posted 09-07-2009 06:57 PM               

I spent the better part of six hours wondering from building to building. I spent an hour at the experimental aircraft area. I have seen the X-15 at the National Air and Space Museum, but they have a step ladder next the X-15 and I am amazed at how little room the cockpit has.

I have always loved the lifting bodies, so standing next to the X-24B and being able to wonder around pretty much on my own was great.

posted 08-05-2010 11:30 AM               

Northrop Grumman Defense Support Program Satellite Model Slated for Display at U.S. Air Force Museum

To commemorate 40 years of exceptional reliability and on-orbit performance of its Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites, Northrop Grumman Corporation has configured a full-size model of a DSP satellite for display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

The 35-foot-long model is the only full-size representation of the satellite. It consists of the Structural Test Model (STM) mated to the Infrared Sensor Trailblazer component without the associated electronics. Crews completed work in May and the model was shipped in July to the museum aboard a C5 aircraft, in the same shipping container used for the actual satellite.

The configuration of the satellite model was performed as part of the company's closeout of DSP production contracts for the Air Force.

"We are honored the Air Force has accepted our model to celebrate the 40-year history of DSP's robust performance as one of the nation's vital missile early warning systems," said David DiCarlo, sector vice president and general manager, Space Systems Division. "The DSP constellation continues to provide outstanding mission analysis data from its infrared sensor."

"We are proud to have produced the payload for the primary DSP mission at our facility in Azusa, Calif.," noted John Johnson, sector vice president and general manager, ISR Systems Division, Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems. "A display in the Wright-Patterson Museum is a fitting tribute to one of the most successful programs in the history of the U.S. Air Force."

In 2008, the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center awarded a contract to the company to provide technical support for the operational DSP spacecraft, primary infrared sensor and mission analysis. The cost-plus award fee contract is valued at $206 million, which includes the initial year followed by four one-year options. The company is in the second year of the contract.

Northrop Grumman built the DSP infrared sensors in Azusa, Calif., and integrated them with the DSP spacecraft in Redondo Beach, Calif. DSP support and sustainment work will continue at both sites.

DSP satellite deployment during STS-44. Credit: NASA

The first DSP was launched in 1970 and the final DSP was orbited in 2007. Several times throughout production, the spacecraft and sensor were upgraded to protect against evolving worldwide threats. DSP satellites have demonstrated exceptional reliability, providing an extra 184 satellite-years beyond their required life on-orbit to date.

posted 09-03-2010 09:11 AM               

DSP satellite now on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

A structural test vehicle from the Defense Support Program, which helped provide the Air Force with early warning of ballistic missile launches or above ground nuclear detonations, was recently donated to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force by Northrop Grumman.

This 35-foot-long structural test vehicle, which is now on display in the museum's missile & space gallery, includes the infrared sensor Trailblazer component without the associated electronics. Structural test vehicles are full-sized units used to verify that all the components fit together correctly.

In response to the growing threat from nuclear armed Soviet and Chinese ballistic missiles in the 1960s, Air Force officials developed the DSP in secrecy to replace the space-based infrared Missile Defense Alarm System. A Titan IIIC rocket carried the first DSP satellite, built by TRW (now Northrop Grumman), into orbit Nov. 6, 1970. Weighing 2,000 pounds, it contained 2,000 infrared detectors that could identify the thermal radiation from rocket engine exhaust plumes of intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

For nearly 40 years, DSP satellites underwent numerous advancements to improve their survivability and accuracy, and added the capability to identify nuclear explosions in support of test ban monitoring.

After the Cold War ended, DSP satellites detected Iraqi Scud missile launches during Operation Desert Storm, and scientists used their infrared sensors as part of an early warning system for natural disasters like volcanic eruptions and forest fires.

