National Air and Space Museum
@airandspace

Sharing inspiring stories, moments of awe, and one-of-a-kind artifacts from aviation and space history. Start exploring: airandspace.si.edu ✈️ 🚀 🪐

 Smithsonian, Washington DC
s.si.edu/legal
Joined May 2008
Congratulations to @SpaceX on today’s launch of Starship, the tallest & most powerful rocket ever launched! 🚀 Although Starship experienced a “rapid unscheduled disassembly” before stage separation, the test provided good data to the Starship team to prepare for the next one.
SpaceX
@SpaceX
20 Apr 2023
Liftoff of Starship!
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A B-29 Superfortress moving under its own power isn't something you see every day, just ask our friends at Dulles Air Traffic Control. Doc, one of only two airworthy B-29s, flew in this afternoon for tomorrow's Innovations in Flight event at our Udvar-Hazy Center.
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Here's something you don't see every day: All three #Apollo11 spacesuits, photographed side-by-side for the first time since the mission, in celebration of #Apollo50 (Order: Aldrin, Collins, Armstrong) Apollo50.si.edu #AirSpacePhoto
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No more crop you say? Well then, we’ll just go ahead and let this shot of Earth and the Moon in the same frame hang here for a bit. Voyager 1 took the image, captured from 7.25 million miles away, in 1977.
Earth and the Moon in a single frame, captured by Voyager 1 spacecraft

ALT Earth and the Moon in a single frame, captured by Voyager 1 spacecraft

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"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives." - Carl Sagan On this day in 1990, Voyager 1 took the iconic Pale Blue Dot image.
Pale Blue Dot image that shows Earth as a very small dot in a vertical color band

ALT Pale Blue Dot image that shows Earth as a very small dot in a vertical color band

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We are saddened by the passing of Gemini and Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. With the crew of Apollo 8, Lovell became one of the first to leave Earth and journey to another world and on Apollo 13 his cool head helped turn a near-disaster into NASA’s finest hour. Lovell was a great friend to our museum and we will miss him dearly.
Jim Lovell in a white Apollo spacesuit standing in front of a rocket on the launch pad.

ALT Jim Lovell in a white Apollo spacesuit standing in front of a rocket on the launch pad.

An older Jim Lovell sitting in a chair at the National Air and Space Museum. He is smiling and looking off camera.

ALT An older Jim Lovell sitting in a chair at the National Air and Space Museum. He is smiling and looking off camera.

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One year ago tonight, on the 50th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, we unveiled our own Moonshot: a projection of the Saturn V rocket on the Washington Monument as part of #GoForTheMoon.
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This photo was taken 50 years ago today. We're obsessed with it. #Apollo15 #Apollo50
Black and white photo of lunar module on the Moon

ALT Black and white photo of lunar module on the Moon

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"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives." - Carl Sagan On this day in 1990, Voyager 1 took the iconic Pale Blue Dot image.
Photo of space, with colorful stripes, and a tiny dot of Earth in one of those stripes.

ALT Photo of space, with colorful stripes, and a tiny dot of Earth in one of those stripes.

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We are sad to learn of the passing of Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Uhura on #StarTrek. She was an inspiration to many, not just for her groundbreaking work on Star Trek but also through her work with NASA to recruit women and people of color to apply to become astronauts.
Nichelle Nichols playing Lt. Uhura on Star Trek

ALT Nichelle Nichols playing Lt. Uhura on Star Trek

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On this day in 2019, scientists released the first image of black hole, captured by the Event Horizon Telescope.
Bright ring of yellow-orange light against the darkness of space.

ALT Bright ring of yellow-orange light against the darkness of space.

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Happy Moon Landing Day! On this day in 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon. This photo shows both astronauts on the Moon, with Armstrong reflected in the visor of Aldrin's helmet.
Astronaut in Apollo spacesuit standing on the Moon. Another astronaut and part of the lunar module are reflected in the gold visor of his helmet.

ALT Astronaut in Apollo spacesuit standing on the Moon. Another astronaut and part of the lunar module are reflected in the gold visor of his helmet.

