Aeronautics
Astronautics
Aerospace Firsts
People in Aerospace
VCU
100

What aircraft is the only full-length double-deck airplane?

Airbus A380

100

What is the name of the main theory that describes how our universe was created?

The Big Bang Theory

100

Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean?

Amelia Earhart

100

What were the Wright Brothers' names?

Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright

100

Which field of study does VCU offer that is the closest to Aerospace and Aeronautics?

Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering

200

The Concorde was a supersonic passenger airliner flown by which two airlines?

British Airways and Air France

200

What is the farthest man made object from Earth?

NASA's Voyager 1

200

Who was the first American woman in space?

Sally Ride

200

What Renaissance figure, most commonly known for his paintings, also created hundreds of ideas and drawings for flying machines?

Leonardo da Vinci

200

Which Virginia headquartered aerospace company frequently collaborates with VCU through research and internship opportunities?

Northrop Grumman

300

Approximately how much per unit does the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber cost?

~$2 billion

300

What was the name of the first animal in orbit?

Laika (Dog)

300

What aircraft was the first commercial jet airliner?

The de Havilland DH.106 Comet

300

What famous aerospace engineer was the first lead of Lockheed's Skunk Works and was instrumental in the development of aircraft such as the U-2 Dragon Lady, SR-71 Blackbird, and F-117 Nighthawk?

Kelly Johnson

300

What event does VCU hold that allows students to showcase their research?

VCU Undergraduate Research Symposium

400

What was the busiest international air route in 2023 by passengers?

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Singapore

400

What are the names of all 6 Space Shuttles?

Challenger, Enterprise, Columbia, Discovery, Atlantis & Endeavour

400

What was the first and oldest module of the International Space Station?

Zarya Control Module (1998)

400

What Renaissance astronomer, known for observing that distant stars seem to remain stationary, lost part of his nose in a duel with a mathematician cousin?

Tycho Brahe

400

Who was the VCU alum that was the first woman to win the Fields Medal, the highest honor in mathematics?

Maryam Mirzakhani

500

What World War II bomber was featured in the movie, "Memphis Belle?"

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

500

On what holiday was NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) founded in 1936?

Halloween, October 31

500

What type of aircraft made the first non-stop circumnavigation around the globe?

B-50 Superfortress (Named Lucky Lady II in 1949)
500

Who was the first Air Traffic Controller?

Archie League

500

What material was the focus of a 2023 VCU and NASA Langley collaboration research project for its potential use in advanced air- and space-craft?

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)