Air Force officials placed a total of 23 DSP satellites into orbit using a variety of launch platforms. The first satellites went atop Titan III and IV launch vehicles. The sixteenth satellite was carried into space aboard NASA's Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis in November 1991. The 23rd and final DSP satellite was launched in December 2007. It weighed almost 5,300 pounds and could accommodate 6,000 detectors.

posted 09-11-2010 06:38 PM               

Nothing fancy as of yet, just sitting on a sort of mobile pallet next to a Minuteman in the missile gallery. The first two photos are from ground level, the last two are from the catwalk above.

posted 02-17-2011 12:41 PM               

Boeing Announces $5M Donation to Air Force Museum Foundation

Gift Will Enable New Exhibits and Educational Programs

The Boeing Company announced today that it will donate $5 million to the Air Force Museum Foundation in three installments over the next three years. The foundation will deliver the funds to the U.S. Air Force for the benefit of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.

"Boeing's people and products have built enduring bonds with generations of airmen, so it is only fitting that we demonstrate our support for the Air Force Museum Foundation and the U.S. Air Force in this way," said Chris Raymond, vice president of Business Development for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "Boeing's continuing commitment to this nationally important museum will help preserve the legacy of the Air Force's contributions to freedom and ensure that its stories and lessons are shared with future generations."

The Air Force will use Boeing's donation to help construct a fourth building at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The new, 200,000-square-foot building will house exhibits covering three areas: the history of America's space program; the museum's collection of presidential aircraft; and the story of Air Force global reach, featuring cargo and tanker aircraft.

"We are extremely grateful for this major gift from The Boeing Company," said retired Lt. Gen. Richard V. Reynolds, president of the Air Force Museum Foundation. "This extraordinary act of generosity is a huge step in the effort to fund construction of the new building, and will ultimately enable the museum to do an even more phenomenal job of educating visitors on the U.S. Air Force."

The new building will allow the museum to develop much broader educational content. The museum plans to collaborate with NASA and a variety of educational organizations and institutions to develop programming focused on history, science, technology, engineering and math.

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is the service's national institution for preserving and presenting the Air Force story. Each year, more than 1 million visitors come to the museum to learn about the mission, history and evolving capabilities of America's Air Force.

The Air Force Museum Foundation was established in 1960 as a philanthropic, nonprofit organization to assist the museum when federal funds are not available.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 66,000 employees worldwide.

posted 01-27-2012 05:45 PM               

Three formerly classified reconnaissance satellites now on display at National Museum USAF

Military, government and industry officials gathered on Jan. 26 to officially place three formerly classified reconnaissance satellites on public display in the Cold War Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The three satellites: Gambit 1 KH-7, Gambit 3 KH-8 and Hexagon KH-9, were among the most important U.S. photo reconnaissance systems used from the 1960s to the 1980s, and played a critical role in winning the Cold War and maintaining U.S. national security.

Above: Gambit 3 KH-8, one of the formerly classified reconnaissance satellites that went on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, starting Jan. 26, 2012.

Passing in space high over their intended targets, these satellites used specially designed film and cameras to take photos in orbit. The satellites were unmanned and unlikely to be shot down, and therefore minimized risks to military personnel while still obtaining information about areas of the world that the United States could not access.

Led by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Air Force, Central Intelligence Agency, and industry worked together to create these amazingly complex and capable satellites.

According to NRO Director and Air Force Gen. (Ret.) Bruce Carlson, NRO reconnaissance systems – from planes to satellites such as Gambit and Hexagon – have been and continue to be the foundation for global situational awareness in protection of our nation.

"Last year the National Reconnaissance Office celebrated its 50th anniversary, and we announced the declassification of two NRO systems, Gambit and Hexagon, which were America's eyes in space and the most sophisticated satellites of their time," said Carlson. "These systems were critical for monitoring key targets in the USSR and around the globe and provided much-needed cartographic information to the DOD to produce accurate, large-scale maps."

Above: Gambit 1 KH-7

Gambit 1 satellites were the first American high-resolution space reconnaissance systems. This first generation of Gambit vehicle flew from 1963-1967. Gambit 1 added important new close-up capability to wide-search satellites already in use and were the first satellites to feature stereo high resolution cameras.

