployable, offering increased speed and range over other rotary wing aircraft. It can perform missions that would normally require both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. It is equipped with integrated threat countermeasures, a terrain-following radar, a forward-looking infrared sensor, and other advanced avionics systems that allow it to operate at low altitude in adverse weather conditions and medium to high threat environments. The first two test aircraft were delivered to Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California in September 2000 for flight testing. The first operational CV-22 was delivered to the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico on March 20, 2006, and aircrew training began in August 2006. Initial operating capability of the aircraft is scheduled for 2009, with a total of 50 CV-22s delivered by 2017. "
|
"The AH-1G Cobra was developed by Bell featuring a new wide bladed rotor and slim fuselage that gave it twice the speed of the UH-1B or Huey. The Cobra aircraft is armed with 2.75 inch Folding Fin Aerial Rockets and a chin turret on the M28/M28A1 armament subsystem. The AH-1G Cobra or Snake was first set up on September 1967 in Vietnam. The principal mission of the AH-1G was to give fire support to troop carrying Hueys. During the Vietnam War the AH-1G Cobra was used in a lot of missions from armed escort and reconnaissance to fire suppression and aerial rocket artillery. The AH-1G Cobra was always paired with an unarmed OH 6A Cayuse Loach or OH58A Kiowa light observation helicopter or a UH-1H Night hawk. The AH-1G Cobra was also equipped with Cobra Night Fire Control System or CONFICS and the Southeast Asia Multi Sensor Armament Subsystem for Huey Cobra or SMASH to provide the AH-1G with the capability of detecting, identifying and targeting ground targets during day or night operations. The AH-1G is one of the high performance attack helicopters in history. Some of the specifications of AH-1G Cobra are as follows: for the crew, the helicopter allows one pilot and one CPG; its length is 44 ff and 5 inches, rotor diameter is 44 ft, height is at 13 ft and 5 inches, weight when empty is 6,073 pounds, maximum take off weight is 9,500 pounds, power plant is 1x AVCO Lycoming T53L-13 turbo shaft, and the rotor system has 2 blades. "
|
"The CH-53E Super Sea Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the history of the United States Military. The CH-53E is commonly referred to as the Hurricane Maker. Built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the United States Marine Corps, the CH-53E served both the Navy and Marines in the heavy lift transport role. The CH-53E Super Sea Stallion is the larger version of the CH-53 Sea Stallion. The CH-53E Stallion was configured with 3 gas turbine engines and in flight refueling. The said aircraft was used to transport personnel and equipment, lift heavy loads and conduct minesweeping missions. In addition to that, the CH-53E is also used for long range delivery and re supply of special operations and combat rescue missions. The CH-53E Super Stallion van transports up to 55 troops and has an external load lift system that allows the helicopter to carry a load up to 16,330 kg. The CH-53E has a speed of 278 km/h and a maximum un-refueled range of 2,000 km. The range and endurance of the CH-53E can be extended by Flight refueling. The general characteristics of the CH-53E are as follows: 2 pilots, 1 right gunner, 1 left gunner, 1 tail gunner, the capacity of the CH-53E aircraft is 37 troops, payload is at 32,000 pounds, length is at 99 ft and ½ inches, rotor diameter is at 79ft, height is at 27ft 9 inches, Disc area is at 4,900 square feet, empty weight is 33,226 pounds, maximum take off weight is 73,500 pounds and the power plant is 3x general electric T64-GE-416A turboshafts, 4,380 shp each. For the performance of the CH-53E Super Stallion, the maximum speed is 170 knots, range is 600 nm, service ceiling is at 18,500 ft, rate of climb is 2,500 ft/min and the armament are guns, chaff and flare dispensers. "
|
"The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (NATO reporting name Fagot) was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, and it achieved fame in the skies over Korea, where it outclassed all enemy fighters except the F-86 Sabre. The MiG's combat success and its dependability made the plane very popular with Eastern Bloc and Communist nations around the world. Since 1950 roughly 7,500 MiG-15s have been built in Russia, Czechoslovakia, Poland and China. The MiG-15 arguably had sufficient power to dive at supersonic speeds, but could not do so because it did not feature an ""all-flying"" tail. As a result, the pilot's ability to control the aircraft deteriorated significantly as Mach 1 was approached. Later MiGs would incorporate all-flying tails. A variety of MiG-15 variants were built, but the most common was the MiG-15UTI (NATO reporting name Midget) two-seat trainer. The MiG-15 was widely exported, with the People's Republic of China receiving MiG-15bis models in 1950 and is also believed to have been the most numerous jet aircraft ever made, with over 12,000 built. In the late 1980s, the first MiG-15 appeared on the civilian register in the USA, and in the last decade, at least 20 have been licensed as warbirds around the world. "
|
"The Japanese A6M Zero is the most famous Japanese helicopter aircraft from the Second World War. Its code name is Zeke. The Japanese A6M was built as a land-based, carrier borne and a seaplane. The Japanese A6M Zero is indeed an excellent helicopter. The Japanese A6M aircraft was designed by Mitsubishi, it first flew on April 1, 1939. In addition to this, Mitsubishi and Nakajima built 10,937 Japanese A6M Zero helicopters. The Zeros are said to be the best fighters of Japan during WW II. They were the ones who spearheaded the advances from Pearl Harbor to the Battle of Midway, where Japan lost a number of pilots and planes. A combination of admirable maneuverability and very long range made the Japanese A6M Zero one of the supreme fighters of its era. The Japanese A6M Zero is armed with various guns but the common set up is: two 20mm cannons in outer wings and two 12.7 mm guns in the fuselage. The Japanese A6M is very noteworthy for being the first carrier based fighter to outperform its land based equivalents. The Japanese A6M Zero achieved a famous reputation which was a lot better than its contemporaries. The Japanese A6M Zero’s first variant, A6M1, which is powered by a 780-hp, was first flown on April 1, 1939. The second one was the A6M2 which is powered by a 925-hp Nakajima Sakae engine. Other variants are as follows: the A6M2-K which is a two seat trainer, the A6M2-N which is a Nakajima built float plane version, and the A6M5 which is a performance increased version. "
|
