All Stories

In her new book, On a Mission: The Smithsonian History of US Women Astronauts, Valerie Neal explores what makes an astronaut. 

In the 1980s, the Cola Wars between Coca-Cola and Pepsi got so intense, they even launched their rivalry into outer space.

Few astronauts were as famous as Jim Lovell—Tom Hanks played him in the 1995 movie Apollo 13. Lovell commanded that ill-fated space mission, which did not land on the Moon in 1970 because an oxygen-tank explosion crippled the spacecraft’s service module. 

However, every historic milestone was once highly debated. Many of these debates continue today.

Could humans one day live on other planets? Many efforts are underway to answer that question.

In the era of human spaceflight, the community of amateur horologists found a story ripe for their attention: the selection of the Omega Speedmaster Professional as the chronograph (a watch with stopwatch and other functions) certified by NASA for use on spaceflights, both inside and outside the spacecraft.

A new national Air and Space Museum gallery explores the different ways humans could build a presence in outer space.

Some Smithsonian artifacts that memorialize these achievements might be closer to you than you realize. Through collaborations with affiliate organizations, the Smithsonian sponsors traveling exhibitions and loans artifacts to museums throughout the United States and abroad. 

What's new in aviation and space?

The Burt Rutan-designed SpaceShipOne was able to get to space without NASA's assistance.