Discover stories from work going on inside the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's conservation lab.
Showing 11 - 20 of 32
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Conserving the Creativity that Saved the Apollo 13 Astronauts
Posted on Apr 16, 2020
Conservator Lauren Gottschlich explores the conservation work recently done on a replica of the altered lithium hydroxide filter used during the Apollo 13 mission.
Topics: Apollo programSpacecraftBehind the scenesTechnology and Engineering
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Conserving Michael Collins' Apollo 11 Razor
Posted on Feb 03, 2020
Conservation of Michael Collins' razor from the Apollo 11 mission presented conservators with a complex ethical dilemma for deciding the best treatment approach: how to arrest degradation while maintaining the historical elements of the artifact.
Topics: SpaceflightApollo programBehind the scenes
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Preserving Flak-Bait's Fabric Panels
Posted on Aug 15, 2019
To the best of our knowledge, Flak-Bait is the only World War II bomber of its kind to retain the original insulating fabric panels lining the interior of the forward fuselage. To preserve the original fabric, we performed a number of innovative conservation treatments.
Topics: AviationAircraftBehind the scenesWorld War II
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Preserving Flak-Bait: Saving Doped Fabric
Posted on May 31, 2019
The Martin B-26B Marauder Flak-Bait, an iconic artifact of World War II is undergoing artifact treatment in the Museum’s Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar. In this first in a series of blogs about the conservation of the aircraft, we explore the preservation of the doped fabric on the rudder.
Topics: Behind the scenesAircraftWorld War II
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Conserving Spock's Ear
Posted on Sep 06, 2018
It’s become one of the most well-known appendages in pop culture history—Spock’s pointed ears, signaling him as half-Vulcan, and now synonymous with the beloved sci-fi series. The Museum’s conservation team recently treated a replica ear in our collection.
Topics: Behind the scenesSociety and CultureScience fiction
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Conserving Artifacts from Command Module Columbia
Posted on Mar 22, 2018
How the Museum's conservation team treated an Apollo 11 artifact, a medical accessory kit stowed aboard the Command Module Columbia during the historic lunar mission.
Topics: SpaceflightApollo programHuman spaceflightBehind the scenes
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Preserving a 170 Year-Old Chinese Kite Collection
Posted on Dec 20, 2017
Conservation work is continuing on the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s collection of traditional Chinese paper kites at our Emil Buehler Conservation Lab.
Topics: UltralightsEarly flightBehind the scenes
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"Kiss Me Darling:" Conserving the Rituals of Dating and Dancing
Posted on Nov 03, 2017
The Clouds in a Bag exhibit at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, displays many early renditions of ballooning, including a 18th-19th century dance box. Take a look at the conservation process behind this charming object.
Topics: AviationBalloonsArtBehind the scenesSociety and Culture
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Preparing Columbia for a National Tour
Posted on Feb 22, 2017
The last time the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia traveled the US was in 1970. Almost 50 years later, the historic spacecraft that helped take us to the Moon and back is headed out on the road for a nationwide tour. Following the tour, the Command Module will be placed on permanent display in the exhibition Destination Moon, scheduled to open in 2020 at the Museum in Washington, DC. The Museum’s conservation team will spend the next six months preparing the artifact for travel and display. Conservator Lisa Young shares what the next few months will look like and what she’s most interested in finding out about Columbia.
Topics: Behind the scenesSpaceflightApollo program
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Conserving the Museum’s Chinese Kites
Posted on Feb 03, 2017
Conservator Amanda Malkin has spent the last year examining, documenting, and conservering the Museum's 20 nineteenth century Chinese kites. Malkin shares how the traditional kites were constructed from the multiple thicknesses of split bamboo to the plant fibers that make up the Chinese paper. She also documents her conservation process for one of the treated kites, including the delicate process of removing brown craft paper tape.