"The A6M Zero is carrier-based fighter aircraft manufactured by Mitsubishi and was considered the best carrier-based fighter aircraft since the time it was produced. During 1940-1941, the pre-series A6M2 Zero became known, when the fighter was confirmed to have destroyed 266 aircraft in China. During Pearl Harbor, there were 420 Zeros in active service in the Pacific. In 1941, the Zero fighters were superior in many performance aspects to all Allied fighters in the Pacific and it quickly gained reputation. However, the Zero failed to achieve air superiority when suitable tactics and new aircraft were developed by the Allies. During World War II, the Zero destroyed at least 1,550 American aircraft. The A6M5 is an updated model of the A6M3 Model 22, with nonfolding wing tips and thinner skinning for faster diving speeds, plus an improved exhaust system which provides an increment of thrust. There are three subvariants of the A6M5, the A6M5a Model 52a, A6M5b Model 52b and A6M5c Model 52c. The A6M5 could travel at 540 km/h and can reach a height of 8,000 meters in nine minutes and 57 seconds. There were several Zero fighters which survived the war and were currently on display in Japan, China, United States and the UK, as well as the Auckland War Memorial Museum in New Zealand. "
|
"The Pfalz D.III is a World War I fighter aircraft manufactured by Pfalz Flugzeugwerke Gmbh. In August 1917, deliveries to operational units began. Jasta 10 was the first recipient followed by Jasta 4. The D.III was generally inferior to the Albatros D.III and D.V. due to its heavy controls, lack of speed, lack of power or lack of climb compared to the Albatros. The aircraft also slipped in turns, leading to crashes when unwary pilots turned at very low altitudes. The Pfalz's primary advantage was its strength and sturdiness. However, the Pfalz could safely dive at high speeds due to its twin-spar lower wing, making it well-suited to attack observation balloons which are usually heavily defended with anti-aircraft guns trained to the balloon's altitude. The primary user and operator of the D.III is the German Empire (Luftstreitkrafte). Currently, there are no known D.IIIs which survived, although there are several flying replicas that existed. "
|
"The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the first turbojet fighter aircraft to enter operational service. It was produced during World War II and began its action in 1944 as a bomber and fighter aircraft. It was formally named Schwalbe because of the bird ""Swallow"", one of the fastest birds ever known. German pilots called it the ""Turbo,"" while the Allies called it the ""Stormbird"". Even though the Messerschmitt Me 262 only had a minimal influence on the class of the warfare; its design had a powerful impact on postwar aircraft development. The Messerschmitt Me 262 was often used as an ultimate super weapon; the Me 262 was already being built as project P.1065 before the beginning of World War II. Ideas were first planned in April 1939, and the aircraft's original design was too much alike to the plane that entered the service. A total of 1400 Messerschmitt Me 262 aircrafts were produced, but the amount of operating aircraft was normally below 100, mostly due to lack of fuel. The best scorer with the Me-262 was Franz Schall with 17 kills which included six four-engine bombers and ten P-51 fighters. Another candidate for top scorer on the aircraft was Heinrich Bar, who defeated 16 enemy aircrafts while flying the Me 262. "
|
"The Me-109 Messerschmitt was designed by Willy Messerschmitt and was originally powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engine. It was one of the first true modern fighters of the era. The prototype Me-109 first flew in 1935 and that same year, the Me-109 won a fighter competition. The Me-109B and C models achieved great success in Spain with the Legion Condor's fighter unit. The progressive development in the pre-war years resulted in a more powerful and heavier armed versions of the ME-109. The Me-109 was flown by the three top-scoring fighter aces of World War II including Gunther Rall, with 275 victories. Bf 109 was the official designation, since its design was sent in by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke company and was used extensively in all official German documents dealing with this aircraft. After July 1938, the company was renamed as Messerschmitt AG, the time when Erhard Milch finally allowed Willy Messerschmitt to acquire the company. The ""Me"" designation and mdash (except those already assigned with the Bf prefix) were to be carried by all Messerchmitt aircraft since then. The Me-109 has basically the smallest airframe that Willy Messerschmitt attached to the most powerful engine. The Me-109 remained a formidable air superiority fighter throughout World War II. "
|
The Mercury Seven was the group of seven Mercury astronauts picked by National Aeronautics and Space Administration in April 1959. They are also referred to as the Original Seven and Astronaut Group 1. This was the only astronaut group with members that flew on all NASA manned spacecraft of the 20th century, including the Space Shuttle with John Glenn's flight on STS-95. The astronauts wrote first-hand accounts of their selection and preparation for the Mercury missions in the 1962 book We Seven. In 1979 Tom Wolfe published a less sanitized version of their story in The Right Stuff. Wolfe's book was the basis for the popular film directed by Philip Kaufman.
|
"Gemini 4 (officially Gemini IV) was a June 1965 manned space flight in NASA's Gemini program. It was the 2nd manned Gemini flight, the 10th manned American flight and the 18th spaceflight of all time (includes X-15 flights over 100 km). It was crewed by James McDivitt and Edward White. Gemini 4 would be the first multi-day space flight by the United States, designed to show that it was possible for humans to remain in space for the length of time required to fly the moon and back. A second objective for the four-day, 62-orbit mission was for Gemini 4 to rendezvous and fly in formation with the spent second stage of its Titan II booster rocket. And although not originally scheduled for this mission, Gemini 4 would also see the first ever American Extra-vehicular activity (EVA, known popularly as a space walk). NASA moved up the original schedule after Aleksei Leonov on Voskhod 2 the previous March performed the first EVA ever, lest the US appear to be falling behind the Soviets in the space race. Gemini 4 would set a record for flight duration, and ease fears about the medical consequences of longer missions. It also would also be the first use of the new Mission Control center outside Houston, which because of the flight's long duration, had to conduct three-shift operations "
|
The Boeing X-37 Orbital Test Vehicle is an American unmanned spaceplane. It is operated by the U.S. Air Force for orbital spaceflight missions intended to demonstrate reusable space technologies.[1] The X-37 is a reusable robotic spacecraft that is a 120 percent scaled derivative of the X-40A. The X-37 began as a NASA project in 1999, then was transferred to the US Department of Defense in 2004. It had its first flight as a drop test on April 7, 2006, at Edwards AFB. The spaceplane's first orbital mission, USA-212 was launched on April 22, 2010 using an Atlas V rocket.
