Month:

Why is the Apollo VII shaped that way?

  • September 9

The Command Module of the Apollo VII mission has a truncated cone shape which was essential to its goals of leaving the earth's atmosphere and then safely re-entering the atmosphere to bring its crew back to Earth in 1968. Here, we wonder how the shape of the module was an important aspect of its design and learn about cone shapes, air resistance, and surface area. Supplementary Activity Guides to extend student learning at the Frontiers of Flight Museum for K-12 grade levels are freely availabl... CONTINUE READING

What Materials Make Up the Apollo VII?

  • September 9

We notice that the bottom surface of the Command Module of the Apollo VII space mission looks different from the material making up the rest of the module. We learn that this difference is a critical part of the design of the module that brought home the crew of 3 astronauts in 1968. Further, the heat shield material that was developed for the command module’s bottom surface is now something we use in everyday life – great example of innovation that ends up being used far more widely than an... CONTINUE READING

Can We Figure Out Which End is Which in the Engine of the Blackbird?

  • September 9

As we observe the engine of the Blackbird jet, an airplane capable of supersonic speed, we wonder if we can figure out, using our observational powers alone, which end is the front and which end is the rear of the engine? It's fun to figure out – and in the process, we notice and learn a good amount about the structure of an engine. Supplementary Activity Guides to extend student learning at the Frontiers of Flight Museum for K-12 grade levels are freely available here:... CONTINUE READING

How is a Jet Engine Different from Other Engines?

  • September 9

Here, we compare this specialized jet engine to a car engine and other more common engines most of us are familiar with. Supplementary Activity Guides to extend student learning at the Frontiers of Flight Museum for K-12 grade levels are freely available here: https://www.flightmuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/walkSTEM@FOFM-Teacher-Guide_FINAL.pdf We inv... CONTINUE READING

Where Can We See Symmetry in this Airplane?

  • September 9

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps, a precursor of the U.S. Air Force. They flew more than 15,000 individual sorties in Europe and North Africa during World War II. Their performance earned them more than 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and helped encourage the eventual integration of the U.S. armed forces. In this video we explore the symmetries we can observe as we explore a model of the airplane these heroes flew. Supplementary Activity Gui... CONTINUE READING

What Does it Mean to “Circumnavigate”?

  • September 9

Amelia Earhart was an American aviator who mysteriously disappeared in 1937 while trying to circumnavigate the globe from the equator. Earhart was the 16th woman to be issued a pilot’s license. She had several notable flights, including becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1928, as well as the first person to fly over both the Atlantic and Pacific. Here, we explore what is meant, mathematically, by the term “circumnavigation.” Supplementary Activity Guides to extend... CONTINUE READING

What Materials Did the Wright Brothers use to Build the Flyer-and Why?

  • September 9

Design is often fueled by the designers’ experiences and in the case of the Wright Brothers, their background in bicycle repair shaped their design of the Flyer. Here, we observe the Flyer exhibit at the museum and make connections to bicycles – so you can think of the Flyer as a flying bicycle in some ways! Supplementary Activity Guides to extend student learning at the Frontiers of Flight Museum for K-12 grade levels are freely available here:... CONTINUE READING

How is Spaceship One Uniquely Designed to Achieve its Goals?

  • September 9

SpaceShipOne is a rocket-powered aircraft with sub-orbital spaceflight capability at speeds of up to 3,000 ft/s (900 m/s). Its unique design features a “feathering” atmospheric reentry system where the rear half of the wing and the twin tail booms fold 70 degrees upward. Watch the video to understand the function of this unique design. Also, learn how you can do a simple experiment at home to see the rationale behind this design. Supplementary Activity Guides to extend student learning at th... CONTINUE READING