The DC Traveler

Meet a few astronauts that have been to outer space, and learn about space exploration with hands-on activities and special stories just for kids, all at the world’s most famous air and space museum.
This family day event includes and meet-the-author book signings, and kids can learn how to build their own flyable model rocket with help from the Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry. There’s even a robot petting zoo, where you can interact with the latest in robot technology.
 
The highlight is an advanced sneak peek at the Lockheed Martin-designed spacecraft of the future and successor to the space shuttle – …read more

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Unofficially known as the “Blackbird“, the titanium-skinned Lockheed SR-71 long-range reconnaissance aircraft was in operation by the U.S. from the 1960s until 1990.
The SR-71 was the world’s fastest and highest flying aircraft in history. At altitudes around 80,000 feet, it reached speeds in excess of Mach 3 (2000 mph).  In 1976, it set a record of almost 2,200 mph at a record-breaking altitude of just over 85,000 feet (16 miles).

To provide an idea of the incredible speed the Blackbrid was capable of, a trans-Atlantic flight in a typical Boeing 747 took approximately 6 hours and the same trip on the supersonic Concorde …read more

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The U-2 spy plane was used extensively by the U.S. starting in the 1950s and continue to play a role during the Vietnam War.
The U-2 is famous for being flown over Cuba in 1962 during regular reconnaissance missions.  In early fall of 1962, they photographed Soviet nuclear missiles being deployed and erected, which led to the October Cuban missile crisis.

In 1962 1960, during a spy mission over Soviet airspace, a U-2 piloted by Gary Powers was shot down over Soviet airspace by a surface-to-air missile.  He was convicted of espionage by the Soviets and sentenced to three years in prison and seven years …read more

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Throughout the Cold War, the old Russian Embassy in Washington, DC served as a center for spying and espionage.  While James Bond never attended a black-tie party at the embassy in any of his movies, his real-life contemporaries may have. 
Some of the more noteworthy traitors that provided top-secret information to the Soviets included John Anthony Walker, a communications specialist for the U.S. Navy.  He sold a highly-classified radio cipher card to the Soviets for just a few thousand dollars. The decoding card allow the Soviets to decipher over one million classified U.S. documents causing Walker to be considered one of …read more

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Washington DC has been one of the main centers of spying activities throughout U.S. history. During the the Civil War, both World Wars and the Cold War, DC has built it’s reputation as a spy center.
If James Bond were to visit Washington for a weekend of fun, there are a few places I’d recommend the ultimate spy visit.  I’ll cover them in the next few posts to The DC Traveler.
The International Spy Museum – Shaken…Not Stirred
With over 50 years of spy memorabilia, even 007 would be intrigued.  Invisible ink, hidden cameras, bugs and over 200 other spy gadgets are on display at …read more

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Located at next to NSA headquarters, the National Cryptological Museum contains thousands of artifacts related to the history of cryptology, codemaking and codebreaking.
The exhibits covering the impact of cryptology through many examples including Civil War telegraph equipment, World War II Enigma code breaking machines, and supercomputers used to break secret codes.
National Cryptologic Museum
Ft. George G. Meade, Maryland – about 27 miles from DC.
Directions from Washington DC.
Admission is free.
Hours
- Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
 
Vote for your favorite James Bond.  Select your favorite actor who played Bond from the list at …read more

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