|
"The Grumman X-29 was an experimental aircraft that explored a number of new technologies; the most immediately obvious being the forward-swept wings and canard control surface. The inherent aerodynamic instability of this arrangement required the use of computerized fly-by-wire control, and advanced composite materials were needed to make the wing sufficiently rigid without being unacceptably heavy. The Grumman X-29 first flew in 1984 and two Grumman X-29s were flight tested over the next decade. Two Grumman X-29As were built by Grumman Aerospace Corporation, the first flight taking place in 1984. The aircraft were adapted from existing Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter airframes (after the proposal had been chosen over a competing one involving a General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon) The Grumman X-29A demonstrated excellent control and maneuvering qualities at an angle of attack up to 45 degrees. There was also a decrease in turbulence. The first Grumman X-29 craft built is now on display in the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. The other Grumman X-29 craft is on display at the Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base "
|
"The North American X-15 was a rocket-powered research aircraft that was part of the USAF/NASA/USN X-series of experimental aircraft. Designed to explore the problems of flight at very high speeds and altitudes, it bridged the gap between manned flight in the atmosphere and space flight. After its initial test flights in 1959, it became the first winged aircraft to attain hypersonic velocities of Mach 4, 5, and 6 and to operate at altitudes above 30,500 meters. The X-15 and other research aircraft contributed to the advancement of aerospace technology. Three X-15s were built in all, and they made a total of 199 test flights, the last one on October 24, 1968. Plans were made for a 200th X-15 flight to be launched over Smith Ranch, Nevada, scheduled for November 21, 1968. However, various technical and weather delays caused the planned launch to slip at least six times until late December 1968. Finally after a cancellation on December 20, 1968 due to weather, it was decided that there would not be a 200th flight. X-15 #1 was sent to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. X-15 #2 is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. X-15 #3 was destroyed in a crash on November 15, 1967. Twelve test pilots flew the X-15, including Neil Armstrong, who would later become the first man on the Moon, and Joe Engle, who went on to command Space Shuttle missions. Each X-15 scale model that we offer is made from materials of the highest quality. Every part of the model aircraft is handcrafted before undergoing several phases of priming and sanding. Skilled artists carefully duplicate the details, which are then sealed in with clear lacquer. A faithful reproduction of the original X-15, our replica will be perfect as an addition to a personal collection or as executive gifts and promotional incentives. "
|
"Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the currently operational spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA and was the final NASA space shuttle built. In 1987, Endeavour was authorized by the United States Congress to replace Challenger, which was lost in an accident. Endeavour's assembly was composed of structural spares from the construction of Discovery and Atlantis. Endeavour was named through a national competition comprising of students in elementary and secondary schools. In May 1991, Endeavour was delivered by Rockwell International and was launched a year later. In 1993, Endeavor made its first service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. In December 2003, Endeavour completed its latest Orbiter Major Modification period and ended on October 6, 2005 and during that time, Endeavor received major hardware upgrades with new, multi-functional, electroncal display system, GPS and with safety upgrades by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. As of August 2007, Endeavour has flown 20 flights, spent 219.35 days in space, completed 3,259 orbits and has flown 85,072,077 miles. In 2010, Space Shuttle Endeavor will be decommissioned after 18 years of service, along with Discovery. "
|
"Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the currently operational spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA and was the final NASA space shuttle built. In 1987, Endeavour was authorized by the United States Congress to replace Challenger, which was lost in an accident. Endeavour's assembly was composed of structural spares from the construction of Discovery and Atlantis. Endeavour was named through a national competition comprising of students in elementary and secondary schools. In May 1991, Endeavour was delivered by Rockwell International and was launched a year later. In 1993, Endeavor made its first service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. In December 2003, Endeavour completed its latest Orbiter Major Modification period and ended on October 6, 2005 and during that time, Endeavor received major hardware upgrades with new, multi-functional, electroncal display system, GPS and with safety upgrades by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. As of August 2007, Endeavour has flown 20 flights, spent 219.35 days in space, completed 3,259 orbits and has flown 85,072,077 miles. In 2010, Space Shuttle Endeavor will be decommissioned after 18 years of service, along with Discovery. "
|
"Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the three currently operational spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA. When first flown in 1984, Discovery became the third operational orbiter and is now the oldest orbiter in service. Discovery has performed both research and International Space Station (ISS) assembly missions. Discovery was also notable for being named after one of the two ships that were used by British explorer James Cook in the 1770's, during voyages in the South Pacific that led to the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. Discovery was the shuttle that launched the Hubble Space Telescope. The second and third Hubble service missions were also conducted by Discovery. It has also launched the Ulysses probe and three TDRS satellites. Discovery has been chosen twice as the return to flight orbiter, first in 1988 as the return to flight orbiter after the 1986 Challenger disaster, and then for the twin return to flight missions in July 2005 and July 2006 after the 2003 Columbia disaster. Discovery also carried Project Mercury astronaut John Glenn, who was 77 at the time, back into space during STS-95 on October 29, 1998, making him the oldest human being to venture into space. Discovery is currently in bay 3 of the Orbiter Processing Facility, having concluded a 15-day mission to the International Space Station on November 7, 2007. After the residual cryogenic reactants are offloaded the payload bay doors will be opened and detailed post-flight inspections will begin. According to the current schedule, Space Shuttle Discovery will be decommissioned in 2010. If the Contingency Logistic Flight STS-133 by Endeavour is not flown, Discovery will be the last space shuttle to fly on mission STS-132. NASA expects to launch the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle on the new Ares I rocket by 2014."