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When George Takei debuted as astroscientist-turned-helmsman Lieutenant Sulu on #StarTrek, he made history as the first Asian American to play a major, nonstereotyped character on an American television show. #Pride 📷: @smithsoniannpg
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Name a more iconic duo, we'll wait.
Perseverance and Ingenuity rover on Mars.

ALT Perseverance and Ingenuity rover on Mars.

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Happy Moon Landing Day! 55 years ago today, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon. This photo shows both astronauts on the Moon, with Armstrong reflected in the visor of Aldrin's helmet.
Astronaut in Apollo spacesuit standing on the Moon. Another astronaut and part of the lunar module are reflected in the gold visor of his helmet.

ALT Astronaut in Apollo spacesuit standing on the Moon. Another astronaut and part of the lunar module are reflected in the gold visor of his helmet.

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The #CountdownToMars is on! Three ways you can tune in today: 1 pm ET: Our Perseverance pre-landing live chat: s.si.edu/2ZcUQpC 2:15 pm ET: @NASA coverage of the landing: nasa.gov/live 2:30 pm ET: @NASA_es's #JuntosPerseveramos broadcast: piped.video/upLM5yGVKLg
Orange tint applied to a rendering of the rover landing on Mars with a sky crane over it.

ALT Orange tint applied to a rendering of the rover landing on Mars with a sky crane over it.

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We mourn the passing and celebrate the life and legacy of a pilot who truly had the right stuff, General Chuck Yeager. In 1947, Yeager broke the sound barrier and proved that we can always keep pushing further and faster.
Chuck Yeager standing in front of Bell X-1.

ALT Chuck Yeager standing in front of Bell X-1.

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#OTD in 1979, Space Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise was rolled out from Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39 at @NASAKennedy.
Black and white image of a space shuttle mounted to a launch vehicle. Both are seen from top angle.

ALT Black and white image of a space shuttle mounted to a launch vehicle. Both are seen from top angle.

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Today in 1781, British astronomer Sir William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus. This stunning picture was captured over 200 years later, by Voyager 2 🙌
A closeup of the planet Uranus which appears to be a constant bluish color.

ALT A closeup of the planet Uranus which appears to be a constant bluish color.

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.@taylorswift13, we're a little concerned with you staring directly at the Sun (but never in the mirror). If you do a show in DC, we'd love to show you how to safely observe with a special solar telescope. We could even bring one to the show!
Carla Hayden@LibnOfCongress
4 Nov 2022
We’ll sweeten @chefjoseandres’ offer with a visit and tour of the @librarycongress. @taylorswift13 as you probably have heard we have an amazing music collection. Come see us in Washington. 🙏🏽
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September 11, 2001, 9:45 am: The FAA closed U.S. airspace — the first unplanned closure of U.S. airspace in history. In just a matter of hours, all commercial air traffic was grounded. #September11
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Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-American woman to go to space. She flew on STS-87 in 1997 and STS-107 in 2003, which ended in tragedy when Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during re-entry and the crew was lost. #BecauseOfHerStory #AAPIHeritageMonth
Kalpana Chawla in an orange astronaut flight suit with American flag in the background.

ALT Kalpana Chawla in an orange astronaut flight suit with American flag in the background.

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The spacesuits Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will wear for today's Crew Dragon launch look different from the ones you're used to. We explore the sleek SpaceX launch and entry suits in a new blog: s.si.edu/3c9Pq2x #LaunchAmerica
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September 11, 2001, 9:45 am: The FAA closed U.S. airspace — the first unplanned closure of U.S. airspace in history. In just a matter of hours, all commercial air traffic was grounded. #September11
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On this day in 1963, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to fly in space: s.si.edu/2Rm2Bob
Three photos of Valentina Tereshkova in a spacesuit and helmet.

ALT Three photos of Valentina Tereshkova in a spacesuit and helmet.

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You know Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura in #StarTrek, but the importance of her role went further than TV. She became real-life inspiration to many and, in 1977, helped NASA recruit women and people of color to apply to become astronauts. #BlackHistoryMonth #BecauseOfHerStory
This is an image of Nichelle Nichols. The image is in color. She has white hair and is wearing a black cardigan. Her right hand is in the photo and has two rings on it: a circular light blue ring and a ring with a toy astronaut on it. She is looking at the camera and smiling. The NASA logo is behind her.

