NASA Photographer Soars Over Washington in a Fighter Jet

Matt Growcoot
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A person in a flight suit and helmet takes photos from an aircraft above Washington, D.C., with the Washington Monument and cityscape visible below. An American flag pattern is seen on the aircraft’s wing.
NASA photographer Jim Ross flies above the Washington Monument in Washington on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in an F-18 aircraft, as part of a flyover to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

NASA photographer Jim Ross recently flew over Washington, D.C. while seated in an F-18 aircraft and took photos of the capital on America’s 250th birthday.

Ross was in one of four fighter jets that flew over the Great American State Fair on Saturday, July 4, which took place on the National Mall in Washington.

“I grew up in Bozeman, Montana, when it was still considered a small town, so if someone told that little kid that he would be flying in an F-18 over the National Mall, he would have never believed it,” Ross tells NASA. “I love documenting history, and having the opportunity to capture flights and launches has kept me doing it for almost 37 years.”

A pilot in a flight suit and helmet takes a selfie inside a jet cockpit while another jet, decorated with a stars and stripes design, flies nearby over a scenic landscape with water and fields.
NASA photographer Jim Ross takes a selfie from the rear seat of a NASA F/A‑18 during a cross‑country flight from Spokane, Washington, to Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The agency’s F‑15, flying alongside the aircraft, is visible through the window. Both aircraft, from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, participated in the Freedom 250 flyover with other NASA and military aircraft on Saturday, July 4, 2026. | NASA/Jim Ross
A fighter jet with a stars-and-stripes American flag design flies over a city at sunset, with another aircraft's wingtip visible in the foreground.
A NASA F‑15 aircraft is shown flying next to a NASA F/A‑18 during a cross‑country flight from Spokane, Washington, to Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The full F‑15 is visible, along with a partial view of the F/A‑18’s wing, as both aircraft display new red, white, and blue paint to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. The aircraft, from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, participated in the Freedom 250 flyover with other NASA and military aircraft on Saturday, July 4, 2026. | NASA/Jim Ross
A pilot in a cockpit takes photos with a camera, wearing a helmet and flight suit. Another jet, decorated with a U.S. flag motif, flies nearby above a landscape of fields and clouds.
NASA photographer Jim Ross flies above Washington on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in an F-18 aircraft, as part of a flyover to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
Four fighter jets fly in a tight formation against a clear blue sky, leaving white vapor trails behind them.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman leads a flyover featuring his personally owned F-5 Tiger during the Great American State Fair, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. NASA/Keegan Barber
Four jets fly in formation leaving white trails behind the Washington Monument, with the upper portion of a Ferris wheel visible in the foreground against a clear blue sky.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman leads a flyover featuring his personally owned F-5 Tiger over the Great American State Fair, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. | NASA/Bill Ingalls
A pilot in a jet with red-and-white striped wings takes a photo mid-flight; another jet and scenery with houses and trees are visible below under a partly cloudy sky.
This aircraft is from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and it joined other NASA aircraft for the flyover. A NASA F-15 and T-38 are seen flying to the sides of the NASA F-18.
A fighter jet painted with stars and stripes, resembling the American flag, flies above the clouds in a clear sky.
A NASA F‑15 aircraft is shown during a cross‑country flight from Spokane, Washington, to Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The aircraft displays new red, white, and blue paint to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. The F‑15, from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, participated in the Freedom 250 flyover with other NASA and military aircraft on Saturday, July 4, 2026. | NASA/Jim Ross
A group of people fist bumps an astronaut in a blue suit with the name “Victor Glover” visible on a patch. Others wear casual clothes, bracelets, and a smartwatch. The scene is outdoors on a sunny day.
NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, fist bumps an audience member after participating in a panel discussion during the Great American State Fair, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. | NASA/Bill Ingalls

Ross has worked for NASA since 1989 and became the photo lead for the space agency in 1997, a role he continues to this day.

Also present at the Great American State Fair were the astronauts from the successful Artemis II mission.

Image creditsNASA

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