|
Space Shuttle, spacecraft designed for transporting humans and cargo to and from orbit around Earth. The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) developed the shuttle in the 1970s to serve as a reusable rocket and spacecraft.
|
"Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV-104) is currently one among the three operational spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA. It was named after the two-masted boat of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts from 1930 to 1966 and it served as the primary research vessel. Atlantis' maiden flight was on October 1985. Atlantis went seven straight flights to the Russian space station Mir. The spacecraft served as the on-orbit launch site for many notable and noteworthy spacecrafts, including planetary probes Magellan and Galileo. In 1991, it deployed the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Atlantis underwent refitting operations and modifications including the installation of a glass cockpit. Atlantis completed an 11-day mission to the International Space Station, involving three space walks in October 2002. During September 9-24, 2005, Atlantis was scheduled for its 27th launch though the mission was suspended by NASA due to the complications during Discovery's launch of mission STS-114 and there are subsequent suspensions of all future shuttle launches. Atlantis was scheduled to fly the STS-121 mission, but the mission was flown by Discovery instead. In the recent years, Atlantis has delivered several vital components, the U.S. laboratory module, Destiny, the Joint Airlock Quest and multiple sections of the Integrated Truss structure that serves as the backbone of the International Space Station. As of September 2006, Atlantis completed 28 flights, spent 220.40-days in space, completed 3,468 orbits and flown 89,908,732 nautical miles in total. Atlantis is scheduled to remain operational until 2010, the Shuttle program's projected end, but is not currently scheduled for any missions further in 2008. "
|
"Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-104) is one of the fleet of space shuttles belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The fourth orbiter to become operational at Kennedy Space Center, it was named after the primary research vessel for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts from 1930 to 1966. The two-masted, 460-ton ketch was the first US vessel to be used for oceanographic research. The spaceship Atlantis has carried on the spirit of the sailing vessel with several important voyages of its own. Atlantis benefitted from lessons learned in the construction and testing of Enterprise, Columbia and Challenger. At rollout, its weight was 6,974 pounds lighter than Columbia. It was also completed with 49.5 percent fewer man hours compared to Columbia. Much of this decrease can be attributed to the greater use of thermal protection blankets on the upper orbiter body instead of tiles. From November 1997 to July 1999, Atlantis underwent 165 modifications, including a drag chute, new plumbing lines, over 800 new heat protection tiles and blankets, and new insulation for the main landing gear doors. Atlantis made its first flight in October 1985, conducting classified military activities. In 1989, it deployed two planetary probes, Magellan and Galileo, and in 1991, it deployed the Arthur Holley Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Beginning in 1995, Atlantis made seven straight flights to the Russian space station Mir. In October 2002, after a four-year hiatus, the space shuttle and its six-person crew completed the eleven-day STS-115 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) that involved three space walks. On June 8, 2007, Atlantis launched on its longest-ever mission, STS-117, which lasted almost 14 days. The spaceship is scheduled to be retired in 2010 after it completes STS-131, where it will carry the Docking Cargo Module to the ISS. "
|
"The Space Shuttle Orbiter formally started on January 5, 1972 by Richard Nixion. The first orbiters were manufactured by Rockwell International and then later by Boeing. The space Shuttle Orbiter was designed to replace the expendable launch vehicles that NASA was using to deliver commercial, scientific and applications spacecraft into Earth's orbit. The Orbiter's main engines and boosters combined allows the orbiter to reach orbit. The orbiter comprises of three primary elements, the first element, a delta-winged orbiter spacecraft having large crew compartment, cargo bay and three main engines, second is its two solid rocket boosters and the third, is an external fuel tank which houses the liquid hydrogen and oxidizer burned in the main engines. The Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) provides orbital maneuvers which includes insertion, circularizattion, transfer, rendezvous, abort to orbit and abort once around. The Reaction Control System (RCS) provides altitude control and translation along the pitch, roll and yaw axes during the flight phases of orbit insertion, orbit and re-entry. The Thermal Protection System (TPS) covers the outside of the Orbiter, for protection against the cold soak of -121 degree Celsius in space to the 1649 degree Celsius heat of re-entry. The Space Shuttle Orbiter's individual fleets are named and numbered similar to ships. All orbiters tend to be externally and identically similar, but they have minor internal differences. The Challenger (OV-099) was destroyed after its liftoff in January 28, 1986. The Eneterprise (OV-101) was used for test landings. The Columbia which was destroyed during reentry in February 1, 2003. And the other orbiters, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavor. As of August 21, 2007, Columbia and Challenger are no longer in service. "
|
"The Space Shuttle Orbiter formally started on January 5, 1972 by Richard Nixion. The first orbiters were manufactured by Rocwell International and then later by Boeing. The space Shuttle Orbiter was designed to replace the expendable launch vehicles that NASA was using to deliver commercial, scientific and applications spacecraft into Earth's orbit. The Orbiter's main engines and boosters combined allows the orbiter to reach orbit. The orbiter comprises of three primary elements, the first element, a delta-winged orbiter spacecraft having large crew compartment, cargo bay and three main engines, second is its two solid rocket boosters and the third, is an external fuel tank which houses the liquid hydrogen and oxidizer burned in the main engines. The Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) provides orbital maneuvers which includes insertion, circularizattion, transfer, rendezvous, abort to orbit and abort once around. The Reaction Control System (RCS) provides altitude control and translation along the pitch, roll and yaw axes during the flight phases of orbit insertion, orbit and re-entry. The Thermal Protection System (TPS) covers the outside of the Orbiter, for protection against the cold soak of -121 degree Celsius in space to the 1649 degree Celsius heat of re-entry. The Space Shuttle Orbiter's individual fleets are named and numbered similar to ships. All orbiters tend to be externally and identically similar, but they have minor internal differences. The Challenger (OV-099) was destroyed after its liftoff in January 28, 1986. The Eneterprise (OV-101) was used for test landings. The Columbia which was destroyed during reentry in February 1, 2003. And the other orbiters, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavor. As of August 21, 2007, Columbia and Challenger are no longer in service "
|
|
|
The orbital spaceplanes are designed to ascend orbit vertically under rocket power like conventional expendable launch vehicles. Orbital spaceplanes has a much smaller payload fraction than a ballistic design with the same takeoff weight. Thus, it significantly reduces the payload size due to the wings' weight, but the reusability is intended to offset the disadvantage.
