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LIBRARY ARCHIVES AND RESEARCH

The Travis AFB Aviation Museum Archives are open during regular museum hours and they can be accessed through the archive computer in the museum library.

 

The collection includes digitized manuals, photographs, videos, base newspapers, and over 3,000 books on aviation and military history.

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Past issues of the Travis Air Museum NEWS are also searchable by keyword, making it easier than ever to explore the history of Travis Air Force Base.

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📌 Please note: Researchers may make copies on site, but staff cannot provide copy services.

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EDUCATION

THE FUTURE OF PROPULSION

Are chemical rocket engines the end of the line? Or can we build engines that take us faster, farther, and

 

deeper into space?

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That’s where YOU come in. It will be your generation that learns, experiments, and invents the technologies that power tomorrow’s Moon, Mars, and interstellar missions.

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Here’s your challenge: pick one of these exciting future space propulsion systems and learn all you can about it. Who knows—maybe one day you’ll design the engines that launch humanity into the stars! â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹

Future of Propulsion

Promising Propulsion Technologies:

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  • Electric Propulsion (Ion & Hall Effect Thrusters): Efficient engines that use charged particles to push spacecraft—already used in deep space missions.

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  • Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP): Uses a nuclear reactor to heat hydrogen fuel, cutting the travel time for astronauts heading to Mars.

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  • Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP): Combines nuclear power with ion engines for long-duration cargo missions.

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  • Solar Sail Propulsion: Giant, ultra-light sails that “catch” sunlight to slowly but steadily push spacecraft across the solar system.

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  • Plasma Propulsion (VASIMR): Uses super-heated plasma to generate thrust—faster and more flexible than chemical rockets.

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  • Beamed Energy Propulsion: Ground-based lasers or microwaves that push spacecraft without carrying heavy fuel tanks.

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  • Asteroid Mining for Propellant: Turning space rocks into fuel—splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen to power rockets.

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  • Advanced Chemical Propulsion: Next-generation rocket engines made lighter, stronger, and more efficient.

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  • Micropropulsion: Tiny thrusters for CubeSats and small satellites, helping them maneuver in orbit.

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  • Fusion Propulsion: Harnessing the same power as the Sun to travel to the stars (still experimental, but full of promise).

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  • Antimatter Propulsion: The ultimate fuel—matter meeting antimatter creates enormous energy, but safe storage is a major challenge.

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The Big Question:

What kind of engine will carry the first humans to Mars, Europa, or even another star system? The answer may depend on YOU and your generation’s discoveries.

STEM Education

STEM EDUCATION 

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STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—an interdisciplinary approach designed to prepare students for college, graduate study, and careers in STEM fields. Beyond learning individual subjects, STEM education encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and hands-on learning.

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At the museum, students and families can engage in a variety of interactive STEM activities:

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  • Flight Simulators: Six computers are available for hands-on training—three full aircraft flight simulators and two RF 7.5 model aircraft simulators, including small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) simulators.

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  • Rocket Labs: Build and launch model rockets in our periodic workshops.

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  • Robotics Workshops: Learn to construct, program, and code using Spark Spero and Thames & Kosmos kits.

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These programs support educational initiatives such as:

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  • Civil Air Patrol STEM programs

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  • Scouts completing Aviation, Space Exploration, and Robotics Merit Badges

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  • Other community education needs and youth programs​​

By combining hands-on experiences with real-world technology, the museum helps students explore careers in aviation, space, and robotics while fostering curiosity and technical skills.

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Kids' Zone

KIDS' ZONE

Color with Imagination!

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Looking for a fun, creative break? Grab a coloring sheet and crayons near the gift shop and let your imagination take flight! You don’t have to stay inside the lines—unless you want to.

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Once your masterpiece is complete, you can display it in our ever-changing art gallery by the gift shop for everyone to enjoy. It’s a simple way for kids, families, and aspiring artists to express creativity and be part of the museum experience.

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FEDERAL AVIATION ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDED BOOKS ON AVIATION​

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For Young Readers (Ages 4–8)

  • Get Around in Air and Space — Lee Sullivan Hill (Get Around Books)

  • Fly, Bessie, Fly — Lynn Joseph & Yvonne Buchanan

  • The Magic School Bus Taking Flight: A Book About Flight — Created by Joanna Cole & Bruce Deem

  • My First Plane Ride — Elizabeth Benjamin & Mary Lonsdale

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For Older Kids (Ages 9–12 and up)

  • Just Plane Smart: Activities for Kids in the Air and on the Ground — Edwin J. C. Sobey & Ed Sobey

  • Yankee Doodle Gals: Women Pilots of World War II — Amy Nathan (ages 10+)

  • Fly High: The Story of Bessie Coleman — Louise Borden

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General Interest & History

  • The Wright Brothers: Pioneers of American Aviation — Quentin Reynolds

  • The Story of Aviation: A Concise History of Flight — Bill Gunston, Ray Bonds (Editor)

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Reference & Technical Works

  • Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft (1997–1998) — Paul Jackson (Editor)

  • The Aviation and Aerospace Almanac (1999) — Richard Lamp (Editor), Aerospace and Aviation Daily (Compiler), Publications of Aviation Week (Compiler)

  • The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft — David Donald (Editor)

  • Jane’s Aircraft Recognition Handbook: Jane’s Military Guide — Jane’s

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Fascinating Aviation Facts

  • The Wright brothers’ first flight (120 ft at Kitty Hawk, 1903) could have fit inside the economy section of a Boeing 747-400 (150 ft).

  • Before control towers, pilots avoided collisions using the method: “see and be seen.”

  • Prior to 1926, no pilot’s license was required to carry passengers or cargo.

  • The first animal aviators (1783, France): a sheep, a duck, and a cockerel in a hot air balloon.

  • “Air Stewardess” was the original title for today’s Flight Attendant. Ellen Church became the first in May 1930 with United Airlines.

  • Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic (1932) and achieved two more solo firsts in 1935:

    • Hawaii → Mainland USA

    • Mexico → New York City

  • Elizabeth Dole became the first woman Secretary of Transportation.

  • Harriett Quimby earned the first U.S. woman’s pilot license in 1911.

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HERITAGE PROGRAM WEBSITES​

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If you would like to suggest a website to include as a link on this page, please send your suggestion to the Travis Air Force Aviation Museum.

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Further aviation websites of interest​:             â€‹

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Heritage Program Websites
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