The Age of Aerospace - Season 2

60 years since the launch of Sputnik, satellites have become the invisible infrastructure that powers our modern world. But it wasn't until the Gulf War that the public came to recognize the transformative power of GPS and communications satellites.

James McDonnell and his St. Louis based McDonnell Aircraft transform naval aviation following WWII, bringing the first jet-powered fighter to American carrier decks. McDonnell Banshees, Voodoos and Phantoms become iconic defenders of the free world.

Frank Piasecki was a pioneer of rotorcraft and his groundbreaking tandem rotor design brought the helicopter into the modern age. The iconic Chinook helicopter and it's many uses from combat to humanitarian aid is his legacy.