By Frederick A. Johnsen
NASA Public Affairs
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NASA's 26-foot model
of the proposed Ares I exploration rocket returns to EAA
AirVenture. NASA photo |
NASA's exhibit at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
2007 contrasts four centuries - from the Jamestown colony in Virginia to
the habitat envisioned for the next humans to set foot on the moon. The
ingenuity required at Jamestown in 1607 is comparable with the
intelligence and flexibility that will be demanded of the next explorers
to live on the moon for extended stays by 2020.
NASA researchers say the 21st Century
spacefarers must overcome the same fundamental hurdles as did the early
Jamestown colonists. For example, both sets of explorers faced the need to
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 at
AirVenture with daily launches of a 40-inch replica of the upcoming Ares I
that will be NASA's steppingstone, along with Ares V, to return to the
moon and go deeper into space. Most days, the countdown to launch will
take place at 11 a.m. in the open area near KidVenture at Pioneer Airport.
A 26-foot-tall sub-scale model of Ares I
will be displayed in front of the NASA exhibit building, located north of
the control tower. Inside, NASA's Langley Research Center craftsmen will
bring their skills and equipment to show how aerospace prototypes are
made.
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 display a model of that very aircraft, along with a real-time
infrared camera to show how the infrared spectrum can be recorded
differently than visible light. The remarkable SOFIA program, still
undergoing development, promises to peek deep into space to unlock 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.
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.
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See NASA Dryden's
F/A-18 on AeroShell Square
during EAA AirVenture. NASA photo |
Teachers and educators visiting AirVenture
may want to link up with NASA education specialists at the Smart Skies
exhibit at the EAA Air Academy. NASA takes pride in sharing the excitement
of its aerospace exploration with students and teachers.
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
testbeds and chase planes in their pursuit of aeronautical knowledge. Look
for the NASA jet on AeroShell Square.
Surprises are in the NASA building this
year: 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.
Sure, NASA is all about fast jets and
rockets to the Moon. But it's NASA's 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.
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