Space History Photo: NACA Ames 7x10 Wind Tunnel

model airplane, wind tunnels — NACA Ames 7x10 Wind Tunnel (Image credit: NACA)

In this historical photo from the U.S. space agency, a scale model of an airplane is prepared for study in one of the 7 x 10-foot wind tunnels at the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory, on April 1, 1942. Now called the Ames Research Center, the facility now has an 11 x 11-foot wind tunnel that can simulate speeds up to Mach 1.45.

The Ames Aeronautical Laboratory was the second laboratory of the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA), a precursor to NASA. The NACA was created by act of Congress on March 3, 1915 and charged with the development of aeronautical research and testing facilities to improve both civil and military aviation.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the U.S. government agency in charge of the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Founded in 1958, NASA is a civilian space agency aimed at exploring the universe with space telescopes, satellites, robotic spacecraft, astronauts and more. The space agency has 10 major centers based across the U.S. and launches robotic and crewed missions from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida. Its astronaut corps is based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. To follow NASA's latest mission, follow the space agency on Twitter or any other social channel, visit: nasa.gov.