CURRENT ISSUE
December 2019/January 2020
Features
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Will Space Tourists Finally Get a Ride?
Virgin Galactic has moved into its New Mexico Spaceport. Let the flights begin.
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Into the Future at 6,000 MPH
Why can't we build a hypersonic airplane?
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Airplane of the Year
We tallied the votes from our online poll and Reno ballots to find the winner. Meet Betsy.
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Aviation Journalists Accused as Spies
In 1914, a sensational article about the defense of the Panama Canal got its author, photographer, and editor arrested.
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An Airport That Looks Like America’s Skies
Just about any day at Camarillo is a good day.
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Voyager Endures
Low on power and billions of miles from Earth, NASA’s twin spacecraft still explore—with a little TLC from home.
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XXL
The Great War in the air triggered a trend toward giants.
Departments
The Winding Road to Invention
From the Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
Call to Duty
In a time of need, a Korean War-era aircraft shows it can still do the job it was built for.
Return to Dallas
Southwest Airlines pilot Bryan Knight brings his father home—52 years after he was shot down during the Vietnam War.
A Few Ounces of Knowledge
A fragment of moon rock offers museum visitors a rare opportunity to touch another world.
How Many Airmen Does It Take to Fix a C-5’s Flat Tire?
Fewer, thanks to an invention by an Air Force lab.
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
Three (plus) antennas in orbit are better than dozens on the ground.