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NASA asked several former SR-71A staffers to help secret restart

327 points · 403 comments · ilamont

GolfPopper · 1790750930 · focus · HN ↗
Why would they choose SN 61-7980? I get that it was the last one off the line, but it's been sitting out in the weather at Edwards, not even in the boneyard. SN 61-7964 has been out of service about as long, but it's been inside at the Strategic Air Command museum - it's got to be in better shape.
1. DocTomoe · 1790751684 · focus · HN ↗
  I'd wager a plane in a museum is stripped down internally and nothing more than a shell, while a plane on an actively protected military installation is more likely to be complete (or more complete), thus easier restorable.
  1. pwg · 1790778699 · focus · HN ↗
    The SR-71 on display at the Udvar-Hazy branch of the Air and Space Museum located near Dulles Airport in Virginia does not have its engines in the nacelles. The rest of the exterior looks complete, but other internals could very well also be missing and the exterior would still look identical.

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