Our staff write books on a wide variety of aviation- and space-related topics, including our exhibitions; the collection; the history of science and technology; and planetary science.
Curators also edit other titles, from the Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight series to children's books on flight. In addition, Museum curators edit book series with Cambridge University Press (Cambridge Centennial of Flight series), Palgrave Macmillan (Palgrave Studies in the History of Science Technology), Texas A&M University Press (Centennial of Flight series), and the University of Missouri Press (Sports and American Culture).
You can explore more peer-reviewed articles, stories, and more with Smithsonian Research Online.
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This revised and expanded second edition of Spaceships includes sixty-four pages worth of the newest developments in space technology
A space historian’s tour through astounding spaceflight history and the Smithsonian’s collection of space and science fiction memorabilia
An exploration of the changing conceptions of the Space Shuttle program and a call for a new vision of spaceflight.
Curator Michael J. Neufeld provides a concise history of spaceflight, from military rocketry through Sputnik, Apollo, robots in space, space culture, and human spaceflight today.
From the moment the Wright Brothers first took flight in 1903 to the modern-day reliance on stealth aircraft and drones, there have been significant advances made in aviation. Milestones of Flight celebrates each era of advancements by showcasing the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's world-class aircraft collection.
Art of the Airport Tower is a photographic journey to airports in the U.S. and around the world. This book, the companion volume to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum exhibition of the same name, explores 85 historic and contemporary airport towers through more than 100 fine art photographs by Carolyn Russo.
To celebrate NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and its 25 years of accomplishments, let The Hubble Cosmos fill your mind with big ideas, brilliant imagery, and a new understanding of the universe in which we live. Relive key moments in the monumental Hubble story, from launch through major new instrumentation to the promise of discoveries to come. With more than 170 photographs including Hubble All-Stars—the most famous of all the noteworthy images—The Hubble Cosmos shows how this telescope is revolutionizing our understanding of the universe.
First Flight Around the World documents the exciting journey of four American planes and their crews on a race around the world.
In this real life spy saga, James David digs through newly declassified documents to ultimately reveal how NASA became a strange bedfellow to the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Central Intelligence Agency.
This book depicts the rich technological heritage of Virginia, featuring 200 B&W images from local, state, and national archives—nearly all previously unpublished. Images of Aviation series.