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 41 - 50 of 89

July 08, 2019 How We Saw Armstrong’s First Steps Story | Apollo 50

As we approach the 50th anniversary of humankind’s first steps on the Moon, our ability to reflect on those events is thanks in part to how the moment was shared with people around the world. The Apollo 11 mission was not the first time television signals returned from the orbit of the Moon, but the landing in July 1969 was by far the most important to get just right.

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July 01, 2019 Abe Silverstein and the Race to the Moon Story | Apollo 50

Abraham Silverstein (1908-2001), created and named the Apollo program and, most critically, pushed the adoption of liquid hydrogen as a rocket fuel for the boosters that launched Apollo. 

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May 13, 2019 A Shrinking, Tectonically Active Moon Story

Recent research conducted by the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter (LRO) team indicates that moonquakes on our Moon were caused by active lunar faults -- meaning that the Moon is currently tectonically active and that the moonquakes are a result of the shrinking Moon. 

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December 21, 2018 Photographing Apollo 8's Orbit Toward the Moon Story

The moment of humankind's first voyage to the Moon and back was captured in a series of photos taken by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observing Station in Maui, Hawaii. They show the trans-lunar injection rocket burn which sent Apollo 8 hurtling out of Earth orbit toward the Moon on December 21, 1968–perhaps the only such images that exist.

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December 13, 2018 AirSpace Ep.19:
Spirit in the Sky
Story | AirSpace Podcast

In this episode, Emily, Matt, and Nick will unpack the often philosophical, sometimes spiritual reactions to viewing of Earth from above. 

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December 11, 2018 The Spirit of Apollo 8 Story

December 21-27, 1968: the Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, Jr., and William A. Anders journeyed to the Moon, into lunar orbit, and back to Earth. 

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October 25, 2018 AirSpace Ep.16:
Rocket Man
Story | AirSpace Podcast

AirSpace hosts give their take on First Man, the new biopic about the original Moon-walker Neil Armstrong. Spoiler – they land on the Moon.

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October 18, 2018 Six Space Missions to Watch For Story

The next few months will also bring some exciting developments in space science. There are new missions about to launch and spacecraft that will reach their destinations after long journeys. Here are six out-of-this-world things to look for in the news over the next few months.

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July 31, 2018 Uncovering the Secrets of the Ranger 7 Story

During the conservation of the Museum's Ranger 7 spacecraft, our conservator and space history curator uncovered some unexpected details about the object. 

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July 20, 2018 Looking Closer at the Saturn V Story

On July 20, 1969, a whole nation tuned in to see astronaut Neil Armstrong take one small step on the surface of the Moon, ushering in a new era of space exploration. But how did Armstrong and the Apollo 11 astronauts get to the Moon in the first place?

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