NASA Paresev 1-A: From the ground up.

The Pa-raglider Rese-arch V-ehicle 1 was an experimental vehicle built inhouse at the NASA’s Flight Research Center in 1962. It was conceived to evaluate the possible use of a deployable Rogallo wing in the Gemini capsule landings. Towed into the air by both ground vehicles and aircraft from the Rogers Dry Lake, its flights were, as you may imagine, fairly short and intense. In total nearly 350 of those test flights were undertaken between 1962 and 1964.

Family portrait of test pilot Milt Thompson and the 1-A team, support motorcycle and a classic Stearman tow plane. The 1-A was the second iteration of the design.

Photo: NASA.