X-1-3 Being Mated To EB-50A Superfortress
(November 9, 1951) The third X-1 (46-064), known as "Queenie," is mated to the EB-50A (46- 006) at Edwards AFB, California. Following a captive flight on November 9, 1951, both aircraft were destroyed... more
The Mercury 7
On April 9, 1959, NASA introduced its first astronaut class, the Mercury 7. Front row, left to right: Walter M. Schirra, Jr., Donald K. "Deke" Slayton, John H. Glenn, Jr., and M. Scott Carpenter; back row, Alan... more
Rendezvous Docking Simulator
(February 7, 1964) Multiple exposure of Rendezvous Docking Simulator. The Gemini spacecraft was supported in a gimbal system by an overhead crane and gantry arrangement which provided 6 degrees of freedom - rol... more
ASTRONAUT JAMES A. LOVELL, JR.
Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr., pilot for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Gemini-7 spaceflight, walks to the elevator at Pad 19 one hour and 40 minutes before launch of the spacecraft. Moments ... more
Astronaut Edward White Ready For Gemini IV Liftoff
(June 3, 1965) Astronaut Edward H. White II, pilot for NASA's Gemini IV mission is shown in the crew's ready room at Launch Complex 16, suited and ready to ride the van to Launch Complex 19 for insertion in the... more
Boarding Gemini VIII
Description (March 16, 1966) Commander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan VIII. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission co... more
Photographs of President Richard Nixon Greeting the Apollo 11 Astronauts on the USS Hornet
Original caption: NASA/APOLLO. ABOARD THE USS HORNET - President Richard M. Nixon appears to be holding the Presidential Seal which is attached to the door of the Mobile Quarantine Facility during his greeting... more
Cernan Jump Salutes Flag
Eugene A. Cernan, Commander, Apollo 17 salutes the flag on the lunar surface during extravehicular activity (EVA) on NASA's final lunar landing mission. The Lunar Module "Challenger" is in the left ba... more
Shuttle Enterprise Free Flight
(1977) The Space Shuttle prototype Enterprise flies free after being released from NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) over Rogers Dry Lakebed during the second of five free flights carried out at the Dry... more
STS-51 G Launch
(June 17, 1985) On June 17, 1985, Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-51 G mission launched on a Comsat deployment mission. It deployed three communication satellites. The mission lasted a little over seven days. ..I... more
STS102-368-019 - STS-102 - Empty orbiter payload bay as seen from U.S. Laboratory/Destiny window
The original finding aid described this as: Description: View of the empty orbiter payload bay as seen from the U.S. Laboratory/Destiny module window. Subject Terms: STS-102, DISCOVERY (ORBITER), PAYLOAD BAY,... more
STS-135 Launch
(July 8, 2011) Space Shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission launched from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center on July 8, 2011. STS-135 was the last Space Shuttle mission. The crew of four delivered supplies to th... more
X-15 #2 just after launch
Description: The X-15 #2 (56-6671) launches away from the B-52 mothership with its rocket engine ignited. The white patches near the middle of the ship are frost from the liquid oxygen used in the propulsion sy... more
Lifting Bodies on Lakebed
(November 30, 1968) The wingless lifting body aircraft sitting on Rogers Dry Lake at what is now NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. From left to right are the X-24A, M2-F3 and the HL-10.... more
Brick Moon Space Station Concept
This is an artist's impression of the Brick Moon. The Brick Moon was the title of an article published in the Atlantic Monthly by Edward Everett Hale in 1869. This piece was the first known proposal for an Eart... more
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
Coop Project: Federal National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History
1902 Wright Brothers' Glider Tests
(October 10, 1902) Historic photo of the Wright brothers' third test glider being launched at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, on October 10, 1902. Wilbur Wright is at the controls, Orville Wright is at left, ... more
The Wright Brothers' First Heavier-than-air Flight
Description (December 17, 1903) On December 17, 1903, at 10:30am at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, this airplane arose for a few seconds to make the first powered, heavier-than-air controlled flight in history. Th... more
The Langley Aerodrome
Description: L90-4341: "The Langley Aerodrome, brainchild of a group led by Samuel Langley. Shortly after this photo was taken, the December 8, 1903, manned tests of the Aerodrome ended abruptly in failure... more
Orville Wright in the Wright Flyer
This photo commemorates the first successful sustained powered flight by Orville Wright on December 17, 1903, in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Orville was at the controls and his brother, Wilbur, was runnin... more
Samuel Pierpont Langley and Charles M. Manly
Full Description: (c. 1903) Samuel Pierpont Langley (1834-1906) with chief mechanic and pilot, Charles M. Manly...Image # L-1990-04340
Wilber and Orville Wright with Flyer II at Huffman Prairie
(May 1, 1904) Wilbur and Orville Wright with the Flyer II at Huffman Prairie, outside of Dayton, Ohio, on May 1, 1904. ..The Wrights had a much more difficult time testing their aircraft at Huffman Prairie than... more
Wright Flyer Test Flights at Fort Myer, VA
(September 3, 1908) The Wright Flyer demonstrations at Fort Myer, Virginia on September 3, 1908. In January 1908 the Wright Brothers submitted a bid to the U.S. War Department to design a plane for $25,000. Thi... more
