Podcasts about Space Museum

Did Gustave Whitehead beat the Wright Brothers as the first to fly? His supporters say he beat them by two years, but that an unfair agreement between the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Wrights' estate unfairly stacks the deck against Whitehead. The arguments are strong on both sides, and this 125-year-old dispute shows no signs of dying down.

How did Star Trek go from television soundstage to national treasure? This week, we continue our conversation with Glen Swanson, former NASA historian and author of Inspired Enterprise, to explore a deeper chapter in Trek's relationship with the Smithsonian. Through an exchange of letters between Gene Roddenberry and F.C. Durant, Assistant Director of the National Air and Space Museum, we trace the efforts to secure original Star Trek props and artifacts—including what would ultimately bring the 11-foot U.S.S. Enterprise model into the museum's collection. Beyond acquisition logistics, these letters reveal Durant's belief in the inspirational power of Star Trek, how its optimistic vision of the future helped fuel real-world enthusiasm for space exploration. From ZAP pistols to starship models, this is the story of how Star Trek boldly went into the Smithsonian… and stayed.

Long before Star Trek props toured conventions and museums, one historic copy of the pilot episode its way into the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with help from Leonard Nimoy and Gene Roddenberry. This week, The Trek Files welcomes Glen Swanson, former NASA historian and author of Inspired Enterprise, to share the remarkable story of Star Trek's first contact with one of America's most iconic institutions. From a 1967 inquiry to Leonard Nimoy, to Gene's formal letter offering his 16mm color print of Where No Man Has Gone Before for the Smithsonian's collection, these early documents chart Star Trek's leap from TV series to cultural touchstone. We'll explore rare correspondence, photos of Gene at the museum, and even a telegram from 1968—just as Star Trek was renewed for its third season—that shows how the Smithsonian connection helped boost Trek's profile in a critical moment.

Long before Star Trek props toured conventions and museums, one historic copy of the pilot episode its way into the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with help from Leonard Nimoy and Gene Roddenberry. This week, The Trek Files welcomes Glen Swanson, former NASA historian and author of Inspired Enterprise, to share the remarkable story of Star Trek's first contact with one of America's most iconic institutions. From a 1967 inquiry to Leonard Nimoy, to Gene's formal letter offering his 16mm color print of Where No Man Has Gone Before for the Smithsonian's collection, these early documents chart Star Trek's leap from TV series to cultural touchstone. We'll explore rare correspondence, photos of Gene at the museum, and even a telegram from 1968—just as Star Trek was renewed for its third season—that shows how the Smithsonian connection helped boost Trek's profile in a critical moment.

Long before Star Trek props toured conventions and museums, one historic copy of the pilot episode its way into the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with help from Leonard Nimoy and Gene Roddenberry. This week, The Trek Files welcomes Glen Swanson, former NASA historian and author of Inspired Enterprise, to share the remarkable story of Star Trek's first contact with one of America's most iconic institutions. From a 1967 inquiry to Leonard Nimoy, to Gene's formal letter offering his 16mm color print of Where No Man Has Gone Before for the Smithsonian's collection, these early documents chart Star Trek's leap from TV series to cultural touchstone. We'll explore rare correspondence, photos of Gene at the museum, and even a telegram from 1968—just as Star Trek was renewed for its third season—that shows how the Smithsonian connection helped boost Trek's profile in a critical moment.

Guest: John Gaertner Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 14th of September 2025 Published: 14th of September 2025 Duration: 1 hour 27 minutes, 58 seconds John Gaertner has had a long career and life in aviation, working as a research assistant for the Smithsonian Institute's National Air and Space Museum, as an airline clerk for TWA, and [...]

