Country of Origin: United States of America
Dimensions:
Overall: 43ft x 33ft (1310.64 x 1005.84cm)
Materials:
Rubber (Silicone), Nylon, Synthetic Fabric, Steel, Cadmium Plating, Adhesive, Paint, Plastic
This inflatable delta wing was part of a test program in the early 1960s to develop a controllable system for landing two-man Gemini capsules on land, rather than the ocean. It was used by North American Aviation, the manufacturer and prime contractor to NASA for the paraglider, in conjunction with the Tow Test Vehicles 1 and 2 to conduct a series of experiments in gliding and landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Due to technical difficulties and a tight schedule for the Gemini program, the concept never became operational.
Francis Rogallo, an engineer at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia invented the "Rogallo wing" concept in the 1950s. North American Aviation gave this wing to the Smithsonian in 1967 on behalf of NASA.
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
