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 51 - 60 of 1759

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

October 10, 2024

AirSpace Season 9 Episode 11: Flak-Bait, Ooh Ha Ha!

Story | AirSpace Podcast

During WWII one plane survived more missions than any other in Europe. Named 'Flak-Bait,' this medium bomber was saved from the scrap heap after the war and immediately donated to the Smithsonian. However, public display and outdated restoration techniques have taken a toll on the plane.

Planets in the night sky are annotated.

October 08, 2024

The Planets in Our Solar System – A Timeline

Story

Humankind has known about them for thousands of years. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all visible in the night sky with the unaided eye. As such, these planets have been known for thousands of years and there is no one person who can be credited with discovering these planets. These planets appear as bright objects that do not shimmer, like stars do. 

A digital artwork depicting a barren, orange-red Martian landscape with rocky terrain and dunes under a hazy sky. In the background, a large, detailed Earth rises above the horizon, suggesting a view from Mars with Earth visible in its sky

September 27, 2024

Are the Rocks on Mars and Earth Alike?

Story

The rocks on the surface of Mars are one of the main resources we have for learning about the Red Planet. How similar are the rocks on Earth compared to Mars? It turns out they are very similar, but Mars is missing a few.

AirSpace, a podcast, logo

September 26, 2024

AirSpace Season 9 Episode 10: Movie Mini: Contact

Story | AirSpace Podcast

What if there are intelligent lifeforms elsewhere in the universe? And what if all we need to do to find them is to listen to the right radio frequency at the right time?

A space capsule with wheels is suspended below a triangular paraglider. Both are on a black background.

September 23, 2024

Parachutes Not Required

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Gemini’s paraglider wing.

A computer-generated 3D image shows a detailed view of a wrecked World War II-era Boeing B-17 as it appears at the bottom of the Adriatic Sea, crusted with coral and other marine life.

September 23, 2024

Treasure Hunting for Airplanes: The Great Debate

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Aviation archaeology is primarily the locating and documenting of old aircraft crash sites.

A 65-year-old Black woman sits in the left seat of an airliner cockpit. She is smiling and wearing an airline captain's uniform, including a white shirt and a hat.

September 23, 2024

“If You Can See It, You Can Be It.”

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

An Interview with Capt. Theresa Claiborne, the first African American woman pilot in the U.S. Air Force.

A digital rendering of a museum gallery shows several people standing in front of a display of three vintage biplanes. Behind the airplanes is a huge, floor-to-ceiling projection screen.

September 23, 2024

The Birth of Military Aviation

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The National Air and Space Museum’s World War I: The Birth of Military Aviation gallery will highlight the war's central role in defining the nature of military aviation and the remarkable experiences of World War I aviators.

A white man in his early 70s stands inside a museum gallery. He is wearing glasses and smiling. Behind him, is the nose and forward fuselage of a Boeing 747 airplane. The 747 is painted in a red, gray, and white paint scheme.

September 23, 2024

Jumbo Jet

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

How the National Air and Space Museum acquired the Boeing 747 for America by Air exhibition. 

A photo of the desolate lunar surface shows an Apollo astronaut standing beside a moon rover, parked on the edge of a vast deep crater.

September 23, 2024

A Breath of Fresh Air

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Recent discoveries and news in aviation and space.