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 11 - 20 of 175

March 13, 2023 Up To Speed Story | Air & Space Quarterly

What's new in aviation and space.

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January 05, 2023 R. Walter Cunningham (1932-2023) Story

Walter Cunningham passed away on January 3, 2023. As a member of Apollo 7, Cunningham took on the risk of flying the first crewed flight of the Apollo program, which paved the way for future Apollo missions, including the first lunar landing in 1969.

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December 21, 2022 Smithsonian in Your Backyard Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Many artifacts from the Apollo missions are closer than you think.  Through collaborations with affiliate organizations, the Smithsonian sponsors traveling exhibits and shares artifacts with museums throughout the U.S. and abroad, including more than 300 artifacts from the Apollo program.

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December 21, 2022 The Tragic Day on Pad 34 Story | Air & Space Quarterly

More than 50 years ago, a fire killed three Apollo astronauts. My grandfather was there.   

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December 21, 2022 Calm, Cool, and Collected Story | Air & Space Quarterly

This review of Apollo astronaut Fred Haise's autobiography provides a detailed account of Apollo 13, which he flew with crew mates Jim Lovell and Jack Swigert. 

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December 16, 2022 Why Has It Been 50 Years Since Humans Went to the Moon? Story

When the Apollo 17 astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean 50 years ago, they were the last humans to visit the Moon. NASA’s Artemis program is set to return humans to the Moon, but not for two to three years from now. Why has it taken more than five decades to send humans back to the Moon?

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December 12, 2022 Overshoes from the Last Man on the Moon Story

When the crew of Apollo 17, the last Apollo Moon landing, returned to Earth after their record-breaking mission in December 1972, commander Gene Cernan brought back the pair of lunar overshoes he walked on the surface of the Moon with. The boots that left the last human footprints on the lunar surface now live in the Destination Moon exhibition at the Museum.

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November 02, 2022 A New View of the Rocketdyne F-1 Engine Story

The Rocketdyne F-1 engines powered the first stage of the Saturn V rocket that launched the Apollo lunar missions. The Air and Space Museum’s redesigned F-1 installation offers a new perspective on the most powerful liquid-fuel rocket engine in U.S. history.

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October 19, 2022 From Ann Arbor to Orbit: Celebrating the Life of James A. McDivitt Story

To honor his passing at the age of 93, curator Jennifer Levasseur reflects on the life of two-time astronaut Gen. James A. McDivitt and his connection with the Museum.

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September 22, 2022 Calling Lovers of All Things Lunar Story

Are you a lover of all things lunar? Here are three hidden gems from the Destination Moon exhibit you won’t want to miss.  

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