NASA pilot Carrie Worth, center, and Tracy Phelps, left, board the Gulfstream G-III aircraft on Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Manny Rodriguez, crew chief, prepares the aircraft for flight. The G-III will join other NASA aircraft to capture imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield during Artemis II reentry. The mission is part of NASA’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) project, based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

NASA pilot Tracy Phelps inspects the Gulfstream G-III aircraft on Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The G-III will join other NASA aircraft to capture imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield during Artemis II reentry. The mission is part of NASA’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) project, based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Manny Rodriguez, Gulfstream G-III crew chief, completes flight control checks with the pilots on Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The G-III will join other NASA aircraft to capture imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield during Artemis II reentry. The mission is part of NASA’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) project, based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Scott Erickson, left, a quality assurance inspector, and Manny Rodriguez, Gulfstream G-III aircraft crew chief, remove window coverings from the aircraft on Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The G-III will join other NASA aircraft to capture imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield during Artemis II reentry. The mission is part of NASA’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) project, based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Scott Erickson, left, a quality assurance inspector, and Manny Rodriguez, Gulfstream G-III crew chief, prepare the aircraft for flight on Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The G-III will join other NASA aircraft to capture imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield during Artemis II reentry. The mission is part of NASA’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) project, based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Manny Rodriguez, center, Gulfstream G-III aircraft crew chief, drives a tug while mechanic Marlon Espinoza, left, and Scott Erickson, a quality assurance inspector, prepare the aircraft for takeoff on Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The G-III will join other NASA aircraft to capture imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield during Artemis II reentry. The mission is part of NASA’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery (SCIFLI) project, based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less is seen after completing his first flight of the X-59 and the aircraft’s second flight overall at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The flight supports NASA’s Quesst mission to demonstrate supersonic flight that produces a quieter sonic “thump” instead of a loud sonic boom.

NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less is seen after completing his first flight of the X-59 and the aircraft’s second flight overall at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The flight supports NASA’s Quesst mission to demonstrate supersonic flight that produces a quieter sonic “thump” instead of a loud sonic boom.

NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less is seen after completing his first flight of the X-59 and the aircraft’s second flight overall at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The flight supports NASA’s Quesst mission to demonstrate supersonic flight that produces a quieter sonic “thump” instead of a loud sonic boom.

Troy Asher, acting center director, presents NASA aerial photographer Carla Thomas with an award commemorating her 1,000th flight at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Monday, April 20, 2026. For 38 years, Thomas has captured aerial photographs of research and science flights. The milestone flight was completed in the backseat of a NASA F-15 aircraft piloted by NASA Armstrong chief pilot Wayne Ringelberg.

Alvin Mitchell, a NASA C-20A aircraft quality assurance inspector, completes preflight checks at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. The aircraft conducted science flights over Central California carrying NASA’s UAVSAR (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar), which collects detailed ground‑movement data to improve earthquake‑hazard models and support a new Earth‑observing satellite.

C-20A crew chief Isac Mata stows metal pins used to secure the landing gear, while Ian Elkin, operations engineer, boards the aircraft to prepare for takeoff from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. The aircraft conducted science flights over Central California carrying NASA’s UAVSAR (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar), which collects detailed ground‑movement data to improve earthquake‑hazard models and support a new Earth‑observing satellite.