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 1585

January 26, 2023 AirSpace Season 7, Ep. 4: Pigeons Are Pilots Too Story | AirSpace Podcast

The pigeon – ubiquitous bird, oft city-dweller, and… war hero? You might even consider the humble pigeon to be the first military aviator.

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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?

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January 05, 2023 R. Walter Cunningham (1932-2023) Story

Walter Cunningham passed away on January 3, 2023. As a member of Apollo 7, Cunningham took on the risk of flying the first crewed flight of the Apollo program, which paved the way for future Apollo missions, including the first lunar landing in 1969.

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December 29, 2022 Dreaming Big with Gerard K. O’Neill Story | From the Archives

While not a household name, Gerard K. O’Neill contributed greatly to furthering the ideas of space flight for the post-Apollo era of the 1970s. Explore his work and futuristic visions.

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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.

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December 22, 2022 Roscoe’s Meteor: The Strange Road to Success Story

A recent study of the iconic 1930s racing airplane, the Turner RT-14 Meteor, highlights its complex origins. Read about what was learned about Roscoe Turner's racer as it went through a thorough inspection in preparation for display.

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December 21, 2022 “On. Set. Checked.” Story | Air & Space Quarterly

How an accident gave us the checklist, and safer flying.

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December 21, 2022 Smithsonian in Your Backyard Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Many artifacts from the Apollo missions are closer than you think.  Through collaborations with affiliate organizations, the Smithsonian sponsors traveling exhibits and shares artifacts with museums throughout the U.S. and abroad, including more than 300 artifacts from the Apollo program.

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December 21, 2022 Career Keepsakes Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The checklists Sally Ride included in her personal papers help tell the story of her remarkable life.

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December 21, 2022 The Tragic Day on Pad 34 Story | Air & Space Quarterly

More than 50 years ago, a fire killed three Apollo astronauts. My grandfather was there.   

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