NASA SR-71 Blackbird vanishes from Armstrong Flight Research Center display
Satellite imagery shows a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird left its outdoor exhibit at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center by mid-May 2026.
Aircraft missing from public view
Aviation Week obtained satellite photos indicating the plane was gone by the middle of May. Some images suggest the aircraft may have departed as early as April. The Blackbird had been on display since it last flew in 1999.
Retired engineers decline flight request
NASA asked retired test engineer Mike Relja to help return the aircraft to flight roughly four weeks ago. Relja, who is now in his seventies, declined the offer because he felt too old for the task. Another former pilot named David Ash joined NASA in June to direct special projects but never explained the agency's motives.
Timeline before public announcement
The aircraft disappeared months before Administrator Jared Isaacman showed a silhouette resembling the Blackbird at an event in Los Angeles. That summit took place in September of 2026. The move has sparked questions about future plans for the historic jet.
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