This year, Centennial of Flight celebrations across the United States are marking the tremendous achievement of the Wright brothers successful, powered, heavier-than-air flight on December 17, 1903. The vision and persistence of these two men pioneered the way for explorers, inventors, and innovators to take aeronautics from the beaches of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to the outer reaches of the solar system. Along this 100-year journey, NASA has played a significant role in developing and supporting the technologies that have shaped the aviation industry.
