Peterson Air and Space Museum

10/19/2026

MISSILE MONDAY!

14 October 1953 - The X-10 prototype of the North American SM-64 Navaho, a ramjet-propelled surface-to-surface guided missile, made its first flight. The turbojet-powered X-10 tested flight characteristics and guidance, navigation and control systems for the planned Navaho.

For more information about the X-10, click on the link in the first comment below.

10/17/2026

Congratulations to the city of Aurora, Colorado for their designation as a World War II Heritage City!

From training military personnel to manufacturing essential supplies, communities across the country helped shape the course of World War II. 🇺🇸

The National Park Service has designated 10 new American World War II Heritage Cities, recognizing communities whose contributions to the home front helped support Allied victory and whose efforts to preserve this history continue today.

The 2026 designees are located in Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oregon, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and West Virginia.

Their stories reflect the many ways Americans served during the war, through military training, industrial production, agriculture, medical care, and community support.

Learn more about the 10 new designees and the stories behind their contributions at: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/nps-designates-new-wwii-heritage-cities.htm

Image: Aerial photograph shows Oregon’s Pendleton Field, also known as Pendleton Army Air Base, in August 1941. Courtesy Oreg. Hist. Soc. Research Lib., 48789

10/16/2026

Joke if you must, but congratulations to our newest Guardians and welcome to the U.S. Space Force!

10/16/2026

FIGHTER FRIDAY!

October 16th, 1967 - The General Dynamics F-111A supersonic tactical fighter became operational with the Tactical Air Command, when it flew from Fort Worth, Texas, to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, using its terrain following radar guidance.

Pictured is an F-111A deployed to Takhli Air Base, Thailand in September 1968. The Vietnam War deployment of F-111's was called COMBAT LANCER.

10/16/2026

10/14/2026

Not just another square on the Space Force organizational chart!

Effective Oct. 7, SPACEFOR-SOC was activated as a component field command of the U.S. Space Force.

10/14/2026

ON THIS DAY IN U.S. AIR FORCE HISTORY: 1973 - Through 14 November, the Military Airlift Command (MAC) delivered 22,395 tons of materiel from 20 locations in the U.S. to Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. MAC completed this airlift, named Operation NICKEL GRASS, with a one-way distance of 6,450 miles, in 567 Lockheed C-5 "Galaxy" (pictured) and C-141 "Starlifter" missions. By comparison, the Soviet Union supplied 15,000 tons to the Arab nations of Syria and Egypt in 40 days flying over a route of 1,700 miles in 935 missions.

For a firsthand account of this massive airlift effort during the Cold War, click on the link in the comments below.

10/12/2026

MISSILE MONDAY!

October 10th, 1986 - The USAF placed the Peacekeeper ICBM (LGM-118A) on strategic alert with the 400th Missile Squadron. The 400th MS was the only operational squadron equipped with the Peacekeeper.

10/08/2026

Many congratulations to these two Guardians for their achievement.

Just one question, were they required to eat a snake as part of their training? 🐉🍴

Space Force Maj. Alyson Gleason and Capt. Stephen Richard just gave their highly technical service a tougher image by becoming the first Guardians to endure 18 punishing days of training to graduate from the Jungle Operations Training Course in Panama. Read more: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/two-guardians-space-force-grads-army-jungle-school/