ALT This is an image of Nichelle Nichols. The image is in color. She has white hair and is wearing a black cardigan. Her right hand is in the photo and has two rings on it: a circular light blue ring and a ring with a toy astronaut on it. She is looking at the camera and smiling. The NASA logo is behind her.

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Look what’s arrived in the shop for a tune up. 👀 If you see Poe Dameron around, let him know work on his X-wing is coming along nicely, and it'll be ready for display soon. #StarWars #MayThe4thBeWithYou
Orange and white X-wing in pieces in restoration hangar.

ALT Orange and white X-wing in pieces in restoration hangar.

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Today in 1969: #Apollo11 entered lunar orbit: s.si.edu/2u6TKwm
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Apollo 14 commander Alan Shepard took his first steps on the lunar surface today in 1971. It was an incredible next step after becoming the first American in space ten years earlier. Shepard was the only Mercury astronaut to walk on the Moon.
Alan Shepard in a spacesuit walks on the Moon in the shadow of the lunar module.

ALT Alan Shepard in a spacesuit walks on the Moon in the shadow of the lunar module.

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🔴 🚁The #MarsHelicopter Ingenuity is going places. Stay tuned this week for humanity’s first attempt at power, controlled flight on another planet!
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Today is @NASA's #DayofRemembrance, which honors those who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery. We join NASA is remembering the crews of Apollo 1, Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51L), and Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107).
Three photos of space mission crews: three men in Apollo spacesuits, seven astronauts in blue flight jackets, seven astronauts in orange launch suits

ALT Three photos of space mission crews: three men in Apollo spacesuits, seven astronauts in blue flight jackets, seven astronauts in orange launch suits

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On this day in 1970, the Boeing 747 made its first commercial flight, flying from New York to London for Pan American. 📷: A Pan Am 747 in flight
Pan Am 747

ALT Pan Am 747

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The Huygens probe landed on Saturn's moon Titan on this day in 2005. It snapped this image while on the surface and lasted a total of 72 minutes on Titan.
Orange picture of rocky surface of Saturn's moon Titan.

ALT Orange picture of rocky surface of Saturn's moon Titan.

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Never say never. On this day in 2019, scientists released the first image of black hole, captured by the Event Horizon Telescope.
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Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong was born on this day in 1930. He was a NASA test pilot, the command pilot of Gemini 8, the first human to walk on the Moon, and an inspiration of millions around the world: s.si.edu/2MOO9VN
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"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives." #CarlSaganDay 📷 by Voyager 1
Grainy photo of space with Earth appearing as a bright dot within a colorful beam of light.

ALT Grainy photo of space with Earth appearing as a bright dot within a colorful beam of light.

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Voyager 1 captured this picture while looking back at Saturn just a few days after its closest approach to the ringed planet. The approximate distance at the time of the shot was 3.3 million miles when it was captured on November of 1980.
Voyager 1 captured this picture while looking back at Saturn just a few days after its closest approach to the ringed planet. The approximate distance at the time of the shot was 3.3 million miles.

ALT Voyager 1 captured this picture while looking back at Saturn just a few days after its closest approach to the ringed planet. The approximate distance at the time of the shot was 3.3 million miles.

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60 years ago today, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly into space. His historic single orbit around Earth took only 108 minutes from ignition to landing. #IdeasThatDefy
Yuri Gagarin in military uniform.

ALT Yuri Gagarin in military uniform.

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What do you want to know about @NASA's Perseverance rover, which will launch to Mars later this summer? Museum director @EllenStofan and NASA's @Dr_ThomasZ are filming a new episode of #EZScience next week and want to answer your questions.
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On this day in 1961, a chimpanzee named Ham became the first chimp in space, launched aboard Mercury-Redstone 2 for a 17 minute suborbital flight: s.si.edu/2OgpDwu
A chimpanzee named Ham became the first chimp in space.

ALT A chimpanzee named Ham became the first chimp in space.