Gambit 3 improved upon Gambit 1 by providing much better image resolution in tracking adversaries' weapons development. Gambit 3 was a long-lived system, and completed 54 missions from 1966 to 1984. The most notable advancement from Gambit 1 to Gambit 3 was the addition of a "roll joint" between the camera module and the Agena control vehicle in the rear. This rolling joint made the satellite extremely stable as a photo platform, conserved film and increased the number of targets photographed. In addition, new super-thin photographic film allowed the vehicle to carry more film.

Above: Gambit 3 KH-8

Hexagon satellites were the largest and last of the U.S. intelligence satellites to return photographic film to earth. Hexagon provided vital intelligence and mapping photos from space that allowed U.S. planners to counter Cold War threats. Between 1971 and 1984, 19 Hexagon missions imaged 877 million square miles of the earth's surface. Objects smaller than two feet across could be imaged from around 80-100 miles altitude. Analysts could search broad and wide areas for threats with Hexagon, and then focus in on suspect areas with surveillance from Gambit satellites.

Both Gambit and Hexagon systems returned exposed film to earth in re-entry vehicles or "buckets" that separated from the satellite, fell through the atmosphere, and descended by parachute. Air Force aircraft were assigned to pluck the buckets from the sky at around 15,000 feet.

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jack Hudson said the three satellites are a great addition for the Air Force's national museum because the Air Force played a key role in space reconnaissance from the beginning.

Above: Hexagon KH-9

"Gambit 1, Gambit 3 and Hexagon satellites are significant and rare artifacts, which will enable us to better present the story of Air Force operations in space," said Hudson.

"The Air Force has provided launch, tracking, control and range safety services for reconnaissance satellites throughout the entire Cold War, and it continues these activities today."

To commemorate the occasion, Hudson presented Carlson with a painting of the Hexagon satellite by nationally recognized artist and Dayton, Ohio resident, Dr. Richard Black, which was commissioned by the Air Force Museum Foundation.

Eventually, the satellites will be placed in the museum's planned fourth building, which will house the Space Gallery, the Presidential Aircraft Gallery and Global Reach Gallery.

posted 02-28-2012 08:35 PM               

National Museum USAF to receive retired NASA space shuttle crew compartment trainer

A retired NASA space shuttle crew compartment trainer is expected to arrive this summer at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The CCT is a high-fidelity representation of the space shuttle orbiter crew station that was used primarily for on-orbit crew training and engineering evaluations.

It was in this trainer that astronauts learned how to operate many of the orbiter sub-systems in more than 20 different classes. All Air Force astronauts in NASA's shuttle program trained in the CCT.

The crew module of the CCT consists of a flight deck and a mid-deck, and contains components such as panels, seats and lights visible to or used by the flight crew. Non-functional switches, connections, guards and protective devices all have the same characteristics, operating force, torque and movement as a real space shuttle.

The museum is currently working with NASA to package the CCT for airlift to the museum via NASA's Super Guppy cargo aircraft, which carries outsized loads such as missile and rocket components. After arrival, technicians will offload the CCT and place it on interim display in the Cold War Gallery, before later moving it to a new Space Gallery in the planned fourth building.

According to the director of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, retired Lt. Gen. Jack Hudson, the CCT will be a great addition to the museum.

"When the CCT exhibit is completed, it will allow the public to have an up-close and personal look into the cockpit and mid-deck areas of a shuttle and learn how astronauts trained for their missions," Hudson said.

"We also plan to build a full-scale mock-up of the payload bay and develop other new exhibits with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math to further illustrate the rich history of the Air Force's space programs and vital Air Force, NASA and aerospace industry partnerships."

The new Space Gallery, where the CCT will eventually reside, is a part of a multi-phase, long-term expansion plan and will house the museum's growing space collection.

The gallery will include a Titan IV launch vehicle; Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft; and many recently retired NASA artifacts such as a nose cap assembly, landing gear strut and a variety of astronaut equipment.

In addition, a range of satellites and related items will showcase the Air Force's vast reconnaissance, early warning, communications and other space-based capabilities. Other new exhibits will be developed to showcase Air Force technologies with many unique characteristics in design, propulsion, payload capacity, human factors, range, speed, communication, and operating environment.