Dr. Goddar Observes Launch Site
Dr. Robert H. Goddard observes the launch site from his launch control shack while standing by the firing control panel. From here he can fire, release, or stop testing if firing was unsatisfactory. Firing, rel... more
Orville Wrights Test His Glider at Kitty Hawk, NC
(October 24, 1911) This photograph of Orville Wright in his glider at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, was taken on October 24, 1911. His new glider broke all the previous gliding records by actually soaring and sta... more
First meeting of NACA in 1915
Description: The first meeting of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in the Office of The Secretary Of War April 23, 1915. Brig. Gen. George P. Scriven was elected as the temporary Chairman ... more
Goddard with Vacuum Tube Device
Full Description: (c. 1916) Robert H. Goddard with vacuum tube apparatus he built in 1916 to research rocket efficiency. Dr. Robert Hutchings Goddard is commonly referred to as the father of American rocketry. ... more
George Lewis, NACA Director of Research
Description: George W. Lewis, director of research for the NACA from 1919 to 1947"in Engineer in Charge p 26. ..Identifier NIX-EL-1997-00143
NACA 1 and NACA 3
Description: In the spring of 1919, these two Curtiss JN-4H Jennies, which served as NACA 1 and NACA 3 (foreground), prepare to take off from Langley Field. Many of these early flights were done to collect basi... more
Dr. Robert H. Goddard
Full Description: Dr. Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882-1945). Dr. Goddard has been recognized as the father of American rocketry and as one of the pioneers in the theoretical exploration of space. Robert Hutching... more
Double the pilots, double the trouble
Description: (1920) Goggles at the ready, this Langley test pilot and engineer conducted research business high above the ground. In the early years, the flight research team was usually made up of a test pilot... more
Langley First Wind Tunnel
The honeycombed, screened center of this open-circuit air intake for Langley's first wind tunnel insured a steady, nonturbulent flow of air. Two mechanics pose near the entrance end of the actual tunnel, where ... more
Joseph Ames
Dr. Joseph Sweetman Ames at his desk at the NACA headquarters. Dr. Ames was a founding member of NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), appointed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. Ames took on N... more
The NACA's First Wind Tunnel
Description (April 1, 1921) The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)'s first wind tunnel, located at Langley Field in Hampton, VA, was an open-circuit wind tunnel completed in 1920. Essentially a ... more
Atmospheric Wind Tunnel #1
(May 22, 1921) Test section and balance for Atmospheric Wind Tunnel (AWT) #1. The 5 foot diameter circular test section and control room of NACA Tunnel No. 1. A Curtiss "Jenny" model can be seen mount... more
Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" Aircraft With Model Wing Suspended
Description (June 22, 1921) Active aircraft biplane, NACA 29-38131, with model wing suspended during flight...Center: LARC .Image # : L-00130
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Meeting
Description: The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics in session at Washington to discuss plans to place America foremost in the development of aviation. A report was heard from Dr. Ames, chairman of the... more
Variable Density Tunnel
Description (February 3, 1922) The Variable Density Tunnel arrives by rail from the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. The Tunnel was installed at Langley...Center: LARC .Image # : L-1990-04352
Hangar construction
Description (August 1, 1922) Hangar construction at Langley in 1922...Center: LARC .Image # : L-00339
John F. Victory
(c. 1922) John F. Victory (1892-1974) was the NACA's first employee and the only executive secretary it ever had...Image # : L-1990-03731
Patternmakers
(June 1, 1922) Workmen in the patternmakers' shop manufacture a wing skeleton for a Thomas-Morse MB-3 airplane for pressure distribution studies in flight, June 1922...Center: LARC .Image # : L-00184
Mr. Carroll in SPAD
Description: Tom Carroll was a NACA research pilot and the SPAD was a French bi-plane fighter aircraft during WWI.
Dr. Robert Goddard at Clark University
Full Description: Dr. Robert H. Goddard at a blackboard at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1924. Goddard began teaching physics in 1914 at Clark and in 1923 was named the Director of the Physic... more
Robert Goddard with his Double Acting Engine Rocket in 1925
Full Description: Dr. Robert H. Goddard with his complete rocket with the double- acting engine in November 1925, following more than two years of pump development based on the idea of a separate pump for each ... more
Paul King and the Vought VE-7
Description: (October 17, 1925) Clad in a fur lined leather flying suit with oxygen facepiece, NACA test pilot Paul King prepares to take to the air in a Vought VE-7...Center: LARC .Image # : L-01118
Boeing NB-1
Description (October 12, 1926) Boeing NB-1: Designed as a primary trainer for the U. S. Navy, the Boeing NB-1 was used by the NACA at Langley starting in October 1926. The float-quipped example used by the NACA... more
First Flight of a Liquid Propellant Rocket
Dr. Robert H. Goddard and a liquid oxygen-gasoline rocket in the frame from which it was fired on March 16, 1926, at Auburn, Massachusetts. From 1930 to 1941, Dr. Goddard made substantial progress in the develo... more