|
"The Space Shuttle Orbiter is the Orbital vehicle of the Space Shuttle and is a mixture of rocket, spacecraft and aircraft. It is a reusable winged ""spaceplane"" and it launches crew and payload into Earth orbit and performs on-orbit operations. Individual Orbiters are both named and numbered, a similar manner to ships by the NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation system. All Orbiters' external structures are very similar, though they have minor differences such as new equipment fitted on a rotating basis for maintenance and the newer Orbiters tend to be structurally lighter. The first test Shuttle, the Enterprise, was designed for testing the Space Shuttle behavior in atmospheric flight. Columbia, first launched on April 12, 1981 and the first space shuttle to fly into orbit. Challenger, first launched on April 4, 1983 and the second orbiter to become operational at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery, first launched on August 30, 1984, has flown 33 missions and is still currently operational though Discovery will be retiring in 2010. Atlantis, first launched on October 3, 1985, has flown 26 missions and is still operational today but will be retiring also in 2010. And the Endeavor, first launched on May 7, 1992 and has flown 19 missions and still operational but is due to retire also in 2010. The Orbiter's crew cabin has a flight deck, mid-deck and utility area. The Orbiter has a large payload bay at about 60 by 15 feet. There are three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) mounted on the Orbiter's aft fuselage in a triangular pattern. The aft fuselage houses three auxiliary power units. The Orbiter structure is primarily made from aluminum alloy, although the engine thrust structure is made from titanium alloy. Space Shuttle Orbiters support scientific experiments and observations, spacecraft deployment, retrieval, service and repair, assembly of large space structures, such as the International Space Station and other various space operations. "
|
|
"NASA had many successful space missions and programs, including over 150 unmanned missions and many space flight missions, most notably the space mission on Mars. NASA probes have been continually performing science at Mars since 1997, with at least two orbiters since 2001 and several Mars rovers. The orbiting Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will continue monitoring the geology and climate of the Red Planet and will continue searching for evidence of water and life presence, as they have since 2001 and 2006. The cockpit houses the pressurized crew module and it provides support for the nose section, nose gear and the nose gear wheel well and doors. The crew station consists of the flight deck, middle deck/equipment bay and an airlock. The flight deck permits the vehicle to be piloted from either seat and permits one-man emergency return while the middle deck contains provisions and stowage facilities for four crew sleep stations. The Orbiter is both the brains and heart of the Space Transportation System. About the same size and weight as a DC-9 aircraft, the Orbiter contains the pressurized crew compartment,the huge cargo bay and the three main engines mounted on its aft end and a midfuselage that supports the payload bay of the Orbiter."
|
"Endeavour, the last addition to the orbiter fleet, is named after the first ship commanded by James Cook, the 18th century British explorer, navigator and astronomer. On Endeavour's maiden voyage in August 1768, Cook sailed to the South Pacific (to observe and record the infrequent event of the planet Venus passing between the Earth and the sun). Determining the transit of Venus enabled early astronomers to find the distance of the sun from the Earth, which then could be used as a unit of measurement in calculating the parameters of the universe. In 1769, Cook was the first person to fully chart New Zealand (which was previously visited in 1642 by the Dutchman Abel Tasman from the Dutch province of Groningen). Cook also surveyed the eastern coast of Australia , navigated the Great Barrier Reef and traveled to Hawaii. Cook's voyage on the Endeavour also established the usefulness of sending scientists on voyages of exploration. While sailing with Cook, naturalist Joseph Banks and Carl Solander collected many new families and species of plants, and encountered numerous new species of animals. Endeavour and her crew reportedly made the first long-distance voyage on which no crewman died from scurvy, the dietary disease caused by lack of ascorbic acids. Cook is credited with being the first captain to use diet as a cure for scurvy, when he made his crew eat cress, sauerkraut and an orange extract. The Endeavour was small at about 368 tons, 100 feet in length and 20 feet in width. In contrast, its modern day namesake is 78 tons, 122 feet in length and 78 feet wide. The Endeavour of Captain Cook's day had a round bluff bow and a flat bottom. The ship's career ended on a reef along Rhode Island. For the first time, a national competition involving students in elementary and secondary schools produced the name of the new orbiter; it was announced by President George Bush in 1989. The Space Shuttle orbiter Endeavour was delivered to Kennedy Space Center in May 1991, and flew its first mission, highlighted by the dramatic rescue of a stranded communications satellite, a year later in May 1992. In the day-to-day world of Shuttle operations and processing, Space Shuttle orbiters go by a more prosaic designation. Endeavour is commonly refered to as OV-105, for Orbiter Vehicle-105. Empty Weight was 151,205 lbs at rollout and 172,000 lbs with main engines installed. "
|
The Space Shuttle Orbiter is the Space Shuttle's orbital vehicle. The orbiter carries most of the main propulsion system for reusable purpose, but the propellant for the three main engines is fed by an external Tank, and solid boosters, helping it to propel during the first two minutes of ascent. Its crew cabin consists of the flight deck, mid-deck and the utility area. The Orbiter hs a large 60 by 15 ft payload bay, filling most of the midfuselage. There are three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) mounted on the Orbiter's aft fuselage in a triangular pattern. The Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) provides orbital maneuvers, including insertion, circularization, transfer, rendezvous, abort to orbit and abort once around. The Reaction Control System (RCS) provides altitude control and translation along with the pitch, roll and yaw axes during the flight phases of orbit insertion, orbit and re-entry. The Thermal Protection System (TPS) covers the outside of the Orbiter for protection from cold temperature. The Orbiter is made primarily from aluminum alloy. There are six individual orbiters; the Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour.