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Replying to @NASA
We're going to use "It's just physics" as a mic drop from now on. 🎤
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┏┓ ┃┃╱╲ in ┃╱╱╲╲ this ╱╱╭╮╲╲house ▔▏┗┛▕▔ we ╱▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔╲ use "crewed" ╱╱┏┳┓╭╮┏┳┓ ╲╲ ▔▏┗┻┛┃┃┗┻┛▕▔
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What does a total solar eclipse look like from space? On this day in 1999, this photo of the Moon's shadow on Earth during a total solar eclipse was taken from the Mir Space Station. #IdeasThatDefy
Earth with a large circular black shadow on it

ALT Earth with a large circular black shadow on it

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Touchdown! Mars rover Perseverance has landed on the Red Planet! The #CountdownToMars has ended in success. Next up: science!
Rendering of rover on Mars

ALT Rendering of rover on Mars

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We mourn the passing and celebrate the life of our former director and astronaut Michael Collins. His vision and extraordinary achievements helped define our museum, and his wit, warmth, and wisdom will always be a part of our work.
Michael Collins sits on the edge of an escalator, looking at his watch.

ALT Michael Collins sits on the edge of an escalator, looking at his watch.

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On this day in 1932, #StarTrek actor Nichelle Nichols was born. Her groundbreaking role as Lt. Uhura made her an inspiration to many and in 1977, she worked with NASA to recruit women and people of color. We reflect on her life and legacy: s.si.edu/3PWxQ6L
Nichelle Nichols in her Lt. Uhura costume.

ALT Nichelle Nichols in her Lt. Uhura costume.

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On this day in 2004, Mars rover Opportunity landed on the Red Planet at Meridiani Planum. Affectionately called Oppy, the rover far exceeded its 90 day mission, working on Mars for nearly 15 years: s.si.edu/36qCUbU
Rendering of Opportunity on Mars

ALT Rendering of Opportunity on Mars

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#OTD in 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly into space. His historic single orbit around Earth took only 108 minutes from ignition to landing.
Black and white closeup of the face of a person in an astronaut suit.

ALT Black and white closeup of the face of a person in an astronaut suit.

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They say pictures are worth a thousand words, but sometimes they leave you speechless. On this day in 1984, astronaut Bruce McCandless made the first untethered spacewalk using the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU).
Bruce McCandless floats in spacesuit and MMU

ALT Bruce McCandless floats in spacesuit and MMU

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NASA turns 61 today! #HappyBirthday to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration! We hope your birthday is out of this world 🌎
Round NASA logo

ALT Round NASA logo

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🙌 After 13 years off display, Neil Armstrong's spacesuit is back on view at Air and Space, just in time for the 50th anniversary of #Apollo11! It recently underwent a multi-year conservation, thanks to the support of Kickstarter backers: s.si.edu/2kd33Jf #Apollo50
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Michael Collins' humility is captured in the Apollo 11 mission patch. He designed it to represent the thousands who worked toward a lunar landing, not just the astronauts, and it remains one of the only NASA mission patches without the names of the crew.
Apollo 11 mission patch

ALT Apollo 11 mission patch

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We hope our Twitter feed brings you moments of joy and inspiration during these uncertain times. So, every day in April, we’re going to post an incredible space photo that brings us awe. (And we’d gladly take recommendations!) We'll start with a @NASAHubble classic. 🎆
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Today in 1977, Space Shuttle "Enterprise," crewed by astronauts Fred Haise and Gordon Fullerton, made its first free flight from a 747 during Shuttle Approach & Landing Tests.
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Happy 8 years on Mars, @MarsCuriosity! In the early morning hours EDT of August 6, 2012, the rover touched down on the Red Planet: s.si.edu/2MHLQDQ
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On this day in 1969, the Apollo 10 astronauts began their return journey from the Moon back to Earth in command module "Charlie Brown." This photo of Earth rising above the lunar horizon was taken during the mission.
Earthrise over the surface of the Moon

ALT Earthrise over the surface of the Moon

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"I'm sorry that people are so jealous of me. But I can't help it that I'm popular." #MeanGirlsDay
The SR-71 Blackbird against a dark bacground.

ALT The SR-71 Blackbird against a dark bacground.

