All Stories

A new generation of aspiring astronauts and researchers can find inspiration in the LEGO® “Women of NASA” set. These scientific pioneers are part of our collection here at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, too.

What do astronauts do when they need a sugar fix? Chocolate candy and other desserts have been staples of the astronaut experience since the Apollo program. 

On a clear December day in 1954, Colonel John Stapp strapped in for a ride on the Sonic Wind No. 1, a rocket sled, breaking speed records and researching safety standards in the process. The story of Stapp's rocket sled will be part of the upcoming Nation of Speed exhibition.

When many people think about aviation, a few things come to mind: the military, commercial airline flights, or shipping cargo. What they don’t often think of is a literal surgery room with wings—one of the stories featured in the new Thomas W. Haas We All Fly exhibition as part of the reimagining of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

We are reimagining the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Here's what you need to know and how you can stay connected to all the ways that we're changing.

Have you ever hung upside down for a little while? Remember how it felt to have all the blood rush to your head? When astronauts get to space, they experience a very similar sensation, which they nickname "puffy head bird legs."

Hoping to catch a view of the Orionid meteor shower tonight? Here are the five things you need to know from the astronomy team at the Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory.

What began as a simple phone call between our STEM in 30 team and the United States Navy ended with us being catapulted off the deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, going 0 to 165 mph in three seconds. How did we end up there?

For the first time ever, on August 17, 2017, astronomers detected the collision of two neutron stars. Not satisfied with that, they caught the cosmic smashup using both gravitational waves and light – another breakthrough.

Italian Astronaut Paolo Nespoli talk to the STEM in 30 team about the different challenges he has faced in space during his time on the International Space Station.