CURRENT ISSUE

June/July 2021

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Features

Jay Leno poses with his EcoJet

Jay Leno's Airplane Engine Collection

He keeps them under the hood.

moonlet and spacecraft

Doomsday Mission

Asteroids have slammed into Earth before. Next time, this team wants to be ready.

11 Corsairs in the sky

Spoiler Alert

A little piece of aluminum solved the Vought Corsair’s vicious behavior problem.

Jim Irwin and rover on moon

First Car on the Moon

Before Apollo 15, astronauts could explore only as far as they could walk.

man looking up at model planes above bookshop shelves

Accidental Air Force

You never know what you’ll find in a bookstore.

rendering of new Kenneth C. Griffin Exploring the Planets Gallery

Exploring the Planets: Planetary Passports

A newly imagined gallery offers the ultimate in travel experiences.

 image of 7 planets

A New Window on Exoplanets

Will we know the signal of life when we see it?

NE 510 lands on aircraft carrier runway

The Mystery of Christine

My A-6 squadron learned that gremlins are real.

Departments

Viewport

Carrier Team Spirit

From the Acting Director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

Up to Speed

Bright Lights, Big Problem

Orbital debris is creating a new hazard: light pollution.

Up to Speed

Lessons From a Fatal Crash

Tech Update

Up to Speed

Doug Drexler

The Oscar-winning visual effects artist has worked on numerous science-fiction films and TV shows.

I Was There

The Mystery of Christine

My A-6 squadron learned that gremlins are real.

Sightings

Ghostships of the Air

A photographer takes us on a spooky tour of abandoned aircraft.

Reviews & Previews

The Perfect Crew

Who were the men and women aboard Challenger on that disastrous day?

One More Thing

P-51 Excalibur III

The one-time fighter followed an unremarkable combat career with a succession of speed records and a navigational breakthrough.