Stories of daring, stories of technological feats, stories of prevailing against the odds ... these are the stories we tell at the National Air and Space Museum. Dive in to the stories below to discover, learn, and be inspired. 

Showing 391 - 400 of 1759

Close-up image of the Perseverance rover taken by the Perseverance rover on Mars.

February 18, 2022

One Year of Perseverance

Story

It has been one year since we all heard words “touchdown confirmed” spoken by Swati Mohan, confirming that the Perseverance rover had successfully landed on Mars. Let’s take a look at some of the major milestones accomplished over the past year.

Aerospace engineer Mary Golda Ross at work, ca. 1960s.

February 11, 2022

Mary Golda Ross: Aerospace Engineer, Educator, and Advocate

Story

Engineer Mary Golda Ross made lasting contributions to the United States aerospace industry while opening doors for women and Native students to pursue S.T.E.M. education and careers.

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

February 10, 2022

AirSpace Revisited - Supermassive Black Hole

Story | AirSpace Podcast

We’re hard at work on Season 6 (and a super special project coming in just a few weeks!!). But today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from last year. They’re incredibly dense, super cool, and mind-bendingly-mysterious -- BLACK HOLES! But how do you imagine – let alone study—the unseeable? And seriously—what happened at the end of “Interstellar?”

A painting showing a stylized globe representing earth from a wavy surface.

February 08, 2022

Picturing Earth, Inspiring Artists, and Shifting Perspectives

Story

Photographs of the Earth from the Moon taken by Apollo astronauts had a huge impact back on Earth. From changing how humans viewed the fragility of Earth, to inspiring artists across the globe, explore the history of two such photographs.

A complete circle with swirling clouds above landmasses, the Earth is seen from above.

February 01, 2022

The Changing Way We’ve Pictured Space

Story

How we picture space and our world within it has changed dramatically in the second half of the 20th century. 

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

January 27, 2022

AirSpace Season 5, Ep. 10: Jetstream

Story | AirSpace Podcast

Wiley Post was an oil-worker and armed robber-turned-record breaking pilot who discovered the jet stream while wearing a sweet eye-patch and a suit straight out of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (it was a lewk). That should be enough but wait! There’s more! That steampunk getup, which Wiley designed and built with tire company BF Goodrich, was the very first successful pressure suit. And it did more than unlock the stratosphere, it laid the groundwork for the first spacesuits—and modern spacesuits aren’t much different. This tall tale keeps getting higher, but again—trust us (we’ve got the suit!). Special thanks to Tested’s Adam Savage, whose answer for “history’s most important spacesuit” was both unexpected and absolutely on the mark.

Man in military uniform in front of American flag

January 18, 2022

A Life of Dedicated Service: Remembering Brigadier General Charles McGee

Story

Brig. Gen. Charles E. McGee, the eldest of the surviving Tuskegee Airmen, passed away on January 16, 2022. His life of dedicated service included flying combat aircraft in three major wars—a feat that was unthinkable before his career began, when the US military banned African Americans from combat flying roles.

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

January 13, 2022

AirSpace Season 5, Ep. 9: With a Little Help From My Friends

Story | AirSpace Podcast

On a spring evening in 1933, Amelia Earhart took first lady Eleanor Roosevelt on a joyride. Imagine two women—dressed for dinner at the White House (white gloves and all)—stealing away from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave to pilot and co-pilot a nighttime flight to Baltimore. On this episode of AirSpace, we’re detailing the high-flying friendship of these two women – from their shared background as social workers to their mutual love of flight and advocacy of women’s empowerment and social justice. Amelia and Eleanor took the business of being role models seriously, leading by example and using their influence to elevate important societal issues. Talk about an influencer power couple!

Black and white photograph. Foreground: Man in dark pilot's uniform with a cap and stripes at the ends of his sleaves. Background: Side of a passenger airplane labelled "Colonial Airlines" above circular windows. A set of airstairs is behind and to the right of the man.

January 10, 2022

The “Age 60 Rule”: Michael Gitt’s 1968 Case Against the FAA

Story | From the Archives

In late 1959, the FAA released its “Age 60 Rule,” which essentially required mandatory retirement for airline pilots over age 60. As his 60th birthday rapidly approached, Captain Michael Gitt appealed with an age discrimination lawsuit against Eastern Airlines to help him overturn the age disqualification. Read about his attempt to leverage the new Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA).

Tomcat aircraft taking off from aircraft carrier. Ocean waves visible below.

January 04, 2022

The National Air and Space Museum Launches a New Magazine

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

In our first Air & Space Quarterly (ASQ) cover story, we examine how the carrier revolution unfolded, where naval aviation is today, and what’s on the horizon.