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Air & Space Magazine

Dubai airport, one of the world’s busiest.

How Much of the World’s Population Has Flown in an Airplane?

Some numbers, and some guesses.

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F-16 Taxi

An F-16 Fighting Falcon taxis to the hangars at Holloman Air Force base in New Mexico.

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Martian Dune

NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover rolled up to explore its first Martian sand dune in December.

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A White Stork in Space

A cargo capsule launched by the Japanese space agency JAXA on final approach to the International Space Station. The HTV-5 vehicle is named Kounotori, which means “white stork.”

Our Top 10 Stories of 2015

The most-viewed stories on AirSpaceMag.com this year included coverage of the massive WW2 flyover in D.C. and a rare SR-71 Blackbird crash.

Witch trial, ca. 1598.

Johannes Kepler Defended His Mother in a Witchcraft Trial

The famous astronomer conducted his mother’s defense in an ordeal that lasted six years.

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Hawaii By Air

An F-22 Raptor flies over the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

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Shades of Green

A look at the forests of Brazil from low-Earth orbit.

The Apollo 8 mission controllers waited on Christmas Eve, 1968, as humans flew around the moon for the first time. Courtesy University of Nebraska Press.

A One-of-a-Kind Gift from Apollo 8 on Christmas Eve

A new book describes the joy, stress, and sense of success inside NASA mission control.

Occator Crater on Ceres, in false color, with the spots shining brightly. Blue is generally associated with bright material, found in more than 130 locations, and seems to be consistent with salts such as sulfates. The crater is 60 miles across.

Ceres’ Spots in the Spotlight

Water and organics are reported. Is there energy, too?

The first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket fires its engine before landing back at Cape Canaveral, December 21, 2015.

SpaceX Takes a “Revolutionary” Step Toward Reusable Rockets

A Falcon 9 first stage makes a controlled landing 10 minutes after launch.

Breitling wingwalkers perform over the resort hotels on Dubai's Palm Islands.

Scenes from the World Air Games in Dubai

This year’s competition drew everything from model airplanes to balloons.

A replica of Spirit of St. Louis flown by Ken Cassens, who spent 20 years working on the aircraft, over upstate New York.

Spirit of St. Louis Replica Soars Over New York

The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome says the Ryan it spent decades building is the most authentic replica of Charles Lindbergh’s airplane ever built.

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Sling Load Away

Crews attach a sling load to a Mississippi Army National Guard medical evacuation UH-60 Black Hawk during an exercise.

What to Do With That Drone You Get for Christmas

Taking light painting to new heights.

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Purple Gum

Young stars shine shortly after they’re born in this stellar nursery, a nebula called Gum 56. This image was taken at the La Silla Observatory in Chile as part of ESO’s Cosmic Gems program.

The plume of Enceladus, as seen by Cassini last May.

Searching for Life at Enceladus

Which is better, a sample return mission or an onsite investigation?

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Raptor at the Ready

An F-22 Raptor pilot pulls down the canopy as he prepares to take off from Ämari Air Base in Estonia.

Best Children’s Books of the Year

The best aviation- and space-themed books for young readers in 2015.

An astronaut on Mars? Nope—some guy in a space costume.

Simulating Human Space Missions

Are Earth analogs helpful?

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