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 21 - 30 of 156

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

October 12, 2023

AirSpace Season 8, Episode 2: Vast and Beckoning Seas

Story | AirSpace Podcast

Europa Clipper is soon to be on its was to the outer solar system to study one of Jupiter's most interesting moons. In addition to the really awesome science it will do, the spacecraft will carry a "message in a bottle" etched with your names and a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón.

In this pastel drawing, 14 bluish white rays radiate out and upward from a dark half-moon shape flanked by trees. White stars are visible in the night sky.

September 20, 2023

These Depictions of Celestial Wonders Helped Make Astronomy Mainstream

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Before we had access to stunning photos of our galaxy from ground- and space-based telescopes, visionaries like  Étienne Trouvelot's captured celestial magic through their art 

View of Venus as a thin waxing crescent during daytime hours.

August 01, 2023

How Did We Discover the Planets?

Story

When you look up you can see the stars, the Moon, and sometimes even other planets! We know what these otherworldly objects are because of centuries of research carried out by curious stargazers before us.  

Saturn's moon Enceladus, seen beyond the outline of the planet's night side, spews water ice from its south polar region.

June 19, 2023

Diamond in the Dark

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Scientists are excited about Enceladus as a potential place for life and, more important, as a planet where we can look for life using existing technology and even predict, with some precision, the locations on the icy moon Saturn where we would most likely find this life.

Black and white photo of a man standing by a table with many large books on it.

June 07, 2023

The Life and Legacy of Owen Gingerich

Story

Reflecting on the life and legacy of Owen Gingerich, one of the most respected names in modern astronomy and in the study of its history.

An engineer in a hazmat-type suit and mask inspects the James Webb Space telescope's primary mirror segments, large octagonal mirrors that are the size of the engineer.

June 05, 2023

Up to Speed

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The latest news in aviation and space.

Three Apollo 7 astronauts, Cunningham, Eisele, and Schirra, stand aboard NASA Motor Vessel Retriever wearing their white bulky suits during water egress training.

March 13, 2023

Up To Speed

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

What's new in aviation and space.

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

January 12, 2023

AirSpace Season 7, Ep. 3: A Picture's Worth 1000 Words

Story | AirSpace Podcast

We’ve all seen the breathtaking Hubble and JWST images of our universe, but have you ever wondered how these pictures are made?

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

December 22, 2022

AirSpace Season 7, Ep. 2: Across the Universe

Story | AirSpace Podcast

At the turn of the 20th century, astronomy got a serious glow-up. On today’s episode, we’re telling the story of how the work of many astronomers contributed to a complete redesign of how big we know our universe to be and what we think it looks like.

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

November 11, 2022

AirSpace Bonus! Hubble Trouble

Story | AirSpace Podcast

Season 7 of AirSpace is just around the corner, but today we have a special bonus drop from our friends at the Sidedoor podcast! You’ve likely seen recent awe-inspiring images from the James Webb Space Telescope, but this episode focuses on its predecessor: the Hubble Space Telescope. Sidedoor explores how America's first large space telescope went from a "billion-dollar blunder" to one of history's most important scientific instruments. Look for more episodes of Sidedoor wherever you get your podcasts!