Where Art Meets Aerospace
Capturing the Best Photos of 2021

When you think of aerospace, the word art may not immediately come to mind, but art continues to transform the industry. From conceptual designers envisioning future aircraft and rocket concepts, to photographers, painters and illustrators visually telling the story of our people, systems and missions, art is critical to aerospace and inspiring future generations of talent to take the industry to new heights.

Our photography team captures a wide range of imagery from the everyday to the magical. Dedicated team members, like photojournalist Mikaela Maschmeier, are committed to the craft of not just capturing dynamic aircraft imagery but capturing a moment in time that tells a larger story.

“As an aerospace photographer,” Maschmeier shared, “I get to experience our aircraft and systems up close and personal. Standing just a few feet away from the runway as an F-35 takes off in afterburner, you can physically feel the power of the aircraft. As a military spouse, seeing our aircraft in operation instills peace in knowing our servicemen and women are protected by some of the most advanced systems in the world.”

The story of the people behind the aircraft is just as important for Maschmeier to capture.

“It’s the engineers designing the systems, production team members bringing the design vision to reality, maintainers who keep the systems flying, and the pilots in the driver’s seat that all contribute to the story of the aircraft,” Maschmeier shared. “The true story is encapsulated in documenting the full human and machine team.”

Explore the gallery below; See Mikaela and the team’s best photos of 2021.