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In 1963, the United States launched a government-funded Supersonic Transport (SST) program to compete with the joint British and French Concorde project. After much testing, Boeing SST’s design won the U.S. airframe contract. By 1969, twenty-six airlines, including Pan American World Airways and American Airlines, reserved 122 of the aircraft for delivery. But in 1971, with astronomically high costs, continual delays, doubts about profitability, and pressure from environmental groups due to the noise pollution caused by supersonic aircraft, the U. S. Congress cancelled funding for the SST program before Boeing could produce a prototype. See “Supersonic Transport: The First Generation” on display, pre-security, in the Aviation Museum and Library and online at: https://bit.ly/SSTFirstGeneration This image was posted on March 21, 2023.