NASA’s participation at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007 features daily scale-model launches of its next-generation crew launch vehicle, the Ares I, shown here in an artist’s conception.

NASA’s exhibit at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007 contrasts four centuries of ingenuity—from the Jamestown colony in Virginia to the habitat envisioned for the next humans who set foot on the moon. What’s the connection? The talent required at Jamestown in 1607 is comparable with the intelligence and flexibility that will be demanded of the next explorers living on the moon for extended stays, beginning in 2020.

NASA researchers say 21st century spacefarers must surmount the same fundamental hurdles confronting the early Jamestown colonists. For example, explorers from both eras must carry nourishment and materials with them to sustain and protect life in the face of sometimes harsh and unknown environments.

NASA’s exploration theme continues this year with a 26-foot-tall sub-scale model of Ares I on display in front of the NASA exhibit building, just north of the old control tower. Along with Ares V, the two spacecraft will be NASA’s steppingstones for returning to the moon and going deeper into space. Inside, NASA’s Langley Research Center craftsmen will bring their skills and equipment to show how aerospace prototypes are made.

Meanwhile, do you want to know what NASA is doing with a 45,000-pound infrared observatory mounted in the rear of a Boeing 747SP? Members of the SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy) team will have a model of that very aircraft here, along with a real-time infrared camera to show visitors how the infrared spectrum can be recorded differently than visible light. The remarkable SOFIA program, still undergoing development, promises to peek deep into space, unlocking secrets of stellar and planetary origins. By flying higher than 41,000 feet, SOFIA will be above more than 99 percent of Earth’s atmospheric water vapor, providing infrared imaging capabilities unattainable by ground-based observatories.

But there’s more: NASA’s homage to aeronautical aesthetics is "Aerospace Design: The Art of Engineering from NASA’s Aeronautical Research." This compelling blend of art and engineering is on display in the EAA AirVenture Museum during AirVenture 2007 and into October. The fascinating exhibit shows form following function as NASA and NACA engineers have spent decades seeking ways to make aircraft safer, more efficient, and more effective.

The educators visiting AirVenture may want to link up with NASA education specialists at the Smart Skies exhibit at the EAA Air Academy. NASA takes great pride in sharing the excitement of its aerospace exploration with students and teachers.

And from NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in California’s Mojave Desert comes a blue-and-white supersonic NASA F/A-18 jet aircraft. Dryden pilots use a fleet of F/A-18s as exotic test beds and chase planes in their pursuit of aeronautical knowledge. Look for the NASA jet on AeroShell Square.

But that’s not all: Visitors to NASA’s building this year may find some surprises: Traditional trivia contests will be joined by a lunar toss game—who says rocket scientists don’t have fun? And to keep people coming back for more, NASA hosts intend to give away a limited number of space exploration postcards—one view each day until the complete set of six has been handed out to AirVenture visitors.

Sure, NASA is all about fast jets and rockets to the Moon. But it is NASA people who bring the NASA AirVenture experience to life each year. Their goals may be lofty, but their feet are on the ground right here in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and they’d love to share the excitement with you.