All Stories

The destruction of the An-225 is a loss to history—but a single airplane, no matter how important or impressive, seems trivial in the face of the threats Ukraine is facing and the losses its citizens are bearing. Acting director Chris Browne reflects on what this iconic aircraft meant to the Ukrainian people—and what it showed the world about their spirit and resolve.

Meet Wally Funk and The Mars Ingenuity Team, the recipients of the Michael Collins Trophy. Soar to new heights with an air taxi eVTOL prototype and test a supersonic aircraft.

What's it like being the curator for one of the most iconic artifacts in the country? Reflecting on her January 2022 visit inside Space Shuttle Discovery, Jennifer Levasseur writes about her first visit as its curator, and the personal connection she shares with the Shuttle.

Stephanie Wilson is now one of 18 members of the Artemis astronaut team, a group of nine men and nine women from diverse backgrounds. Since NASA has announced its intent to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon, she is a strong candidate.

John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth.  It’s good to remember what exactly he accomplished. 

A new book reveals how badly the Soviets wanted to win the early space race.

NASA astronauts would receive numerous training information about Space Shuttle. Today they're in the Museum's Archives.

With the most recent restoration efforts complete, Apollo 11 command module Columbia was carefully wrapped in multiple layers of protective cover as it prepared to leave the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to journey home. Director Chris Browne reflects on transporting Columbia to the Museum on the National Mall.

93% of televisions in the United States tuned in to see Neil Armstrong walk on the Moon. Can you believe 7% were watching something else? At 11pm on a Sunday?? But as much as we love it now, Apollo 11’s contemporary acclaim wasn’t exactly universal. Many people, all over America, had reservations about spending billions of dollars on space exploration instead of solving problems here on Earth. And some Americans had their eyes on a very different, much more important prize. The rise of Apollo coincided with the peak of the Civil Rights Movement (which technically ended with the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1968—but we all know the struggle and the movement didn’t end there). In this episode, Emily, Matt, and Nick explore the intersection of these two moments in American history, discuss the protests, activists, and anthems of the time, and talk to Sylvia Drew Ivie about the issues then and how we’re still working to turn it all around.

Who were the first women in space? What were their stories?