One of the unique features of the fourth building will be the creation of dedicated spaces for learning. Three "Learning Nodes" will provide a unique environment for lectures and demonstrations, as well as extensions of the exhibit experience.

These 60-seat "gallery classrooms" will allow staff to facilitate new science, technology, engineering and math experiences, while guest scientists and engineers from Air Force organizations, the aerospace industry, and area colleges and universities will be invited to share their expertise. Multimedia presentations will introduce students to air and space missions and the men and women responsible for their execution. When the nodes are not in use for scheduled programs, multimedia presentations will captivate public audiences.

The Air Force Museum Foundation, an IRS 501(c)(3) organization chartered to assist the National Museum of the United States Air Force with the development and expansion of facilities, is in the process of raising the funds to meet the growing requirements of the museum.

Currently, $38 million has been secured by the Foundation for the fourth building project, which is expected to cost an estimated $48 million. The fourth building will house the Space Gallery, Presidential Aircraft Gallery and Global Reach Gallery featuring cargo and tanker aircraft.

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is located on Springfield Street, six miles northeast of downtown Dayton.

posted 07-20-2012 03:13 PM               

Since the space shuttle's retirement in 2011, NASA has been finding new homes across the country for the retired space crafts. This video takes you to Houston to check out another piece of equipment that was just as vital to NASA's space program.

posted 07-31-2012 02:03 PM               

In the meantime, it is being moved by truck to the Light Manufacturing Facility near Ellington Field, where it will wait until the Super Guppy is done delivering the final segment of the Full Fuselage Trainer (FFT) to Seattle on Aug. 9.

It will then be mounted onto a specialized adapter for its flight to Dayton.

posted 08-20-2012 12:45 PM               

The Crew Compartment Trainer was moved to Ellington Field yesterday and loaded onto the Super Guppy this morning.

posted 08-23-2012 12:25 PM               

NASA space shuttle trainer lands at U.S. Air Force museum

A space shuttle mockup that was used to train astronauts, including more than 75 members of the U.S. Air Force, has landed in Dayton, Ohio, where it will go on display at the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum.

The Space Shuttle Crew Compartment Trainer 1 (CCT-1), which was used for more than three decades at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, was flown onboard the agency's Super Guppy cargo plane to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on Wednesday (Aug. 22).

Once offloaded from the aircraft on Thursday, CCT-1 will be moved into the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (NMUSAF), which is located at the base. The museum plans to display the trainer inside its Cold War Gallery until its new Space Gallery inside a planned fourth building is ready late next year.

posted 08-23-2012 04:35 PM               

The CCT is now unwrapped and on display in the Cold War Gallery.

posted 08-27-2012 07:32 AM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by dabolton:
Did they land the Super Guppy on the runway next to the museum or truck it over from the main Wright-Pat air field? I wondered if that strip was still active or not.

---

posted 09-06-2012 12:11 PM               

Officials re-install Crew Compartment Trainer interior items at National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Officials with Team Raytheon based at Johnson Space Center's Space Vehicle Mockup Facility have teamed-up with the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force's Restoration staff to re-install interior items on the Crew Compartment Trainer (CCT-1).

The interior items, which include seats, lockers and monitors, were removed and transported to the museum in advance by truck in order to reduce the weight of the CCT-1 during its flight on NASA's Super Guppy aircraft.

Above: Team Raytheon mechanical engineer Rob Evans reinstalls items inside the Crew Compartment Trainer on Sept. 6, 2012. It will take several days to repopulate the interior of the CCT.

According to Team Raytheon Engineer Clayton Hamm, reinstalling the interior items on the CCT-1 has kind of been like putting together a giant puzzle.

"First, you have to fully evaluate it and locate all of the pieces and then proceed in a methodical manner so that the pieces are brought into the trainer at the right time in order to make them all fit," said Hamm. "Once everything is organized, things tend to move along smoothly, but once in a while something will surprise you or require extra time to install."

Assisting Hamm has been a team of restoration staff led by Restoration Specialist Nick Almeter, who has over-seen the project since the CCT-1 arrived at the museum.