My fellow pro-growth/progress/abundance Up Wingers,In 1976, America celebrated 200 years of independence, democracy, and progress. Part of that celebration was the release of To Fly!, a short but powerful docudrama on the history of American flight. With To Fly!, Greg MacGillivray and his co-director Jim Freeman created one of the earliest IMAX films, bringing cinematography to new heights.After a decade of war and great social unrest, To Fly! celebrated the American identity and freedom to innovate. Today on Faster, Please! — The Podcast, I talk with MacGillivray about filming To Fly! and its enduring message of optimism.MacGillivray has produced and directed films for over 60 years. In that time, his production company has earned two Academy Award nominations, produced five of the Top 10 highest-grossing IMAX films, and has reached over 150 million viewers.In This Episode* The thrill of watching To Fly! (1:38)* An innovative filming process (8:25)* A “you can do it” movie (19:07)* Competing views of technology (25:50)Below is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation. The thrill of watching To Fly! (1:38)What Jim and I tried to do is put as many of the involving, experiential tricks into that film as we possibly could. We wrote the film based on all of these moments that we call “IMAX moments.”Pethokoukis: The film To Fly! premiered at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, at the IMAX Theater, July 1976. Do you happen know if it was it the 4th of July or. . . ?MacGillivray: No, you know, what they did is they had the opening on the 2nd of July so that it wouldn't conflict with the gigantic bicentennial on the 4th, but it was all part of the big celebration in Washington at that moment.I saw the film in the late '70s at what was then called the Great America Amusement Park in Gurnee, Illinois. I have a very clear memory of this, of going in there, sitting down, wondering why I was sitting and going to watch a movie as opposed to being on a roller coaster or some other ride — I've recently, a couple of times, re-watched the film — and I remember the opening segment with the balloonist, which was shot in a very familiar way. I have a very clear memory because when that screen opened up and that balloon took off, my stomach dropped.It was a film as a thrill ride, and upon rewatching it — I didn't think this as a 10-year-old or 11-year-old — but what it reminded me upon rewatching was of Henry V, Lawrence Olivier, 1944, where the film begins in the Globe Theater and as the film goes on, it opens up and expands into this huge technicolor extravaganza as the English versus the French. It reminds me of that. What was your reaction the first time you saw that movie, that film of yours you made with Jim Freeman, on the big screen where you could really get the full immersive effect?It gave me goosebumps. IMAX, at that time, was kind of unknown. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum was the fourth IMAX theater built, and very few people had seen that system unless you visited world's fairs around the world. So we knew we had something that people were going to grasp a hold of and love because, like you said, it's a combination of film, and storytelling, and a roller coaster ride. You basically give yourself away to the screen and just go with it.What Jim and I tried to do is put as many of the involving, experiential tricks into that film as we possibly could. We wrote the film based on all of these moments that we call “IMAX moments.” We tried to put as many in there as we could, including the train coming straight at you and bashing right into the camera where the audience thinks it's going to get run over. Those kinds of moments on that gigantic screen with that wonderful 10 times, 35-millimeter clarity really moved the audience and I guess that's why they used it at Great America where you saw it.You mentioned the train and I remember a story from the era of silent film and the first time people saw a train on silent film, they jumped, people jumped because they thought the train was coming at them. Then, of course, we all kind of got used to it, and this just occurred to me, that film may have been the first time in 75 years that an audience had that reaction again, like they did with first with silent film where they thought the train was going to come out of the screen to To Fly! where, once again, your previous experience looking at a visual medium was not going to help you. This was something completely different and your sense perception was totally surprised by it.Yeah, it's true. Obviously we were copying that early train shot that started the cinema way back in probably 1896 or 1898. You ended up with To Fly! . . . we knew we had an opportunity because the Air and Space Museum, we felt, was going to be a huge smash hit. Everyone was interested in space right at that moment. Everyone was interested in flying right at that moment. Basically, as