|
"The construction of the Orbiter Atlantis began on March 3, 1980. On April 9, 1985, Atlantis arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and prepared for its maiden voyage over the next seven months. Atlantis was completed in just about half the time in man-hours spent on Columbia and this was due to lessons learned regarding the construction testing of orbiters Enterprise, Columbia and Challenger. Atlantis weighs at about 151,315 pounds, nearly 3.5 tons lighter than Columbia. On October 3, 1985, Atlantis launched its first space flight, STS-51-J, with a classified payload for the U.S. Deprtment of Defense. Atlantis went on to carry four more DOD payloads on its later mission. The mission is commanded by Navy Capt. Brent Jett, a veteran of three previous spaceflights. Navy Capt. Chris Ferguson, a first-time flyer, joined Jett who will serve as the mission's pilot. Joe Tanner, crewmate of Jett's on the STS-97 mission, will be leading the two teams of spacewalkers in his fourth spaceflight. NASA has delayed the launch of space shuttle Atlantis that was supposedly scheduled on September 7, 2006 due to a fuel cell anomaly."
|
"The Douglas Skyrocket (D-558-2) was a rocket and jet-powered research aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the United States Navy. On November 20, 1953, shortly before the 50th anniversary of powered flight, Scott Crossfield piloted the D-558-2 to Mach 2, the first time an aircraft had exceeded twice the speed of sound. Since it was so fast, it would sometimes be used to fly over enemy territories and take pictures. A total of three Skyrockets had been built, and all are now on display in different locations. "
|
"The Douglas Skystreak (D-558-1) was designed in 1945 by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, in conjunction with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The Skystreak was a turbojet powered aircraft that took off from the ground under its own power and had straight wings and tails. The D-558-1 reached Mach 0.99 in level flight, but only flew supersonic in a dive. In the public mind, much of the research performed by the D-558-1 was quickly overshadowed by Chuck Yeager and the supersonic X-1 rocket plane. However, the Skystreak played an important role in aeronautical research by flying for extended periods of time at transonic speeds, which freed the X-1 to fly for limited periods at supersonic speeds. "
|
"Command/Service Module is one of the two spacecraft that were utilized for the Apollo program, along with the Lunar Module, to land astronauts to the Moon. The Command Module together with the Lunar Module, are oftenly called the Apollo spacecraft. The spacecraft consists of two segments, the command module, housing the crew and the equipment needed for re-entry and splashdown and a service module which provide propulsion, electrical power and storage for various consumables required during a mission. The Command Module is a truncated cone. The forward compartment contained two reaction control engines, the docking tunnel and the components of the Earth Landing System. The inner pressure vessel housed the crew accommodations, equipment bays, controls and displays and many spacecraft systems. The aft compartment contains 10 reaction control engines and their related propellant tanks, fresh water tanks and the CSM umbilical cables. The Service Module houses the service propulsion system and its propellants, the fuel cell power system, four maneuvering thruster quads, the S-band antenna for communication with Mission Control and storage tanks for water and air. The Service Module is divided into six sectors."
|
"The Boeing 747, also known as ""Jumbo Jet"", is a commercial airliner made by Boeing and is considered to be a wide body aircraft. The B747 is known for its impressive size and it is one of the world's most recognizable aircraft. In 1970, the B747 had its first flight and held the passenger capacity record for 35 years. American first lady Pat Nixon was the first one who used the B747 at the Washington Dulles International Airport. Red, white and blue water was sprayed on the aircraft instead of breaking a bottle of champagne. The first commercial flight of B747 took place on January 22, 1970 which was headed to New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport and London Heathrow Airport. The Boeing 747 was designed in such a way that it could easily adapt to carrying of shipments so when sales of passenger version dried up, the plane could remain production as a cargo transport. The cockpit of B747 was placed on a shortened upper deck thus this created a unique bulge for the B747. The B747 was expected to become obsolete after sales of 400 units but it passed the critic’s expectation and the production passed the 1000 mark in 1993. As the year 2006 ended 1380 planes were built. The latest one was the B747-8. Throughout its history, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA has used several different types of aircraft on a permanent, semi-permanent, or short-term basis. The agency has three 747s: a 747-100, a 747-100SR, and a 747SP. The 747-100 and 747-100SR are currently used as Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) while the 747SP is in use as Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The SCAs are used to ferry space shuttles from landing sites back to the launch complex at the NASA Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, and to and from other locations too distant for the orbiters to be delivered by ground transport. The 747-100 was was acquired from American Airlines in 1974 and was extensively modified in 1976. Its cabin was stripped, mounting struts were added, the fuselage was strengthened, and vertical stabilizers were added to the tail. The avionics and engines were also upgraded. In 1988, in the wake of the Challenger accident, NASA procured the 747-100SR from Japan Airlines on recommendation from the review board. It entered service with NASA in 1990 after similar modifications. It was the first used to ferry the new shuttle Endeavour in 1991. "
|
"The Lockheed Martin Atlas II is a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which stemmed from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. It was the last Atlas to use a three-engine, two and a half stage to orbit concept, meaning two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other structural elements were retained. It was designed to launch payloads into low earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. The Atlas II family, which includes the Atlas II, IIA and IIAS, was developed in the mid-1980s to address the growing demand for large commercial geosynchronous satellites. Sixty-three launches of all three models were carried out between 1988 and 2004. The Atlas II had its maiden flight on December 7, 1991. It provided higher performance than the earlier Atlas I by using engines with greater thrust and longer fuel tanks for both stages. It utilized an improved Centaur rocket stage, the world's first high-energy propellant stage, to increase its payload capability. The Atlas II was equipped with lower-cost electronics, an improved flight computer and longer propellant tanks than the Atlas I. The IIAS was the most powerful derivative. The Atlas has been used by NASA since 1958. It served as the launch vehicle for Project SCORE, an instrumentation package developed by the United States Army Signal Corps that became the world’s first communications satellite. The satellite broadcast President Eisenhower’s pre-recorded Christmas message worldwide. "
|
|
|
"The Apollo is a human spaceflight program by NASA and its primary goal is to conduct manned moon landing missions. In 1960, the Apollo program was originally conceived during the Eisenhower Administratation, as a follow-up to America's Mercury program. The Apollo spacecraft was designed as part of the Apollo Program, by the United States in the early 1960s. Apollo is made up of multiple units or stages that worked together to perform the mission of landing on the moon and returning to earth safely. The main components of the spacecraft were the launch escape system, the Command Module, the Service Module, the Lunar Module and the lunar module adapter. The Command Module was the control center for the Apollo spacecraft and living quarters for the crew. The Service Module is a portion of the spacecraft that was unpressurized and contained fuel cells, batteries, high gain antenna, radiators, water, oxygen, hydrogen, reaction control system and propellant to enter and leave lunar orbit. The Lunar Module is the portion of the Apollo spacecraft that landed on the moon and returned to lunar orbit and is divided into two major parts, the Descent Module and the Ascent Module."
