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National Air and Space Museum

A digital art illustration of the gold and black spacecraft firing its white thrusters to maneuver near a dark, rocky moon, with the reddish surface of Mars visible in the background.

Can a Japanese Spacecraft Unlock the Mystery of Mars' Twin Moons?

Searching for clues on Phobos and Deimos.

A vintage silver Ford Tri-Motor aircraft parked on a wet tarmac under a dramatic, cloudy sky at dusk. The plane features corrugated metal skin, three engines, and the "Ford" script logo in blue on the fuselage, all reflected in the water on the ground.

The Ford Motor Company Built Excellent Airplanes 100 Years Ago

The Tri-Motor reassured Americans it was safe to fly.

A black-and-white photo of four white women in their late 20s to early 30s walking on a military airfield. The women are wearing flightsuits, boots, and leather flight jackets. Behind the women is the forward fuselage of a World War II military bomber.

Resurrection of a Rare World War II Flight Jacket

Janice Christensen is remembered for her service during the war.

A twin-engine jet airliner painted in a livery of purple, red, and orange is parked on an airport ramp. The tail of the airline is marked with the word “Southwest.”

A Once-Shy Teenager Found His Salvation in Aviation

A new book explains the transformative power of flying.

Two people standing outdoors on a paved surface holding a long, silver, cigar-shaped airship drone that features the text "KELLUU" in large black letters along its side.

The New Age of Tiny Airships

The smallest blimps can do the jobs that conventional drones can’t.

Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft with Earth and Moon in the distance.

Artemis II’s Long Countdown

A space historian explains why it has taken over 50 years to return to the Moon.

Dramatically-shot portrait of a white male astronaut in an orange spacesuit.

Jeremy R. Hansen: First Canadian In Deep Space

Born in 1976 in London, Ontario, Jeremy Hansen cannot remember a time when he did not dream of being an astronaut. And now, as member of the crew of Artemis 2, he will see the far side of the Moon as they loop around it.

Dramatically-shot portrait of a white female astronaut in an orange spacesuit.

Christina Koch: From Michigan To The Moon

Christina Koch built a solid foundation of achievements to qualify her for the role of mission specialist on the first human mission to reach the Moon since 1972.

Dramatically-shot portrait of a Black male astronaut in an orange spacesuit.

Victor Glover: From California To The Moon

Victor Glover has spent a lifetime building the experience that now prepares him to help lead humanity’s return to the Moon and demonstrate how humans can live and work in deep space.

Reid Wiseman

Reid Wiseman: Artemis 2 Commander

Leading the intrepid explorers in the Artemis 2 mission is U.S. Navy Captain and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, mission commander.

A photograph featuring the conical silver Orion spacecraft and cylindrical European Service Module in the foreground as it travels through space. In the background the Moon and then the Earth can be seen in the far distance.

What is the Artemis Program?

People may know Artemis as NASA’s return-to-the-Moon program. However, it is much more than a rerun of Project Apollo.

Four astronauts (a white man and a black man on the left and a white woman and a white man on the right) in blue astronaut flight suits stand outside on grass with water behind them. The orange SLS rocket can be seen in the distance between them.

What is Artemis 2?

Soon, four astronauts will launch on a mission to the vicinity of the moon for the first time in over 50 years. The mission, called Artemis 2, is the second mission — and first crewed mission — of NASA’s Artemis program.

A grainy, green-tinted, circular view through a night vision scope shows a helicopter flying over a dark landscape at night.

After a Tragedy in 2002, Special Forces Soldiers Learned That Armed Drones Are a Combat Necessity

Why the Predator is here to stay.

A 65-year-old man dressed in a blue suit poses in front of a military jet on a rain-soaked ramp.

Flying the F-15 Propelled Cesar Rodriguez to a Remarkable Combat Career

A retired fighter pilot watches his jet roar through the sky one last time.

A photo illustration of a three-quarter view of a sliver aircraft with blue wings with blueprint in the background.

The Quest to Replicate the Splendor of the H-1 Racer

The aeronautical vision of Howard Hughes continues to beguile us.

A photo collage consists of three black-and-white images taken in World War II: an airplane flying at high altitude, a man sitting inside the cabin of a bomber, and a large-dish ground radar.

Fred Whipple Figured Out How to Hide Airplanes From Enemy Radar

How chaff was invented in World War II.

A white man in his 30s sits in the cockpit of a World War II-era military airplane. He is smiling and wearing sunglasses and a ballcap.

On the Road in Oshkosh, Wisconsin

The Smithsonian offers a pop-up experience for visitors to the world's biggest airshow.

An upward-looking shot shows a dark-colored, single-engine Stinson Reliant monoplane with red markings on its wing, suspended indoors from the ceiling of a multi-story building with a glass atrium roof.

See These Pioneering Air- and Spacecraft in Your Town

Rare Smithsonian artifacts are on display at museums across the country.

A black-and-white historical photograph from circa 1931 shows Albert Einstein with Edwin Hubble and other astronomers standing on a walkway in front of the large dome of the Mount Wilson Observatory.

Who Is the Man Who Discovered the Universe?

A century ago, Edwin Hubble began the race to the edge of the cosmos

A white woman in her 30s sits on the launchpad, with the space shuttle (configured for launch) behind her. She has long brown hair and is looking to the side.

A New Book Explains the Delay in Hiring Women as Astronauts

Find out how NASA’s astronaut selection process has evolved.

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