soon as it opened its doors, the Air and Space Museum became the number one museum in America, and I think it even passed the Louvre that year in attendance.Our film had over a million and a half people in its first year, which was astounding! And after that year of run, every museum in the world wanted an IMAX theater. Everyone heard about it. They started out charging 50 cents admission for the 27-minute IMAX film, and halfway through the season, they got embarrassed because they were making so much money. They reduced the admission price to 25 cents and everyone was happy. The film was so fun to watch and gave you information in a poetic way through the narration. The storytelling was simple and chronological. You could follow it even if you were a 10-year-old or an 85-year-old, and people just adored the movie. They wrote letters to the editor. The Washington Post called it the best film in the last 10 years, or something like that. Anyway, it was really a heady of time for IMAX.An innovative filming process (8:25)It was one of those things where our knowledge of technology and shooting all kinds of various films prior to that that used technology, we just basically poured everything into this one movie to try to prove the system, to try to show people what IMAX could do . . .I may have just read the Washington Post review that you mentioned. It was a Washington Post review from just three or four years later, so not that long after, and in the conclusion to that piece, it said, “You come away from the film remembering the flying, the freedom of it, the glee, the exaltation. No Wonder ‘To Fly' is a national monument.” So already calling it a national monument, but it took some innovation to create that monument. This isn't just a piece of great filmmaking and great storytelling, it's a piece of technological innovation. I wonder if you could tell me about that.We've worked with the IMAX corporation, particularly Graeme Ferguson, who is gone now, but he was a filmmaker and helped us immensely. Not only guiding, because he'd made a couple of IMAX films previously that just showed at individual theaters, but was a great filmmaker and we wanted three more cameras built—there was only one camera when we began, and we needed three, actually, so we could double shoot and triple shoot different scenes that were dangerous. They did that for us in record time. Then we had to build all these kind of imaginative camera mounts. A guy named Nelson Tyler, Tyler Camera Systems in Hollywood, helped us enormously. He was a close friend and basically built an IMAX camera mount for a helicopter that we called the “monster mount.” It was so huge.The IMAX camera was big and huge on its own, so it needed this huge mount, and it carried the IMAX camera flawlessly and smoothly through the air in a helicopter so that there weren't any bumps or jarring moments so the audience would not get disturbed but they would feel like they were a bird flying. You needed that smoothness because when you're sitting up close against that beautifully detailed screen, you don't want any jerk or you're going to want to close your eyes. It's going to be too nauseating to actually watch. So we knew we had to have flawlessly smooth and beautiful aerials shot in the best light of the day, right at dawn or right at sunset. The tricks that we used, the special camera mounts, we had two different camera mounts for helicopters, one for a Learjet, one for a biplane. We even had a balloon mount that went in the helium balloon that we set up at the beginning of the film.It was one of those things where our knowledge of technology and shooting all kinds of various films prior to that that used technology, we just basically poured everything into this one movie to try to prove the system, to try to show people what IMAX could do . . . There are quiet moments in the film that are very powerful, but there's also these basic thrill moments where the camera goes off over the edge of a cliff and your stomach kind of turns upside down a little bit. Some people had to close their eyes as they were watching so they wouldn't get nauseated, but that's really what we wanted. We wanted people to experience that bigness and that beauty. Basically the theme of the movie was taking off into the air was like the opening of a new eye.Essentially, you re-understood what the world was when aviation began, when the first balloonists took off or when the first airplane, the Wright Brothers, took off, or when we went into space, the change of perspective. And obviously IMAX is the ultimate change of perspectiveWhen I watched the entire film — I've watched it a few times since on YouTube, which I think somebody ripped from a laser disc or something — maybe six months ago, I had forgotten the space sequence. This movie came out a year before Star Wars, and I was looking at that space sequence and I thought, that's pretty good. I thought that really held up excellent. As