Despite the heavy rains of Tropical Storm Hanna that blanketed much of northern Virginia, the Centennial of Military Aviation celebration took place Sept. 6 at Ft. Myer, Va., to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of a series of flights made there by Orville Wright. (Read more about this history in The First Military Airplane) The anniversary event included the display of the working reproduction of the Wright Model A airplane—a 41-foot-wingspan design powered by a 28-horsepower engine—constructed by members of The Wright Experience. It will be on display throughout 2009 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center before moving to its permanent home at the future National Museum of the United States Army at Ft. Belvoir, Va., about 15 miles south of Ft. Myer. (SAF/PA report by SMSgt. Matt Proietti)
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
