Inside NASA's Prototype Lab Where Model Planes Take Flight

The lab's model airplanes are used to test cutting edge aeronautical ideas like crash-avoidance and more efficient rocket launches.

Mar 22, 2017
Latest in Aerospace
Industrial Media Unboxing Video
Sponsored
Industrial Media Unboxing Video
November 23, 2022
Quicksink Release Image
Air Force to Develop Maritime Targeting from Air-Launched Platforms
January 11, 2023
Rocket Lab Electron Credit Brady Kenniston
Rocket Lab Sets New Date for First Electron Launch From U.S. Soil
January 11, 2023
In this photo made available by NASA, the space shuttle Challenger launches the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite in 1984. On Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, the U.S. space agency said the 38-year-old NASA satellite is about to fall from the sky, but the chance of wreckage falling on anybody is “very low.” It's expected to come down Sunday night, give or take 17 hours.
Old NASA Satellite Falls Harmlessly from Sky Off Alaska
January 9, 2023
Related Stories
Artist concept of Demonstration for Rocket to Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) spacecraft, which will demonstrate a nuclear thermal rocket engine.
Aerospace
NASA, DARPA Will Test Nuclear Engine for Future Mars Missions
In this Jan. 25, 2020, file photo a Boeing 777X airplane takes off on its first flight with the Olympic Mountains in the background at Paine Field in Everett, Wash.
Aerospace
Boeing Loses $663M in 4Q Despite Higher Revenue
In this undated photo provided by Virgin Orbit on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, Virgin Atlantic Cosmic Girl, a repurposed Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 aircraft that will carry a rocket, is parked at Spaceport Cornwall, at Cornwall Airport in Newquay, England. Engineers are making final preparations for the first satellite launch from the U.K. later Monday, when a repurposed passenger plane is expected to release a Virgin Orbit rocket carrying several small satellites into space.
Aerospace
Virgin Orbit: Premature Shutdown Behind Rocket Launch Fail
Today in Manufacturing Podcast
Sponsored
Today in Manufacturing Podcast
More in Aerospace
Security Breach Podcast
Sponsored
Security Breach Podcast
A new video series from Manufacturing.net - Security Breach, looks to offer the insight and tools needed to ready your company's defenses. Stay up-to-date on today's vital cybersecurity topics by subscribing here.
January 10, 2023
This diagram made available by NASA shows the estimated trajectory of asteroid 2023 BU, in red, affected by the earth's gravity, and the orbit of geosynchronous satellites, in green.
Aerospace
Asteroid Coming Exceedingly Close to Earth
But it will miss.
January 26, 2023
Electron Lifts Of At Launch Complex 2 Image Credit Brady Kenniston
Aerospace
Rocket Lab Successfully Launches First Electron Mission from U.S. Soil
The “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission was the first of three Electron launches for HawkEye 360.
January 25, 2023
Lockheed
Aerospace
Lockheed Martin Announces Successful First Flight Of F-16 Block 70 Aircraft
Total flight time was approximately 50 minutes.
January 25, 2023
In this Jan. 25, 2020, file photo a Boeing 777X airplane takes off on its first flight with the Olympic Mountains in the background at Paine Field in Everett, Wash.
Aerospace
Boeing Loses $663M in 4Q Despite Higher Revenue
It was another disappointing quarter for the aerospace giant.
January 25, 2023
Wreckage is piled at the crash scene of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, March 11, 2019.
Aerospace
Boeing Max Likely Hit a Bird Before 2019 Crash
The NTSB says the bad sensor reading was caused by impact with an object, most likely a bird.
January 24, 2023
Mayhemhypersonic
Aerospace
Kratos Receives Mayhem Hypersonic Missile Program Contract Award
It will support the Air Force's development of an air-breathing hypersonic weapon system.
January 20, 2023
A Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplane performs a demonstration flight at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, east of Paris, France, June 20, 2017.
Aerospace
Boeing Ordered to Be Arraigned on Charge in Max Crashes
The ruling threatens to unravel an agreement the company negotiated to avoid prosecution.
January 20, 2023
Zero Avia First Flight 2 1200x800
Aerospace
World's Largest Hydrogen-Electric Aircraft Takes Off
The flight took place from the company's R&D facility at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire, UK, and lasted 10 minutes.
January 19, 2023
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson holds a model of an aircraft with a Transonic Truss-Braced Wing during a news conference on NASA's Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington, DC.
Aerospace
Boeing Tapped to Build Full-Scale Sustainable Flight Demonstrator for NASA
The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept involves an aircraft with extra-long, thin wings stabilized by diagonal struts.
January 19, 2023
Vulcan
Aerospace
Vulcan Centaur Rocket One Step Closer to Launch
"The first Vulcan is complete, and we look forward to the test flight this year."
January 16, 2023
Stratolaunch's Roc launch platform carries the Talon-A separation test vehicle during its second captive carry flight on Jan. 13, 2023.
Aerospace
Stratolaunch Closer to Launching a Hypersonic Vehicle from Its Massive Plane
Stratolaunch continues to progress toward separation test and its first hypersonic flight of TA-1 within the first half of 2023.
January 16, 2023
Bird
Aerospace
Feathered Robotic Wing Paves Way for Flapping Drones
Previous studies have shown that birds flap their wings more horizontally when flying slowly.
January 16, 2023
A350 Dragon Fly Demonstrator
Aerospace
Airbus Tests Automated Pilot-Assist Tech for Commercial Jets
The technologies being demonstrated include automated emergency diversion in cruise, automatic landing and taxi assistance.
January 13, 2023
In this undated photo provided by Virgin Orbit on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, Virgin Atlantic Cosmic Girl, a repurposed Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 aircraft that will carry a rocket, is parked at Spaceport Cornwall, at Cornwall Airport in Newquay, England. Engineers are making final preparations for the first satellite launch from the U.K. later Monday, when a repurposed passenger plane is expected to release a Virgin Orbit rocket carrying several small satellites into space.
Aerospace
Virgin Orbit: Premature Shutdown Behind Rocket Launch Fail
"The upper stage experienced an anomaly," the aerospace company said.
January 12, 2023