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 1759

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December 12, 2024

QueerSpace In Memoriam: Saxophones on the Moon

Story | AirSpace Podcast

We were devastated when we heard of Nikki Giovanni's passing earlier this week. We are in the process of sharing our favorite episodes from the past and felt it was fitting to bring you back our QueerSpace episode featuring Nikki among other futurist artists. 

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December 05, 2024

AirSpace Season 10 Episode 0: Meet Your AirSpacers

Story | AirSpace Podcast

Hey Y'all! Since we've made it to season 10 (!!!) we thought we'd take the opportunity to re-introduce ourselves. In this episode you can hear a little more about Hosts Matt and Emily as well as a little bit about the rest of the team behind your favorite pod (we hope).

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November 28, 2024

AirSpace Bonus! The Air Up There: Airplane Facts with Max

Story | AirSpace Podcast

While we get Season 10 ready we're bringing you this episode from our friends at the Federal Aviation Administration's Podcast, The Air Up There.

Detailed composite aerial image of a crater on Mars

November 27, 2024

Meteorite-Triggered Floods on Mars

Story

Examples of large-scale valleys and channels around some large impact craters whose formation and activity appears to vary indicates tremendous discharges of water that largely postdate the ancient period of widespread water flow on the Red Planet. 

The Earth and Moon as viewed from the International Space Station

November 14, 2024

What Makes a Moon a Moon?

Story

A moon is a planetary body that goes around another planetary body. Usually, this is one or more moons going around a planet, but it doesn’t have to be a planet. In Star Wars, the Death Star is not a moon because it isn’t a naturally occurring satellite: the International Space Station, the Juno spacecraft orbiting Jupiter, or any of the telecommunications satellites we rely on in low Earth orbit are satellites, but are not moons.

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November 14, 2024

AirSpace Revisited: Journey to the Past

Story | AirSpace Podcast

As we wait for season TEN (!!!) we're looking back on this season six favorite. Every day, satellites orbit Earth taking pictures. These images are used for everything from intelligence to weather prediction and even today’s topic – archaeology. 

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October 31, 2024

AirSpace Season 9 Bonus! Voting from a Station Far Far Away

Story | AirSpace Podcast

Have you ever wondered how astronauts on the ISS or elsewhere in space vote? We'll tell you exactly how to cast a ballot from 250 miles up in orbit on AirSpace.

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October 24, 2024

AirSpace Season 9, Episode 12: Defying Gravity

Story | AirSpace Podcast

With the Wicked movie coming out this November, we thought we'd look back on all things flight in the land of Oz and tell you all about how those effects were made for the screen and the stage. 

A white crew capsule descending back to Earth supported by three large blue and red parachutes over a barren landscape and a cloudy blue sky.

October 16, 2024

Introducing RSS First Step

Story

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum is fortunate to care for and display examples of some of the most historically significant human spacecraft, from NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, Apollo capsules, to Space Shuttle Discovery and Scaled Composite’s SpaceShipOne. Soon, the Museum will welcome another important vehicle, which represents a new way of accessing space for non-professional astronauts.

Portrait of Arthur Van Haren, Jr.

October 12, 2024

WWII Ace Arthur Van Haren Jr.

Story

Arthur Van Haren Jr. became one of the most decorated naval aviators to come from Arizona, and one of the most decorated Latino pilots of World War II.  He embodied many Americans who entered the war with no previous military experience, yet through training, skills, and bravery, performed above what could have been imagined.