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How convenient when a new artifact can fly itself in! A McDonnell Douglas F-15C just arrived at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to join our collection. The F-15 Eagle is one of the most historically significant fighter aircraft since World War II, in part because of its combat record in many U.S. conflicts of the past 50 years.
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Last night, we awarded NASA flight director Gene Kranz the 2021 Michael Collins Trophy for Lifetime Achievement. Kranz's legendary career began in the U.S. Air Force and then took him to NASA mission control, from Project Mercury through the Shuttle Program. #CollinsTrophy

Gene Kranz Awarded Michael Collins Trophy for Lifetime Achievement

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15 years ago today, New Horizons took these photos of a 200-mile-high plume erupting from Io's Tvashtar volcano. Io, a moon of Jupiter, is one of only a few planetary bodies in the solar system other than Earth known to exhibit active volcanism.
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Patricia Cowings researched psycho-physiological and biological problems (space sickness) experienced by astronauts in space in the early 1980s. She designed a program that enabled astronauts to learn how to control the sickness in no longer than six hours! #BlackHistoryMonth
Image of Patricia Cowings sitting on a stool in a white lab coat and looking directly at the camera.

ALT Image of Patricia Cowings sitting on a stool in a white lab coat and looking directly at the camera.

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So, this happened last night. At the exact moment Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the Moon 50 years ago, we projected a lunar bootprint on the Washington Monument as part of our #GoForTheMoon show. We love #Apollo50.
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It took a lot of software engineering to get astronauts to the Moon. In this now-iconic photo, Margaret Hamilton, who led the Apollo flight software design, stands next to listings of the Apollo Guidance Computer source code: s.si.edu/2H8oZOX #WomensHistoryMonth
Margaret Hamilton standing next to a person-high stack of books

ALT Margaret Hamilton standing next to a person-high stack of books

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Take a look at this timelapse showing Voyager 1’s view of Jupiter. Today in 1979, Voyager 1 made its closest approach to Jupiter, flying within 172,000 miles of its cloud tops. This timelapse is from earlier that year.

Voyager 1’s view of Jupiter

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Remembering the crew of Challenger STS-51L. On this day in 1986, the launch of STS-51L ended in tragedy when Challenger and crew were lost 73 seconds after liftoff. Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Greg Jarvis, Judith Resnik, Mike Smith, Dick Scobee, and Ron McNair.
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📞 home one last time. #OTD in 2003, Pioneer 10 phoned home for the last time. It was 7.6 billion miles away from Earth. Traveling at the speed of light, Pioneer's signal was very weak and took 11 hours to reach Earth: s.si.edu/2UvbXkI
Artist concept of Pioneer spacecraft in deep space.

ALT Artist concept of Pioneer spacecraft in deep space.

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Remembering the crew of STS-51L: Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Greg Jarvis, Judith Resnik, Mike Smith, Dick Scobee, and Ron McNair On this day in 1986, the launch of STS-51L ended in tragedy when Space Shuttle Challenger and crew were lost 73 seconds after liftoff.
Seven astronauts in blue flight jackets posed for a picture.

ALT Seven astronauts in blue flight jackets posed for a picture.

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On @NASA's #DayofRemembrance, we honor those who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery. We join NASA in remembering the crews of Apollo 1, Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51L), and Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107).
Three photos of space mission crews: three men in Apollo spacesuits, seven astronauts in blue flight jackets, seven astronauts in orange launch suits.

ALT Three photos of space mission crews: three men in Apollo spacesuits, seven astronauts in blue flight jackets, seven astronauts in orange launch suits.

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Today @NASA officially named their headquarters building for Mary W. Jackson, the first Black female engineer at NASA. Jackson started with the NACA at Langley Research Center and was an advocate for women in STEM fields: s.si.edu/2MyquLs
Mary W. Jackson, the first Black female engineer at NASA

ALT Mary W. Jackson, the first Black female engineer at NASA

Unveiling the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters sign during a ceremony officially naming the building

ALT Unveiling the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters sign during a ceremony officially naming the building

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Red Planet (Artist’s Version) 📷: NASA artist concept depicting human exploration of Mars
Digital artwork of a person standing on Mars

ALT Digital artwork of a person standing on Mars

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Today in 1966, Buzz Aldrin took "the first space selfie." The game-changing picture was taken during his first stand-up spacewalk of Gemini XII, and after photographing landmarks on Earth. “Okay, tell everybody down there to smile” Aldrin said right before he snapped away.
November 12, 1966: Buzz Aldrin took "the first space selfie." The game-changing picture was taken during his first stand-up spacewalk of Gemini XII, and after photographing landmarks on Earth. “Okay, tell everybody down there to smile” Aldrin said right before he snapped away.

