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 371 - 380 of 1759
March 22, 2022
We report the stories of those who’ve pursued unconventional careers in aerospace.
March 22, 2022
Mars massive dust storms that periodically engulf and continue to puzzle planetary scientists—and pose threats to future expeditions. NASA’s beloved solar-powered rover, Opportunity, was killed in the line of duty when a 2018 dust storm blotted out the sun. Individual dust particles on Mars are very small and slightly electrostatic, so they stick to the surfaces they contact like Styrofoam packing peanuts. As such, the dust can potentially gum up delicate machinery and space suits.
March 22, 2022
French Air Force neurosurgeon and pilot Valérie André broke all the rules—and saved hundreds of lives.
March 22, 2022
The Textron How Things Fly at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. will reimagine and expand the gallery that seeks to answer the singular question that underlies every single one of our artifacts: How do things fly?
March 22, 2022
Unusual careers in the aviation and space with behind-the-scenes jobs at the National Air and Space Museum.
March 22, 2022
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.
March 22, 2022
Highlighting artifacts in storage. Grumman TBF-1 Avenger in Building 22 at Smithsonian Air and at Space Museum’s Paul E. Garber Facility in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland.
March 22, 2022
An interview with Chris Reddersen, a restoration specialist at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.
March 18, 2022
Maj. Robert C. “Bob” Mikesh, United States Air Force (ret.), died in February 2022, less than two weeks short of his 94th birthday. Bob was a combat pilot, Smithsonian curator, accomplished author, and a builder of museum-quality aircraft models.
March 15, 2022
The destruction of the An-225 is a loss to history—but a single airplane, no matter how important or impressive, seems trivial in the face of the threats Ukraine is facing and the losses its citizens are bearing. Acting director Chris Browne reflects on what this iconic aircraft meant to the Ukrainian people—and what it showed the world about their spirit and resolve.