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 821 - 830 of 1678

February 01, 2018 A Classroom Copes with the Columbia Disaster Story

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the Columbia disaster.  Every year on this date I think about the crew of the Columbia, my students, and my most difficult day as a teacher. 

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February 01, 2018 Reflections on Spaceflight and Memory Story

For those involved or interested in human spaceflight, the last week of January is a solemn time of remembrance, as we commemorate Apollo 1 and the Space Shuttle missions Challenger and Columbia. How does our Museum deal with the memory of such tragedies? 

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January 30, 2018 "America by Air" Gets Airline Boost Story

The Museum will have a brand new opportunity to tell the story of air transportation thanks, in part, to a gift from eight major airlines. 

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January 30, 2018 Test This Supermoon Illusion Tomorrow Story

Tomorrow's supermoon is actually being called a “super blue blood moon,” and it’s really rare. Here's what to look for.

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January 30, 2018 Super Sabre’s Service in South Vietnam Story | Air and Space Photos

In the quiet of the Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia sits the U.S. Air Force F-100D “Super Sabre,” serial number 56-3440. 440 was in Vietnam from June 1965 until July 1970, but its most intense combat was seen 50 years ago, during the Tet Offensive.

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January 29, 2018 Photographing an Airport in Transition Story

Airports are transitional spaces, serving the Earth and the sky, a zone where both humans and technology are intertwined. Since 2007, Athenian-born photographer Alexandros Lambrovassilis has been photographing the transition occurring at Ellinikon International Airport, the international airport in Athens, Greece that closed in 2001.

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January 27, 2018 A Closer Look at Landing Gear Story | Air and Space Photos

Take a closer look at the Douglas SBD-6 Dauntless' unique landing gear, and how it impacts the flight of the aircraft. 

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January 26, 2018 The Missing History of the Explorer 1 Satellite Story | Air and Space Photos

Sometimes, seeing isn't believing until you take something apart. On the 60th anniversary of the launch of Explorer 1 by the United States, I'm prompted to recall the most valuable lesson I ever learned about what it means to be a curator.

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January 19, 2018 John W. Young, an Astronaut’s Astronaut (1930-2018) Story

As an astronaut, John Young (1930-2018) was one of a kind. He was the first person to fly in space six times, the first person to circle the Moon alone, the first Space Shuttle mission commander, and the first to command another Space Shuttle mission.

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January 18, 2018 How Many Missions Did Flak-Bait Fly? Story

Flak-Bait, the museum’s Martin B-26 Marauder bomber, flew more combat missions than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II. But how many missions did it participate in exactly?

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