ALT November 12, 1966: Buzz Aldrin took "the first space selfie." The game-changing picture was taken during his first stand-up spacewalk of Gemini XII, and after photographing landmarks on Earth. “Okay, tell everybody down there to smile” Aldrin said right before he snapped away.

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50 years ago today, the #Apollo16 spacecraft entered lunar orbit. During the second revolution of the Moon, the crew captured this Earthrise with a handheld Hasselblad camera. #Apollo50
Earth rising in the sky, with the lunar surface in the foreground.

ALT Earth rising in the sky, with the lunar surface in the foreground.

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Ganymede's closeup 📸 A year ago, NASA's Juno spacecraft flew within 645 miles of Jupiter's moon Ganymede. This flyby is the closest we have gotten to the largest moon in our solar system since a flyby by the Galileo spacecraft in 2000. JunoCam captured this image of Ganymede.
A closeup image of Jupiter's moon Ganymede.

ALT A closeup image of Jupiter's moon Ganymede.

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We are GO for the Moon. Our Saturn V projection on the Washington Monument starts tonight! See it tonight through Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 pm, and don't miss the full #GoForTheMoon show Friday and Saturday. Full details: s.si.edu/2RYNCkB #Apollo50
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On this day in 1966, Gemini VIII launched, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott. It was the first spaceflight for both Armstrong and Scott, who would each go on to command an Apollo mission to the Moon.
Two astronauts in white spacesuits walk and wave to the crowd

ALT Two astronauts in white spacesuits walk and wave to the crowd

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World War II aircraft and more have begun arriving for our Innovations in Flight event tomorrow. Can you identify these aircraft?
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Today in 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly in space. His historic single orbit around Earth took only 108 minutes from ignition to landing. #IdeasThatDefy
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Remembering the crew of Apollo 1. On this day in 1967, astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffee perished in a fire during a pre-launch test for what was to be the first crewed Apollo mission.
Three astronauts in flight suits pose for a photo outside.

ALT Three astronauts in flight suits pose for a photo outside.

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On this day in 2003, falling foam damaged the left wing leading edge of Space Shuttle Columbia during the STS-107 launch. The shuttle and crew were lost on return on February 1.
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Remembering the crew of STS-107. On February 1, 2003, the seven-astronaut crew was lost when Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during re-entry. David Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, William McCool, and Ilan Ramon were on board.
Crew portrait with seven astronauts in orange flight suits.

ALT Crew portrait with seven astronauts in orange flight suits.

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On this day in 1963, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to fly in space: s.si.edu/2Rm2Bob
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A photo worth a thousand words. Today in 1984, this famous photo was taken of astronaut Bruce McCandless floating free from the space shuttle using the Manned Maneuvering Unit.
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Happy Moon Landing Day! Today in 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon. This photo shows both astronauts on the Moon, with Armstrong reflected in the visor of Aldrin's helmet.
Astronaut in Apollo spacesuit standing on the Moon. Another astronaut and part of the lunar module are reflected in the gold visor of his helmet.

ALT Astronaut in Apollo spacesuit standing on the Moon. Another astronaut and part of the lunar module are reflected in the gold visor of his helmet.

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Remembering the crew of STS-107. On February 1, 2003, the seven-astronaut crew was lost when Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during re-entry. David Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, William McCool, and Ilan Ramon.
Crew portrait with seven astronauts in orange flight suits.

ALT Crew portrait with seven astronauts in orange flight suits.

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Stop scrolling! You’ve seen a lot of views of Mars lately, but this is one you want to watch.   On its third flight, #MarsHelicopter Ingenuity flew 50 meters downrange, zipping out of frame of this @NASAPersevere video and then back to its starting point.
NASA JPL

Perseverance Rover's Mastcam-Z Captures Ingenuity's Third Flight

The Mars Perseverance Rover’s Mastcam-Z captured the helicopter as it took off for a flight downrange and then watched it return to stick the landing.

