San Diego Air & Space Museum

Aircraft & Spacecraft Collection

Gemini Spacecraft (mock-up)

Gemini, a Latin word for twins, was designed to carry two astronauts and served as a precursor program for the Apollo lunar landing effort. While the Gemini spacecraft superficially resembled Mercury, it was in fact an entirely new orbital vehicle. It consisted of two sections: a manned spacecraft and an unmanned adapter section. The two astronauts sat in ejection seats in case of a problem during launch.

Apollo Service Module (mock-up)

The Apollo spacecraft had two million working parts. It was so complex that it was designed system by system, each one integrated into the whole. The Apollo spacecraft was blasted into space atop a Saturn V rocket, itself monstrous in every detail.

Boeing GPS-12 Satellite

The GPS satellite on exhibit is a thermal test specimen and is the only one on display in the world. It is just one of the many types of satellites orbiting the Earth today. The solar panels, such as the ones seen on the GPS, are one way to provide the power needed to function. Satellites can also carry their power internally, sometimes using a nuclear power supply.

Boeing P-26 Peashooter (reproduction)

In the middle of the Great Depression, the Army Air Corps decided to upgrade its pursuit squadrons by replacing the fabric covered bi-planes of the 20s with a modern all-metal aircraft with superior speed and armament. The Boeing P-26 Peashooter was born to fit the bill. It became the military's transition aircraft as the United States raced toward World War II. It was America's first military monoplane, which was still externally braced, and the first that had all-metal construction.

Horten 229 V3 (mock-up)

The National Geographic Channel and Northrop Grumman Corporation teamed to build the flying wing full-size model for the documentary Hitler's Stealth Fighter. The top secret Nazi flying wing was reconstructed to determine if Hitler's military had stealth capabilities three decades before the United States. This Flying wing now hangs in the WWII Gallery of the Museum.

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