Behind the Wings | Season 6

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 toward operationality, the stakes of lethal AI are so high that we’ve got to get it right.
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 AI capabilities progress, managing the risks of its ethical deployment and falling behind in a global race for technological superiority becomes central to its feasibility.
From its incredible history to its unique design features, we're looking inside the Super Guppy! In 1962, President Kennedy boldly claimed to put an American on the moon by the decade's end. However, the components required for Apollo were massive and assembled nationwide. 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.
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.