July 18, 2007

J.D. Harrington
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-5241

Kathy Barnstorff
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
757-864-9886/757-344-8511 (mobile)

RELEASE: 07-160

NASA SHARES THE BEAUTY OF AEROSPACE DESIGN WITH AIR SHOW VISITORS

WASHINGTON - NASA will give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the

art of aviation research at the Experimental Aircraft Association's
AirVenture 2007. The United States' biggest annual air show will be
held July 23-29 in Oshkosh, Wis.

A NASA exhibit at the event will feature some of the working models
that have been used to develop aircraft designs. NASA will unveil a
special exhibit called "Aerospace Design: The Art of Engineering from
NASA's Aeronautical Research" in the air show's museum. Artifacts
include architectural and engineering designs for wind tunnels, wind
tunnel models and designs for conceptual airplanes.

"NASA is excited to be part of the biggest annual gathering of

aviation enthusiasts in the country," said Tony Springer, head of
communications and education for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission
Directorate, Washington. "The exhibit highlights aeronautics
contributions NASA has made in the past and present, and will
continue to make in the future. It also celebrates the craftsmanship
and legacy of thousands of NASA engineers, technicians and model
makers who create beautiful and powerful designs while working to
advance flight."

Air show visitors will see sights from the launch pad as well as the
laboratory at the NASA pavilion. Outside the pavilion, visitors can
view a 1-15th scale, 26-foot-tall model of America's next manned
rocket, the Ares I. NASA plans to offer daily lift offs of a 1-100th
scale Ares I model. The 40-inch long rocket can fly as high as 800
feet.

A NASA F-18 Hornet research aircraft will be at Aeroshell Square for

public viewing. The F-18 is used primarily as a safety and mission
support aircraft.

Another aircraft, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared

Astronomy, or SOFIA, will be the subject of an exhibit in the NASA
pavilion, along with a display that celebrates an era when astronomy
was used for navigation. A flying astronomical science observatory,
SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP jet equipped with an infrared telescope.

NASA has teamed with Jamestown 2007 to promote the spirit of

exploration as the Virginia city celebrates its 400th anniversary as
the first permanent English settlement in North America. Interactive
exhibits will highlight some of the similarities facing settlers in
1607 and astronauts in 2007.
Returning this year by popular demand are craftsmen from NASA's
Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. The craftsmen will talk with
visitors about model-making techniques and how they contribute to
spacecraft designs. Space shuttle tiles, rocket models, a section of
an inflatable space structure and an unmanned helicopter model also
will be on display.

For more information about NASA programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

For more information about the Aerospace Design exhibit, visit:

http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/exhibits/aerospace

For more information about the Experimental Aircraft Association's

AirVenture 2007, visit:

http://www.airventure.org

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