a documentary, what prepared you to do that kind of sequence? Or was that something completely different that you really had to innovate to do?I had loved 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Kubrick film, and one of the special effects supervisors was Doug Trumbull. So we called Doug and said, “Look, I want to make the sequence. It's going to be short, but it's going to pay homage to space travel and what could happen in the future.” And he guided us a little bit, showed us how to make kind of the explosions of space that he'd done in 2001 using microscopic paint, so we had to develop a camera lens that fit on the IMAX camera that could shoot just a very small area, like half an inch across, where paint in a soluble mixture could then explode. We shot it in slow motion, and then we built a Starship, kind of like a Star Wars-looking — though, as you mentioned, Star Wars had not come out yet — kind of a spaceship that we then superimposed against planets that we photographed, Jupiter and Saturn. We tried to give the feeling and the perspective that that could give us with our poetic narrator, and it worked. It kind of worked, even though it was done on a very small budget. We had $690,000 to make that movie. So we only had one SAG actor who actually got paid the regular wage, that was Peter Walker.Was that the balloonist?Yeah, he was the balloonist. And he was a stage actor, so he was perfect, because I wanted something to obviously be a little bit overblown, make your gestures kind of comically big, and he was perfect for it. But we only had enough money to pay him for one day, so we went to Vermont and put him in the balloon basket, and we shot everything in one day. We never actually shot him flying. We shot him hanging in the balloon basket and the balloon basket was hanging from a crane that was out of the picture, and so we could lift him and make him swing past us and all that stuff, and he was terrific.Then we shot the real balloon, which was a helium balloon. We got the helium from the Navy — which would've been very costly, but they donated the helium — and went to West Virginia where the forest was basically uncut and had no power lines going through it so we could duplicate 1780 or whatever the year was with our aerial shooting. And we had a guy named Kurt Snelling, who was probably the best balloonist at that particular moment, and he dressed like Peter in the same costume and piloted the balloon across. And balloons, you can't tell where they're going, they just follow the wind, and so it was a little dangerous, but we got it all done. It was about a week and a half because we had to wait for weather. So we had a lot of weather days and bad rain in West Virginia when we shot that, but we got it all done, and it looks beautiful, and it matches in with Peter pretty well.Just what you've described there, it sounds like a lot: You're going to Maine, you're in West Virginia, you're getting helium from — it sounds like there were a lot of moving parts! Was this the most ambitious thing you had done up until that point?Well, we'd worked on some feature films before, like The Towering Inferno and Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and things like that, which were involved and very complicated. But yeah, it was very much the biggest production that we put together on our own, and it required us to learn how to produce in a big fashion. It was a thrill for us. Essentially, we had about 10 people working on the film in Laguna Beach, and none of them, except for maybe Jim and I, who we'd worked on feature films and complicated shoots with actors and all that, but a lot of our team hadn't. And so it was an adventure. Every day was a thrill.A “you can do it” movie (19:07). . . we were celebrating 200 years of democracy, of individual freedom, of individual inspiration, getting past obstacles, because you can do it — you have that belief that you can do it.There's a version of this podcast where we spend a half hour talking about The Towering Inferno. I just want you to know that it's very hard for me not to derail the conversation into talking about The Towering Inferno. I will not do that, but let me ask you this, the movie is about flight, it's about westward expansion, but that movie, it came out for the bicentennial, we'd gone through a tumultuous, let's say past 10 years: You had Vietnam, there's social unrest, you had Watergate. And the movie really must have just seemed like a breath of fresh air for people.As you put the movie together, and wrote it, and filmed it, did you feel like you were telling a message other than just about our connection with flight? It really seemed to me to be more than that, a movie about aspiration, and curiosity, and so forth.It was, and pretty much all of our films have been that positive spirit, “You can do it” kind of movie. Even our surfing films that we started with 20 years, maybe 10 years before To Fly!, you end