|
|
"The SR-71 was designed by a team of Lockheed personnel known as the ""Skunk Works."" In the late 1950s, the SR-71's basic design originated in secrecy, with the aircraft's designation as A-11. Its existence was publicly announced on February 29, 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson, the time when he announced that an A-11 had flown at sustained speeds of over 2,000 miles per hour during tests at Edwards AFB, California. Its A-11 design development as a strategic reconnaissance aircraft began on February 1963. The first SR-71A arrives at Kadena AB to replace. The SR-71A's maiden flight (in ""Big Tail"" configuration) was on December 3, 1975. There were two SR-71s at Dryden with the assigned NASA tail numbers, NASA 844 (A model) with military serial 64-17980, NASA 831 (B model) with military serial 64-17956, which was manufactured in September 1965. There was another A model, the NASA 832 with military serial 64-17971 and was manufactured in October 1966. The A model was returned to the USAF inventory and was the first aircraft reactivated in 1995 for reconnaissance purposes. The SR-71A has a crew capacity of two. It has a maximum speed of Mach 3.2+ and a combat range of 2,900 nmi. There were 32 SR-71s built, with 29 as SR-71As for operational missions. SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying production aircraft throughout its operational existence. "
|
"Initially employed by Strategic Air Command to satisfy nationally tasked reconnaissance requirements, the Boeing RC-135 has participated in every armed conflict involving US assets during its tenure. It has supported operations in Vietnam, the Mediterranean, Grenada, Panama, the Balkans and Southwest Asia. It has maintained a constant presence in Southwest Asia since the early 1990s. All RC-135s are assigned to Air Combat Command. The RC-135 is permanently based at Offutt Air Force Base (AFB), Nebraska and operated by the 55th Wing using various forward operating locations worldwide. RC-135S Cobra Ball is a Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT) aircraft which carries infrared telescopes for tracking ballistic-missile tests at long range. Four aircraft are in service, operating out of Offutt AFB and deploying to various locations around the world. Cobra Ball aircraft were originally assigned to Shemya and used to observe ballistic missile tests on the Kamchatka peninsula in conjunction with Cobra Dane and Cobra Judy. The Cobra Ball suite of Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and MASINT sensor systems were designed to exploit the enemy electromagnetic spectrum. In war, Cobra Ball could provide rapid recognition of tactical ballistic missile launches following cloud-break and horizon clearance. Within seconds of launch detection, estimates of launch point, intercept point, and impact point are available for transmission over a data link to theater C4I elements. Estimates of increasing accuracy are transmitted during the course of the missile's flight until burnout occurs. "
|
"This Collection features the seven of the aircraft and helicopters used to support the President of the United States. This Collection features the seven of the aircraft and helicopters used to support the President of the United States. The collection includes (from left to right): Marine One VH-34, Marine One VH3, VC-121 Columbine III, VC-25A, SAM 26000, Marine One VH60, and Marine One VH-71. This each miniature model of the Presidential aircrafts and helicopters is an authentic replica made from the finest grade of select kiln dried mahogany wood. The model is hand-carved; from the aircraft fuselage, to the sanding of the airplane’s contours. Every part is assembled precisely into place. Each model passes through various stages; from priming and sanding before it is hand-painted to duplicate the actual colors of the original historical aircraft. Every detail of the actual airplane is also copied -- from insignias to squadron badges, nose-art, emblems and serial numbers. Finally, multiple coats of clear lacquer are applied to protect the artwork and provide an overall glossy finish. Mounted on a beautiful mahogany base all seven aircraft and helicopters are precisely hand finished to exact detail. Complete with the Presidential logo and brass plaques indicating the aircraft type. Now you can have the Presidential Collection right before your very eyes at the most reasonable price. "
|
"The Lockheed F-117A Blackjet is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth ground attack aircraft operated solely by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational aircraft initially designed around stealth technology. Also known as the Nighthawk, it has a string of other nicknames. Before it was given an official name, engineers and test pilots referred to it as “Cockroach”, a name that is still sometimes used. As it prioritized stealth over aerodynamics, the first model was nicknamed “The Hopeless Diamond”. It was also called “Wobblin' Goblin” due to its alleged instability at low speeds. Locals in the area around Holloman Air Force Base (AFB) referred to it as simply “Stealth”. The unique design of the F-117A provides exceptional combat capabilities. The aircraft can employ a variety of weapons and is equipped with sophisticated navigation and attack systems. A digital avionics suite increases mission effectiveness and reduces pilot workload. The first Blackjet was delivered in 1982, and the last delivery was in the summer of 1990. The F-117A has been used several times in war. It first saw combat in the United States invasion of Panama, during which two Blackjets dropped two bombs on Rio Hato airfield. During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, F-117As flew approximately 1,300 sorties and scored direct hits on 1,600 high value targets in Iraq. Although the F-117As flew through some of the most heavily defended areas in Desert Storm, not one aircraft was shot down or damaged. "
|
