All Stories

Eileen M. Collins, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, was the first woman to be the pilot on a NASA space shuttle flight. She recently spoke with Air & Space Quarterly senior editor Diane Tedeschi.

Beyond Kathryn D. Sullivan's years as an astronaut, she ventured into many other fields of work and study. Sullivan is a trained scientist with a Ph.D. in geology, who has conducted extensive oceanographic research on the floors of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. She has also served in the U.S. Naval Reserve (USNR) and as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator.

Margaret Weitekamp reflects on the life and legacy of Star Trek actor Nichelle Nichols.

Astronauts headed to Mars and beyond won’t be able to depend on Earth for a quick response in the event of a medical emergency.

Meet the woman who is entrusted with preserving the icons of the Star Wars universe.

Amelia Earhart’s remarkable 1932 flight still stands today as a significant milestone in aviation history and women’s history. Earhart was a decorated pilot, a major celebrity, and an impactful woman whose surprising construction of a 1930s aviation career remains an inspiration to 21st century women and men. Curator Dorothy Cochrane reflects on her life and the role she would play if she were alive today.

French Air Force neurosurgeon and pilot Valérie André broke all the rules—and saved hundreds of lives.

Pamela Melroy, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, is now NASA’s deputy administrator. During her career as an Air Force pilot, Melroy logged more than 6,000 flight hours, serving in both Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After NASA selected her as an astronaut candidate in 1994, she would be assigned to three space shuttle missions, and she is one of only two women to ever command a space shuttle. Melroy recently spoke about her long career in aerospace with Jennifer Levasseur, a curator in the National Air and Space Museum’s department of space history.

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.

While our Museum archivists were in the process of updating the NASM Technical Reference Files, they noticed that some women were missing names, often identified by their husband's names. This blog explores how the full names of these women were restored, and re-visits their lives and careers.