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 251 - 260 of 1761

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

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.

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?

Walter Cunningham, Apollo 7 lunar module pilot, during the Apollo 7 mission. (Image courtesy of NASA)

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.

Closeup portrait shot of a man

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.

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.

A silver colored, small monoplane featuring a yellow decal on the side that says Champion.

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.

Two airmen in the cramped cockpit of a KC-135 Stratotanker, surrounded by illuminated dials and switches, run through their checklist before initiating a final approach to Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii.

December 21, 2022

“On. Set. Checked.”

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

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

The vast engines mounted on the second stage of a Saturn V rocket dwarf visitors at the Kennedy Space Center.

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.

Sally Ride floats in the cramped interior of the space shuttle, during the 1983 mission where she became the first American woman in space.

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.

The Apollo 1 fire prompted NASA to redesign the spacecraft’s hatch, which is on display at the National Air and Space Museum. Astronauts could unlatch the entire assembly by activating a pump handle and then pushing open the combined unit.

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.