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The majority of what has been accomplished in space has been carried out by uncrewed robotic craft. 

This first-generation Robonaut, housed at the National Air and Space Museum,  was designed by the Robot Systems Technology Branch at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in a collaborative effort with DARPA.

Our museum collection is sometimes a working one. That means that scientists come to do aviation or space research using objects in the Museum. 

As we wait for season TEN (!!!) we're looking back on this season six favorite. Every day, satellites orbit Earth taking pictures. These images are used for everything from intelligence to weather prediction and even today’s topic – archaeology. 

Ed Stone’s long and distinguished career in space science connects to many of the planetary exploration objects displayed in the galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. That so many of the Museum’s objects have connections to his professional achievements illustrates Stone’s significant legacy in space science and exploration.

For twenty years Mars Rovers and Orbiters have worked to unlock the secrets of the Red Planet. This excerpt from curator Matt Shindell's book For The Love of Mars tells the tale.

The Ingenuity prototype will join other robotic explorers on display at the National Air and Space Museum.

The Museum has acquired from JPL the prototype Ingenuity helicopter that achieved the first successful free flight under simulated Martian conditions. A series of prototypes, engineering, and flight models to learn and better understand design challenges and work through solutions was required before flight on another planet could be possible.

In a lot of political and financial circles space exploration is often talked about in terms of human space exploration VERSUS robotic space travel. But most scientists and engineers who work on space missions think this question is better answered with a "yes, and."

The Juno spacecraft currently orbiting Jupiter almost didn’t have a camera, and boy would that have been a shame. On this episode of AirSpace, we unpack how JunoCam has contributed to science and completely changed the way we view this beautiful gas giant.