"The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, also called as the ""Thud"", was the first single-seat supersonic, all-weather strike fighter-bomber used by the U.S. Air Force. First flown on October 2, 1955, the Thunderchief entered service in 1958. Aside from being the largest, single-engine tactical aircraft in history, the F-105 was notable for its large internal bomb bay and unique swept-forward engine inlets in the wing roots. The wing was highly swept and incorporated low-speed ailerons and high-speed spoilers for lateral control, and a droop-snoot leading edge. Originally designed to deliver nuclear weapons at supersonic speeds, the F-105 Thunderchief, like the B-52, was pressed into service delivering iron bombs to North Vietnam. In this role the F-105 excelled and by the end of 1970 the F-105 had flown 75% of the bombing missions to North Vietnam. With over 20,000 Thunderchief sorties were flown, with 382 aircraft lost (nearly half of the 833 produced) including 62 operational casualties. Although it lacked the agility of smaller MiG fighters, USAF F-105s demonstrated the effectiveness of guns, and were credited with downing 27.5 enemy aircraft. The F-105D variant was the definitive production model of the Thunderchief series. The D-model was an all-weather strike fighter bomber, fitted with monopulse and Doppler radar for night or bad weather operations. This radar was capable of terrain avoidance commands. The original weapons bay, designed for nuclear stores, was sealed and fitted with additional fuel tanks. Bombs were carried on multiple weapons racks on the centerline of the fuselage, and on wing pylons. The aircraft was fitted with a retractable in-flight refueling probe. During the Vietnam War, F-105 units operated from bases in Thailand. First flew on June 9 1959, the F-105D entered service with 335th TFS in 1960. The last F-105D was withdrawn from USAF service on July 12, 1980. A total of 610 D Model of the Thunderchief were built. "
|
"The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1958 until 1967 and continued in service with the Air National Guard until it was phased out in 1975. Because of its physical appearance and performance, the F-104 has often been called the ""missile with a man in it."" The design was a product of the Korean War, and was unique in several respects. The F-104 Starfighter had its first flight on March 4, 1954 and first introduced on February 10, 1958. The F-104C variant was the tactical strike version of the Starfighter. The first F-104C, unofficially designated YF-104C, took off on its maiden flight on July 24, 1958. The F-104C was powered by a General Electric J79-GE-7 engine rated at 10,000 lb.s.t. dry and 15,800 lb.s.t. with afterburner. This thrust was almost a thousand pounds greater than the -3A/3B of the F-104A/B. This increase in power was made possible by increasing the diameter of the turbine by 3 inches. The F-104C was designed mainly for delivery of tactical nuclear weapons, which it could carry on a centerline pylon attachment which had a 2000-pound capacity. It could carry the Mark 28 and Mark 43 nuclear weapons. Although some references claim that a 225 US gallon drop tank could be carried on this centerline pylon, it was exclusively a weapons pylon and was not plumbed to take fuel ports. The Starfighter was the first aircraft to hold simultaneous official world records for speed, altitude and time-to-climb. It set a world altitude record of 103,395 feet on Dec. 14, 1959 and flown by Captain Joe B. Jordan. This was the first time that an aircraft taking off under its own power exceeded the 100,000-foot mark. During the flight, the aircraft also reached a speed of Mach 2.36 and established a time-to-height record to 30,000 meters (98,425 feet) of 15 minutes 4.92 seconds from brake release. "
|
"The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a joint, multinational acquisition program for the United States Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and eight cooperative international partners. It was created to replace various aircraft while keeping development, production and operating costs down. The objective is to develop a technically superior and affordable fleet of aircraft that would be capable of a wide range of missions in a variety of theaters. The program began in November 1996 with a 5-year competition between Lockheed Martin and Boeing to determine the most capable and affordable preliminary aircraft design. On October 26, 2001, the contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 experimental aircraft outperformed Boeing's X-32. The JSF aircraft design has three variants: conventional takeoff and landing (F-35A), short takeoff and vertical landing (F-35B), and carrier-based (F-35C). The program's hallmark of affordability is achieved through a high degree of commonality among the variants; 80 percent of the parts are shared. The F-35C naval variant will have a larger, folding wing and larger control surfaces for improved low-speed control, and stronger landing gear for the stresses of carrier landings. The larger wing area provides increased range and payload, with twice the range on internal fuel compared with the F/A-18C Hornet, achieving the same goal as the heavier F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The US Navy intends to buy 480 F-35Cs to replace the Hornets. It will also serve as a stealthier complement to the Super Hornet. The F35C is expected to be available beginning in 2012. "
|
"The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a joint, multinational acquisition program for the United States Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and eight cooperative international partners. It was created to replace various aircraft while keeping development, production and operating costs down. The objective is to develop a technically superior and affordable fleet of aircraft that would be capable of a wide range of missions in a variety of theaters. The program began in November 1996 with a 5-year competition between Lockheed Martin and Boeing to determine the most capable and affordable preliminary aircraft design. On October 26, 2001, the contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 experimental aircraft outperformed Boeing's X-32. The JSF aircraft design has three variants: conventional takeoff and landing (F-35A), short takeoff and vertical landing (F-35B), and carrier-based (F-35C). The program's hallmark of affordability is achieved through a high degree of commonality among the variants; 80 percent of the parts are shared. The F-35C naval variant will have a larger, folding wing and larger control surfaces for improved low-speed control, and stronger landing gear for the stresses of carrier landings. The larger wing area provides increased range and payload, with twice the range on internal fuel compared with the F/A-18C Hornet, achieving the same goal as the heavier F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The US Navy intends to buy 480 F-35Cs to replace the Hornets. It will also serve as a stealthier complement to the Super Hornet. The F35C is expected to be available beginning in 2012. "
|