Color and Learn

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov 

Let’s Fly Away
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A dodecahedron (doe decka hee drun) is a shape with 12 faces. It looks like a ball. Each face 

on this dodecahedron has a picture of a NASA aircraft. 

After making the dodecahedron, you can hang it in your room. 

What Is Needed

12 aircraft patterns 

Crayons, markers or colored pencils 

Glue

Scissors

Tape

Yarn or string

How to Make the Dodecahedron 

1. Color the 12 aircraft. 

2. Cut out each circle. 

3. Fold each pattern along the dotted lines. Fold toward the 

back to make small aps. The ve-sided shape is called a

pentagon.
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4. Use this step if you want to hang the dodecahedron. Tape a 

piece of string to the inside corner of one of the pentagons. 

Leave about 3 inches inside the pentagon. Make sure the 

string is long enough to hang the dodecahedron from the 

ceiling.

5. Divide the 12 pentagons into two groups of six each. Work 

with six pentagons at a time. 

6. Use one pentagon for the center. Glue a ap from the ve 

other pentagons on each of the aps of the center pentagon. 

7. Glue the side aps of each pentagon to the side ap of the 

one next to it. This makes a bowl shape.
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8. Repeat these steps with the other group of six pentagons. 

9. There should now be two bowl shapes.

10. Glue the aps of the bowl shapes together to make a 

dodecahedron. Be sure to pull the string to the outside 

before connecting all the aps. You may need an adult's 

help.

Play Let's Fly Away on NASA Kids' Club.

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/clubhouse/Lets_Fly_Away.html
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X-48B Blended Wing Body

X-48B Blended Wing Body

The Boeing Blended Wing Body gets its name from its triangle 

shape. It does not have a raised tail like most airplanes. Most 

airplanes are shaped like tubes with wings and a raised tail.
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T-38 

T-38

NASA uses T-38s for many tasks. They are often used as chase 

planes. Chase planes y beside other aircraft during test ights. 

The airplane's crew watches for problems with the test aircraft. 

Photographers can ride along and take pictures of the ight.
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SOFIA

SOFIA

SOFIA is short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. 

This airplane is a Boeing 747SP that used to carry passengers. NASA 

changed it to carry a large telescope. Part of the SOFIA program 

lets teachers from across the United States do astronomy experiments on the airplane as it ies.
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v A5F-1 B cti e

F-15B Active

NASA used the F-15B Active to test technologies that could 

make other airplanes safer to y.
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ER-2

ER-2

The ER-2 can y to the edge of space. It carries many cameras 

that take pictures to help scientists study Earth. The cameras 

can take pictures of forest res, changing weather and even 

erupting volcanoes.
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X-29 

X-29

The X-29 almost looks as if it is ying backward. The 

forward-swept wings are fastened to the back of the aircraft. 

Stabilizers, which help keep an airplane ying straight, are in 

front of the wings instead of on the tail. 
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Ikhana 

Ikhana

“Ikhana” is a Choctaw Nation name. It means “intelligent.” Ikhana 

is a remote-controlled airplane. It collects information to help 

scientists better understand Earth’s climate.
SR-71 Blackbird 

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SR-71 Blackbird

NASA used two SR-71 Blackbirds to test high-speed and 

high-altitude ying. The U.S. Air Force loaned them to NASA. 

The Blackbird can y more than 2,200 miles per hour and up 

to 85,000 feet high. 
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X-1 

X-1

The X-1 program was rst called the XS-1 for “Experimental Sonic.” 

The X-1 program proved that humans could y faster than the 

speed of sound. 
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Automatic Collision Avoidance Technology 

Automatic Collision Avoidance Technology

NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California is working 

with the U.S. Air Force on this project. Computer systems put 

on board will help keep high-speed ghter aircraft from crashing 

into each other.
X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle 

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X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle

NASA's X-43A hypersonic research aircraft is remote-controlled. It 

was the rst scramjet-powered aircraft to y ve times the speed 

of sound. The ight took place on Nov. 16, 2004, and reached a 

speed of Mach 9.6, or almost 7,000 mph.
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X-15 

U.S. AIR FORCE

X-15

The X-15 was a rocket-powered airplane that ew to the edge of 

space. Some X-15 pilots earned astronaut wings. NASA no longer 

ies the X-15.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

Huntsville, AL 35812

www.nasa.gov/marshall

www.nasa.gov

NP-2009-11-194-MSFC