"Everything has come together really well, and it has been great to have the engineers from Team Raytheon and the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility here to assist us," Almeter said. "They have a wealth of knowledge about the CCT-1, so it certainly makes our job that much easier."

Even after the re-installation is complete, work on the CCT-1 exhibit will continue. Plans call for the museum to build a full-scale mock-up of the payload bay and develop other new exhibits with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs. When completed, the CCT-1 exhibit will allow the public to look into the cockpit and mid-deck areas of a shuttle and learn how astronauts trained for their missions.

These surrounding exhibits will contain additional items that NASA plans to ship to the museum, including the main/nose landing gear wheel and brake assembly; nose cap assembly; photographic equipment; primary thruster; rotational hand controller and mid-deck sleep station. Other uniform items such as an inflight jacket, cooling vest, and an in-suit drink assembly bag have already been received.

Although a firm completion date for the full exhibit is yet to be determined, the CCT-1 itself, along with a display detailing future plans including a video documenting the trainer's preparation and delivery, will be available on Sept. 29.

posted 09-29-2012 09:24 PM               

Astronauts, community leaders welcome Crew Compartment Trainer to National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

NASA Astronauts Michael Good and Michael Foreman visited the National Museum of the Air Force during a private event to formally introduce the first shuttle Crew Compartment Trainer (CCT-1) to military and community officials and preview the next steps for the exhibit.

The event marked the debut of a new kiosk, which contains additional information about the trainer, including graphics and a mini- documentary detailing how the CCT-1 was used, its arrival at the museum and future exhibit plans.

As the event began, Foreman reflected back on the many hours he spent in NASA's three crew compartment trainers as he prepared for space missions.

"I've spent 400 - 500 hours in these trainers so it evokes all kinds of great memories," Foreman said. "These trainers were great for actually strapping in and getting ready for launch, and now people will get to see up-close where we trained for space shuttle missions."

Good, who served for 25 years in the Air Force, said he couldn't think of a better home for the trainer to inspire the next generations of scientists and engineers.

"I really love air museums and I remember coming here with my family as a kid, and it is one of the things that inspired me to study aerospace engineering and to get into this business," Good said.

Photo credit: NMUSAF/Don Popp

Above: NASA Astronaut Michael Good discusses the capabilities of NASA's first shuttle Crew Compartment Trainer at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, on Sept.28, 2012.

Good also spoke about how valuable the CCT-1 was to the shuttle program and the reassurance it provided the astronauts.

"People sometimes ask me if I was scared sitting on top of that rocket prior to launch, and I can honestly tell you that I was not scared," said Good. "The reason I was not scared is because I was so well trained, and this mockup was a big part of that."

Future exhibit plans will start with Display Dynamics Inc. of Clayton, Ohio, which was recently selected to reproduce a full-scale mock-up of a NASA shuttle payload bay, engine and tail sections and a dedicated educational area.

These pieces of the exhibit, along with visitor observation and access structures, are scheduled to be completed by September 2013. The museum will continue to populate the exhibit with additional artifacts, such as satellites, along with items obtained from NASA, including space gear, hardware and other equipment, through early 2014.

During construction of the exhibit, visitors will be able to view the CCT-1 in the Cold War Gallery. When completed, the exhibit will allow the public to look into the cockpit and mid-deck areas of a shuttle and learn how astronauts trained for their missions.

The museum's director, retired Lt. Gen. Jack L. Hudson, concluded the event by expressing his thanks to all those in attendance and is looking forward to the exhibit's completion.

"The vision is grand here and we're on a pathway to do this," said Hudson. "This will be an enormous addition to the museum as the CCT-1's exhibit capability grows over time and will help us continue to tell the Air Force story to the American public as well as motivate, inspire and educate our youth towards the Air Force and science, technology, engineering and math."

In addition, three other CCT-1 exhibit contracts were recently awarded to add further content to the display. A contract to build five reproduction space suits representing the space shuttle and Gemini programs was awarded to David Clark Company, Inc., of Worcester, Mass., in the amount of $175,000.

