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 391 - 400 of 1765

Scan of article in magazine

March 04, 2022

Rodney the Smiling Steward

Story | QueerSpace

Although a majority of flight attendants in the 1930s were women, Pan Am and Eastern Air Lines exclusively hired men for the role. These male stewards, who made up one third of the flight attendants across the industry, were sometimes belittled as “interlopers in an already well-established female realm.”

Hubert Jackson, NASA Heroes and Sheroes, 2019, acrylic on canvas, 50” x 40”.

February 27, 2022

Hubert Jackson’s Tribute to Black Americans in Space

Story

Using an artistic technique dating back to the Renaissance era known as a “triangle” perspective, artist Hubert Jackson establishes a layered hierarchy to convey contributions made by Black women and men in the space program.

Astronaut standing on crocheted Moon holding Pride flag, with text next to it that says QueerSpace

February 24, 2022

QueerSpace: Fly the Friendly Skies

Story | QueerSpace

The first episode of our "QueerSpace" limited series spotlights the history and community built by male flight attendants.

Stephanie Wilson stands with her arms folded, wearing a blue jacket with many space mission patches.

February 23, 2022

Stephanie D. Wilson: On Her Way to the Moon?

Story

Stephanie Wilson is now one of 18 members of the Artemis astronaut team, a group of nine men and nine women from diverse backgrounds. Since NASA has announced its intent to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon, she is a strong candidate.

Black and white photograph of six Black men in flight gear (three in front and three in back) posing in front of an aircraft nose.

February 22, 2022

The Daily Life of the Tuskegee Airmen: The Lieutenant Rayner Collection

Story | From the Archives

Donated by Ahmed A. “Sammy” Rayner, Jr,  these images, paired with his remembrances of his time as a Tuskegee Airman, provide vivid examples of the daily lives of the 477th Bombardment Group and experiences as a Black officer.

John Glenn dons his silver Mercury pressure suit in preparation for launch.

February 20, 2022

The Myth of John Glenn’s Seven-Orbit Mission

Story

When John Glenn splashed down at the end of his planned three-orbit mission, he became a national hero because he was the first American to orbit the Earth. Celebrate the 60th anniversary of Glenn’s historic spaceflight by learning about the origin of the seven-orbit myth.

Close-up image of the Perseverance rover taken by the Perseverance rover on Mars.

February 18, 2022

One Year of Perseverance

Story

It has been one year since we all heard words “touchdown confirmed” spoken by Swati Mohan, confirming that the Perseverance rover had successfully landed on Mars. Let’s take a look at some of the major milestones accomplished over the past year.

Aerospace engineer Mary Golda Ross at work, ca. 1960s.

February 11, 2022

Mary Golda Ross: Aerospace Engineer, Educator, and Advocate

Story

Engineer Mary Golda Ross made lasting contributions to the United States aerospace industry while opening doors for women and Native students to pursue S.T.E.M. education and careers.

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

February 10, 2022

AirSpace Revisited - Supermassive Black Hole

Story | AirSpace Podcast

We’re hard at work on Season 6 (and a super special project coming in just a few weeks!!). But today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from last year. They’re incredibly dense, super cool, and mind-bendingly-mysterious -- BLACK HOLES! But how do you imagine – let alone study—the unseeable? And seriously—what happened at the end of “Interstellar?”

A painting showing a stylized globe representing earth from a wavy surface.

February 08, 2022

Picturing Earth, Inspiring Artists, and Shifting Perspectives

Story

Photographs of the Earth from the Moon taken by Apollo astronauts had a huge impact back on Earth. From changing how humans viewed the fragility of Earth, to inspiring artists across the globe, explore the history of two such photographs.