up with that spirit of the human's ability to go beyond. And obviously celebrating the bicentennial and the beginning of democracy here in this country and the fact that we were celebrating 200 years of democracy, of individual freedom, of individual inspiration, getting past obstacles, because you can do it — you have that belief that you can do it.Of course, this was right there when everyone had felt, okay, we went to the moon, we did all kinds of great things. We were inventive and a lot of that spirit of invention, and curiosity, and accomplishment came from the fact that we were free as individuals to do it, to take risks. So I think To Fly! had a lot of that as part of it.But the interesting thing, I thought, was I had one meeting with Michael Collins, who was the director of the Air and Space Museum and the astronaut who circled the moon as Neil and Buzz Aldrin were on the moon walking around, and here he is, hoping that these two guys will come back to him so that the three of them can come back to Earth — but they'd never tested the blast-off from the moon's surface, and they didn't know 100 percent that it was going to work, and that was the weirdest feeling.But what Collins told me in my single meeting that I had with him, he said, “Look, I've got a half an hour for you, I'm building a museum, I've got two years to do it.” And I said, “Look, one thing I want to know is how much facts and figures do you want in this movie? We've got a little over a half an hour to do this film. The audience sits down in your theater, what do you want me to do?” And he said, “Give me fun. Give me the IMAX experience. I don't want any facts and figures. I don't want any dates. I don't want any names. I've got plenty of those everywhere else in the museum. People are going to be sick of dates and names. Give me fun, give me adventure.” And I said, “Oh gosh, we know how to do that because we started out making surfing films.” and he goes, “Do that. Make me a surfing film about aviation.” It was probably the best advice, because he said, “And I don't want to see you again for two years. Bring me back a film. I trust you. I've seen your films. Just go out and do it.” And that was probably the best management advice that I've ever received.So you weren't getting notes. I always hear about studios giving filmmakers notes. You did not get notes.The note I got was, “We love it. Put it on the screen now.” What they did do is they gave me 26 subjects. They said, “Here's the things that we think would be really cool in the movie. We know you can't use 26 things because that's like a minute per sequence, so you pick which of those 26 to stick in.” And I said, “What I'm going to do then is make it chronological so people will somewhat understand it, otherwise it's going to be confusing as heck.” And he said, “Great, you pick.” So I picked things that I knew I could do, and Jim, of course, was right there with me all the time.Then we had a wonderful advisor in Francis Thompson who at that time was an older filmmaker from New York who had done a lot of world's fair films, hadn't ever done IMAX, but he'd done triple-screen films and won an Academy Award with a film called To Be Alive! and he advised us. Graeme Ferguson, as I mentioned, advised us, but we selected the different sequences, probably ended up with 12 sequences, each of which we felt that we could handle on our meager budget.It was delightful that Conoco put up the money for the film as a public service. They wanted to be recognized in the bicentennial year, and they expected that the film was going to run for a year, and then of course today it's still running and it's going into its 50th year now. And so it's one of those things that was one of those feel-good moments of my life and feel-good moments for the Air and Space Museum, Michael Collins, for everyone involved.Competing views of technology (25:50)Our film was the feel-good, be proud to be an American and be proud to be a human being, and we're not messing up everything. There's a lot that's going right.When rewatching it, I was reminded of the 1982 film Koyaanisqatsi by Godfrey Reggio, which also had a very famous scene of a 747 looming at the camera. While yours was a joyous scene, I think we're supposed to take away an ominous message about technology in that film. That movie was not a celebration of flight or of technology. Have you wondered why just six years after To Fly!, this other film came out and conveyed a very different message about technology and society.I love Koyaanisqatsi, and in fact, we helped work on that. We did a lot of the aerial shooting for that.I did not know that.And Godfrey Reggio is an acquaintance, a friend. We tried to actually do a movie together for the new millennium, and that would've been pretty wild.Certainly a hypnotic film, no doubt. Fantastic.Yeah. But their thesis was, yeah, technology's gotten beyond us. It's kind of controlled us in some fashions. And