Tupolev Tu-144

A Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic transport jet lifts off the runway at Russia’s Zhukovsky Air Development Center in September 1998. NASA teamed with American and Russian aerospace industries for an extended period in a joint international research program featuring the Russian-built Tu-144LL. The object of the program was to develop technologies for a proposed future second-generation supersonic airliner to be developed in the 21st Century.

727-rocket-takeoff
overhead view of two water biplanes docked near a shore
November 12, 2026

Tropical Airline Operations – Twin Otter Floatplanes

The de Havilland Twin Otter remains aviation’s most versatile utility aircraft, capable of landing on water, skis, or 1,200-foot airstrips while carrying passengers, freight, or medevac missions across the globe.
NASA Spacemobile
September 23, 2026

The Spacemobile: NASA’s Secret Weapon for Winning America’s Hearts

In the 1960s, NASA rolled out a fleet of educational vans called Spacemobiles. They traveled the country building enthusiasm for the Apollo program, turning Americans into space race supporters, one science demonstration at a time.
Goodyear Gizmo Helicopter
September 9, 2026

The Goodyear Gizmo: A 290-Pound Helicopter, Inflatable Rotors, and Convertiplane Dreams

The Goodyear Gizmo was a 290-pound helicopter from the 1950s that almost nobody knows about. Here’s the story of Goodyear’s helicopter experiment and its inflatable rotor blade ambitions.