BEHIND THE WINGS

#601 AI in Military Aviation, Part 1
Short description:
Testing and simulation progress AI pilot agents from the lab to the field.

Lone description:
Follow the journey of AI in military aviation, from initial concepts in the lab to flight testing. On the outskirts of the Mojave Desert at Edwards Test Pilot School, a revolution is taking place in AI piloted aircraft. The one-of-a kind X-62 VISTA in-flight simulator provides a sandbox for flight-testing AI technologies in a controlled setting. AI progress is iterative, and each flight reveals new capabilities and shortcomings. As AI technology progresses towards operationality, the stakes of lethal AI are so high that we’ve got to get it right.


#692 Collaborative Combat Aircraft
Short description:
The ethics of deploying AI in Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), are weighed against the risks of falling behind technologically.


Long description:
Explore the critical balance in advancing ethical AI technology for air battlefield readiness. Above the sandy beaches of Eglin Air Force Base, an XQ-58 test aircraft soars by at 35,000 feet. However, there is no pilot, and there’s not even a cockpit. As the capabilities of AI progress, managing the risks of its ethical deployment, and of falling behind in a global race for technological superiority become central to its feasibility.


#603 The Super Guppy
Short description:
The unlikely story of the original super cargo transport aircraft that helped America win the space race.

Long description:
From its incredible history to its unique design features, we're taking an inside look at the Super Guppy! In 1962, President Kennedy made the bold claim to put an American on the moon by the end of the decade. However, the components required for Apollo were massive and assembled all across the country. For Apollo to launch on time, NASA needed an aircraft larger than anything the world had ever seen. Since Apollo, the Super Guppy has completed hundreds of missions for NASA, the DOD, and even worldwide. Five Super Guppies were constructed, and today only one remains flying.


#604 Hypersonic Flight Testing
Short description:
The world’s largest operating aircraft enables a new era in hypersonic flight testing.

Long description:
Hypersonic flight remains one of aviation's most elusive challenges. Defined by speeds greater than Mach 5, it is a realm where air becomes fire, and the laws of physics wage war against human ambition. Against a rapidly progressing global competitive landscape, the need for repeatable hypersonic flight testing is greater than ever. Meet the Stratolaunch Roc, the largest operational aircraft in the world. From its development history to the engineering firsts along the way, Roc, and the missions it enables, are unlike anything else on Earth.