All Stories

During World War II, astronomer Fred Whipple was central to the invention of radar-jamming chaff at Harvard University’s Radio Research Laboratory.

Five Lunar Orbiter missions photographed both the near and far sides of the Moon in 1966 and 1967 to prepare for the Apollo landings.

Our curators talk about their favorite artifacts. The SR-71’s undeniable wow factor.

Discover the history of the Cuban Missile Crisis. 

In modern society, we often take the daily weather report for granted. We turn on the news, open the weather app on our smart phone, or look up our region’s weather on the internet. Have you ever thought about how meteorologists predict the forecast? For a big part of the answer, we need to look to the sky. 

During World War I, a new form of espionage took flight—literally. Photography from aircraft was introduced as a new way to spy.

Picture the Earth from above. In your mind's eye, what do you see? Today, we have access to air and space technology that lets us see various views of the Earth with ease. 

Our Museum recently acquired a first-generation HawkEye 360 Pathfinder satellite. The three Pathfinders and follow-on satellites form the first commercial satellite constellation ever to detect, characterize, and geolocate a broad range of radio frequency signals from transmitters on the ground and sea.

Learn about the integral role speed played during the Cold War.

A former Blackbird pilot now volunteers at the National Air and Space Museum.