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 500

Foam 331 on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

September 11, 2023

Foam 331—First Responder to the Nation’s Worst Aviation Crisis

Story

Foam 331—one of two Oshkosh T-3000 foam-carrying rescue trucks arrived at the Pentagon shorty after American Airlines Flight 77 had impacted the site on September 11, 2001. The efforts of Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority firefighters and their foam trucks in conjunction with the other responding jurisdictions succeeded in suppressing the fire, limiting further loss of life and damage. Foam 331 is now on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center.

Astronaut portrait of Guy Bluford.

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.

AirSpace logo with other text on top so that it reads AeroEspacial

August 24, 2023

AeroEspacial: Making Space Bustelo | Haciendo Bustelo espacial

Story | AeroEspacial

In this episode of AeroEspacial, we're jumping into the past and present of Latino representation in the Star Wars universe.

 En este episodio de AeroEspacial, nos adentramos en el pasado y el presente de la representación latina en el universo de La Guerra de las galaxias.

AirSpace logo with other text on top so that it reads AeroEspacial

August 10, 2023

AeroEspacial: El Dorado of Possibilities | El Dorado de posibilidades

Story | AeroEspacial

For Latino Futurist artists, drawing on the past is key to creating futures that connect heritage, experience, and indigeneity to the present and future in constantly circling time.

Para los artistas futuristas latinos, recurrir al pasado es clave para crear futuros que conecten el legado, la experiencia y la indigenidad con el presente y el futuro en un constante círculo temporal.

AirSpace logo with other text on top so that it reads AeroEspacial

July 27, 2023

AeroEspacial: From Puerto Rico With Love | Desde Puerto Rico con amor

Story | AeroEspacial

The science done at Arecibo Observatory was and continues to be incredibly important, and having the observatory in Puerto Rico is a point of pride for locals.

a ciencia hecha en el Observatorio de Arecibo fue y continúa siendo increíblemente importante, y tener el Observatorio en Puerto Rico es un motivo de orgullo para los locales.

AirSpace logo with other text on top so that it reads AeroEspacial

July 13, 2023

AeroEspacial: The Second Star to the Right | La segunda estrella a la derecha

Story | AeroEspacial

In the early 1960s, thousands of unaccompanied children fled Cuba by plane, moving to the United States on  visa waivers from the U.S. government.

Son los principios de la década de 1960 en Cuba, miles de niños sin acompañante huyeron de Cuba en avión, mudándose a los Estados Unidos con exenciones de visa del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos. 

A small grey and red airplane turning sharply away from snow-covered mountains.

June 18, 2023

Tales of the Taildraggers

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

A story examining the lore and enduring appeal of taildraggers.

Dennis Jenkins stands in front of space shuttle Discovery—smiling, with his arms folded, and wearing a blue shirt. An American flag is hanging from the ceiling behind Discovery.

June 17, 2023

The Caretaker

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

A conversation with aerospace engineer Dennis Jenkins who works with the space shuttles, relying on his expertise in orbiter construction to ensure their maintenance as museum artifacts. 

An artist's concept of the Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight exhibition. In the center is a hanging silver airplane, a red airplane peaks out of the right. There are vertical panels with information on it.

June 17, 2023

Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The Pioneers of Flight gallery preview.

Rosalind Franklin looks through a telescope, hunched over it

June 14, 2023

Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA

Story

Rosalind Franklin's legacy inspired the European Space Agency to name an ExoMars Rover for her in 2019. It’s a fitting name since this rover – set to launch later this decade – is programmed to search for genetic molecules or compounds to prove if there was ever life on Mars.