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August 2018

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Features

Merlin

World’s Fastest Piston-Power Airplane

A star team led by a racing phenom grabbed the record. But there’s one left to break.

TESS will reveal the natures of these alien places.

Our New Planet Hunter

Around one of 20 million stars, TESS will find something that looks like us.

taxis.jpg

Astronauts, Your Ride’s Here!

New taxi service to the International Space Station.

An Me 262 replica flees a Mustang

Where’s the Prop?

First flights in the first jets.

Waterman

Devoted to the Stars

A century ago, one woman proved there are many ways to leave a legacy.

Stare at the sun (safely!) or look at Venus through the telescopes outside the National Air and Space Museum.

50 Years of Skygazing

Visit the observatory at the National Air and Space Museum.

Seattle’s Zunum Aero

Green Skies

Noiseless, low-emission flight. Coming soon to a sky near you?

Departments

Soundings

100 Seconds to 10,000 Feet

This Harmon Rocket uses a rotary engine to get high fast.

Soundings

A Double-Headed Mustang Flies Again

Restoring a rare XP-82.

Interview

Jack Clemons

Author of a recent book on space exploration, Clemons was a lead TRW engineer working on Apollo and a member of the mission control backroom team that supported flight controllers on the return to Earth of Apollo missions 11 and 13.

A&S NEXT

What Keeps Pilots Up at Night

Flying in the dark can play tricks on your senses.

Oldies and Oddities

A B-17 Came to Roost in Oregon

How a B-17 came to roost in Oregon.

A&S NEXT

Hands on History

Chris Reddersen, Museum Specialist, Restoration, National Air and Space Museum

In the Museum

Night Stalker

The Heinkel He 219 will soon have its nose-mounted radar back.

A&S NEXT

The Cool Side of Tropical Warfare

Another reason U.S. Marines loved Corsairs.

Milestone

Shark Spotter

A new database helps track sharks by air.

Books

When Bombers Ruled

Always at War: Organizational Culture in Strategic Air Command, 1946–62