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 1 - 10 of 108

May 22, 2024 AirSpace Season 9, Episode 2: Tiny Jumper Story | AirSpace Podcast

Georgia "Tiny" Broadwick was 15 years old when she first jumped out of a hot air balloon with a parachute in 1908. Over the next 14 years she would make over 1,000 jumps, first out of balloons and then as the first woman to jump from an airplane.

Read more
December 28, 2023 AirSpace Season 8, Episode 7 - 31,500 Miles Story | AirSpace Podcast

In January 1942 a B-314 flying boat operated by Pan American World Airways landed in New York after making arguably the first around the world flight by a commercial airliner. But when they set out from San Francisco in 1941, they never intended to hold that record.

Read more
December 21, 2023 Just Doing Their Jobs Story | Air & Space Quarterly

In this Air and Space Quarterly exclusive, five U.S. Navy pilots who became the first American women to fly in combat tell their stories.

Read more
December 20, 2023 Silver and Gold Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The museum's ornate trophy recognizes valor displayed by the men and women of the U.S. Air Force.

Read more
September 20, 2023 What Chuck Yeager's Medals and Ribbons Tell Us About His Career Story | Air & Space Quarterly

A ribbon bar in the Museum's collection offers a timeline of the famed aviator’s illustrious military career 

Read more
August 30, 2023 Guy Bluford: First African American in Space Story

Dr. Guy Bluford launched on the STS-8 mission on August 30, 1983, becoming the first Black American in space. Bluford served as a mission specialist and his jobs were to deploy an Indian communications-weather satellite, perform biomedical experiments, and test the orbiter’s 50-foot robotic arm.

Read more
June 20, 2023 Triumph of the Gooney Bird Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Visitors to the National Air and Space Museum can see a DC-3 that flew more than 56,700 hours for Eastern Air Lines.

Read more
June 17, 2023 The Man Who Fell to Earth Story | Air & Space Quarterly

If you think bungee jumping is scary, look at what Joe Kittinger did.

Read more
June 17, 2023 Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The Pioneers of Flight gallery preview.

Read more
June 08, 2023 AirSpace Bonus! Wronging the Wrights Story | AirSpace Podcast

Season seven is over but don’t despair! We have some fun new things headed your way soon. In the meantime, we borrowed this episode from our friends at Smithsonian’s Sidedoor to tide you all over.

Read more