A contract for science, technology, engineering and math learning node elements, including two space shuttle landing simulators and 10 touch-screen computers was awarded to Historic Space Systems of Danville, Ohio, in the amount $170,400.

Finally, a contract to develop fourteen 1/32-scale models of U.S. space launch vehicles representing an historical overview of U.S. Air Force and NASA programs, and one full-scale model of the Explorer 1 satellite was awarded to ProTek Models LLC, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., in the amount of $70,900. The space launch vehicle models will include a Jupiter C, Mercury-Redstone, Mercury-Atlas, Gemini, Titan II, Thor-Agena A, Titan IIID, Atlas-Centaur, Saturn IB, Saturn V, Delta II, Titan 4B, Atlas V, and a Delta IV Heavy, along with a space shuttle with a "full stack" of launch vehicle elements.

posted 04-25-2013 08:43 AM               

Although I'm glad Dayton received something, I was really disappointed when I seen the trainer.

posted 04-25-2013 02:59 PM               

Long before I ever got near a real space shuttle, let alone climbed in one, I visited Johnson Space Center and had the chance to climb into CCT-1. To say that the experience was thrilling would be an understatement.

posted 04-25-2013 04:23 PM            

Being inside a CCT is almost as thrilling as being in a real orbiter. You really can't tell the difference.

So while the CCT may look plain on the outside, the magic is on the inside. And since the crew only lived in the mid-deck and flight deck of a shuttle (which the CCT has...) you see exactly what the crew living conditions were for a space shuttle flight. Magic! And, you can't do THAT when you go see any of the real orbiters...

posted 12-08-2013 11:39 AM               

World's largest military aviation museum ready to build new addition

The world's largest military aviation museum is about to get bigger.

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is set to expand its legacy with a new 224,000 square foot building to be constructed by Turner Construction Co. of Washington, D.C.

The contract for the museum's newest building, which will be similar in size and shape to its three existing hangars, was awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, for the amount of $35.426 million, and is being privately financed by the Air Force Museum Foundation, a non-profit organization chartered to assist in the development and expansion of the museum's facilities.

Current plans call for construction to begin in late spring 2014 and be completed in the summer of 2015. The museum will then begin populating the building that fall. A public opening is anticipated in late 2015.

According to Museum Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jack Hudson, the fourth building will provide more educational opportunities, increase visitor access to the presidential and research and development aircraft and improve visitor experience with space exhibits and large aircraft...

The new Space Gallery will showcase the Space Shuttle exhibit featuring NASA's first Crew Compartment Trainer (CCT-1), a high-fidelity representation of a space shuttle crew station used primarily for on-orbit crew training and engineering evaluations. As a major exhibit component of that gallery, visitors will be able to walk onto a full-size representation of a NASA space shuttle payload bay and look inside the CCT-1 cockpit and mid-deck areas. Conceptual plans call for the gallery to also include a Titan IV space launch vehicle, Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft and many NASA artifacts such as a nose cap assembly, landing gear strut and a variety of astronaut equipment. A range of satellites and related items will showcase the Air Force's vast reconnaissance, early warning, communications and other space-based capabilities...

The Air Force Museum Foundation recently gifted the funds necessary to begin construction of the building and will continue fundraising toward their campaign goal of $46 million, which would provide additional options and amenities for the building.

Since its inception, the Foundation has contributed more than $85.6 million for museum construction, expansion and facility upgrades.

posted 02-14-2014 02:07 PM               

Full-size space shuttle exhibit launching at Air Force Museum in Ohio

A historic mockup of a NASA space shuttle crew cabin has grown wings and a tail to launch as the newest exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Ohio.

Set to debut Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Dayton museum's Space Shuttle Exhibit was built around NASA's first Crew Compartment Trainer (CCT), which has now been outfitted with a full-size representation of the shuttle's payload bay, engine and tail sections.

The new exhibit offers museum visitors the opportunity to experience the size and shape of an actual space shuttle orbiter by entering through the 60-foot-long (18 m) payload bay and looking into the trainer's flight deck and mid-deck levels. The ramps that lead into and out of the new display form the shape of the wings for the replica vehicle.