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Happy Moon Landing Day! Today in 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon. This photo shows both astronauts on the Moon, with Armstrong reflected in the visor of Aldrin's helmet.
Astronaut standing on the Moon

ALT Astronaut standing on the Moon

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In many ways, the crew of STS-51L represented a cross section of the American population, and each crew member had a unique story. We share their stories in "Remembering the Challenger Seven": s.si.edu/2U4EhKU
Seven astronauts in light blue flight suits walk out of a building. Judith Resnik at the front waves to someone off camera.

ALT Seven astronauts in light blue flight suits walk out of a building. Judith Resnik at the front waves to someone off camera.

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"That's no moon." 🤔 On this day in 2010, Cassini captured this view of Saturn's moon Mimas. The large Herschel Crater on the right gives Mimas some Death Star vibes. #StarWars
A moon that resembles the Death Star from Star Wars

ALT A moon that resembles the Death Star from Star Wars

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This photo was taken on this day in 1971. And, we can't get enough of it 🤩 #Apollo15
Black and white image of the surface of the Moon with a lunar module in the distance.

ALT Black and white image of the surface of the Moon with a lunar module in the distance.

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Wow, it’s a bit breathtaking. This image reminds us how beautiful science, exploration, and discovery can be. It was taken on this day in 2002 by an astronaut on the ISS and shows Space Shuttle Endeavour passing over New Zealand during STS-113. #WednesdayMotivation
The image is a birds-eye-view of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The background is Earth. It is mostly blue with a few scattered clouds.

ALT The image is a birds-eye-view of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The background is Earth. It is mostly blue with a few scattered clouds.

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Thanks to the Apollo 16 mission to the Moon and back, we were given this unique view of North and Central America in 1972. #Apollo50
A view of the Earth from space where only a quarter of the Earth is visible.

ALT A view of the Earth from space where only a quarter of the Earth is visible.

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The greatest pilot of the greatest generation passed away yesterday. We reflect on the life and legacy of World War II ace and famed test pilot Chuck Yeager in a new blog: s.si.edu/36YgWAJ
Chuck Yeager in wheelchair in front of Bell X-1 in the museum.

ALT Chuck Yeager in wheelchair in front of Bell X-1 in the museum.

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We mourn the loss of our friend Gene Cernan, the Last Man on the Moon and a hero for the ages. Godspeed the Commander of Apollo 17.
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The first human to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong, was born today in 1930. He was an Apollo 11 astronaut, NASA test pilot, the command pilot of Gemini 8, and an inspiration to millions around the world: s.si.edu/2MOO9VN
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On this day in 1957, the Soviet Union put Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite, into Earth orbit.
Sputnik satellite against a black background

ALT Sputnik satellite against a black background

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"I'm sorry that people are so jealous of me. But I can't help it that I'm popular." #MeanGirlsDay
Display of aircraft including the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird in the foreground and the Space Shuttle Discovery in the background.

ALT Display of aircraft including the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird in the foreground and the Space Shuttle Discovery in the background.

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Remembering the crew of STS-51L. The launch of STS-51L ended in tragedy when Space Shuttle Challenger and crew were lost 73 seconds after liftoff—today in 1986. Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Greg Jarvis, Judith Resnik, Mike Smith, Dick Scobee, and Ron McNair were on board.
Seven astronauts in blue flight jackets posed for a picture.

ALT Seven astronauts in blue flight jackets posed for a picture.

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We are saddened to learn of the passing of Gemini and Apollo astronaut Frank Borman. Borman’s passion for flight led him to service with the U.S. Air Force and NASA. He was command pilot of Gemini 7 and became one of the first humans to orbit the Moon as commander of Apollo 8.
Frank Borman in white Apollo spacesuit looking toward the left of the frame. A spacesuit technician is adjusting something on his suit.

ALT Frank Borman in white Apollo spacesuit looking toward the left of the frame. A spacesuit technician is adjusting something on his suit.

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On this day in 1990, our Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird had a last flight befitting its incredible career, setting a new speed record while flying from LA to DC in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 20 seconds, averaging 3,418 kph (2,124 mph).
SR-71 Blackbird in flight

ALT SR-71 Blackbird in flight

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