All Stories

The Apollo program, which landed the first human on the Moon, ended in December 1972 with Apollo 17. Why did we stop? 

Between 1969 and 1972, twelve astronauts successfully landed on the Moon and returned to Earth, bringing back with them lunar samples and scientific data, and, perhaps most importantly, a new understanding of what it meant to be human. But what did they leave behind?

Can you eat in space? What do you eat in space? These might seem like ridiculous questions now—after all, who hasn’t sampled astronaut ice cream—but they were very real concerns at the advent of the space program. 

President Kennedy's decision to land men on the Moon before 1970 required the quickest, most efficient method possible. Three landing schemes were proposed. 

President Kennedy's decision to land men on the Moon before 1970 required the quickest, most efficient method possible. At the center of the United States success was an integral component of landing men on the Moon: the Moon rocket.  

Despite the Soviet Union's initial lead in technological advances during the Cold War, it was the United States who was able to land the first person on the Moon in 1969. The diaries of rocket engineer Vasily Mishin shed some light on why the United States was able to catch up to the Soviet Union's early lead in space.

Willa Brown’s work in the air and on land promoted awareness of African American pilots, made the way for them to join the military, and set an example for others.. Discover her story.

For many years, three-time Female Aerobatic Champion Betty Skelton was known as the “First Lady of Firsts.” The Florida native earned her nickname the hard way, whether as the International Female Aerobatic Champion, flying at 8,839 meters (29,000 feet), or traveling at speeds greater than 486 kph (300 mph) in a jet-powered car. In the process of setting 17 aviation and race car records, she also paved the way for women to enjoy equal opportunities in aviation, sports, and business. 

This is your captain, making history. Meet the first women to fly as captain for commercial airlines and discover their stories.  

Join us to discover the stories of two women whose work and achievement were hidden and untold for years—but who also played a key role in the success of the space program in the United States.