with the time-lapse sequences and the basic frenetic aspects of life and war and things like that. And with no narration. That film lets the audience tell the story to themselves, guided by the visuals and the technique. Our film was absolutely a 100 percent positive that the 747 that we had was the number one 747 ever built. Boeing owned it. I don't think they'd started selling them, or they were just starting to use them. Everyone was amazed by the size of this airplane, and we got to bolt our IMAX camera on the bottom of it, and then it was such a thrill to take that big 747.The guy took off from Seattle and the pilot said, “Okay, now where do you want to go?” I said, “Well, I want to find clouds. And he goes, “Well, there's some clouds over next to Illinois. We could go there,” so we go two hours towards Illinois. And I'm in a 737 that they loaned us with the IMAX camera in a brand new window that we stuck in the side of the 737, just absolutely clear as the sheet of glass, just a single pane, and the camera's right up against that piece of plexiglass and with the 40-millimeter lens, which is a 90-degree lens.So I said, “We've got to fly the 737 really close to the 747 and through clouds so that the clouds are wisping through, and so the 747 is disappearing and then appearing and then disappearing and then appear, and we have to do this right at sunset in puffy clouds, these big cumulus clouds.” And so they said, “We can do that, let's go find it!” The two guys who were piloting were both military pilots, so they were used to flying in formation and it was a delight. We shot roll, after roll, after roll and got some of those moments where that 747 comes out into light after being in the white of the cloud are just stunning. So we made the 747 look almost like a miniature plane, except for the shot from underneath where you see the big wheels coming up. So it was a really cool, and I don't know what it cost Boeing to do that, but hundreds of thousands, maybe.Another public service.But they got it back. Obviously it was a heroic moment in the film, and their beautiful plane, which went on to sell many, many copies and was their hero airplane for so many years.Yeah, sure.It was a fun deal. So in comparison to Koyaanisqatsi, our film was the exact opposite. Our film was the feel-good, be proud to be an American and be proud to be a human being, and we're not messing up everything. There's a lot that's going right.I feel like there's a gap in what we get out of Hollywood, what we get out of the media. You don't want just feel-good films. You don't want just celebrations. You want the full range of our lives and of human experience, but I feel like, Koyaanisqatsi is about being out of balance, I think we've gotten out of balance. I just don't see much out there that has the kind of aspirational message with To Fly! I'm not sure what you think. I feel like we could use more of that.Yeah, I'm hopeful that I'm going to be able to make a movie called A Beautiful Life, which is all about the same thing that I was talking about, the freedom that the individual has here in America. I was hopeful to do it for the 250th anniversary, but I'm not going to get it done by that time next year. But I want to do that movie kind of as a musical celebration of almost a “family of man” sort of movie located around the world with various cultures and positive spirit. I'm an optimist, I'm a positive person. That's the joy I get out of life. I suppose that's why Jim and I were perfect to make To Fly! We infused beauty into everything that we tried to do.On sale everywhere The Conservative Futurist: How To Create the Sci-Fi World We Were PromisedMicro ReadsPlease check out the website or Substack app for the latest Up Wing economic, business, and tech news contained in this new edition of the newsletter. Lots of great stuff! Faster, Please! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fasterplease.substack.com/subscribe

It's Labor Day week, and as summer comes to a close, it's an extended road trip edition of the Carolina Weather Group!Texas Republicans have recently proposed moving a space vehicle - potentially Space Shuttle Discovery - to Texas. Join James and Tim for a never-before-seen look at their July 2023 railfanning road trip, where they also stopped at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Chantilly, VA) to see Space Shuttle Discovery and explore what the museum offers todayThen stay tuned for our original road trip adventure, where James and Tim take you to the legendary Horseshoe Curve in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Author Stephen Chapis, whose new book, Poor Little Lambs, The Baba Black Sheep Story, joins us to discuss the making and flying of NBC's short-lived 1976 TV Show, Black Sheep Squadron. Stephen shares his journey rediscovering the series and interviewing pilots to capture their thrilling experiences. As his book releases for the 49th anniversary of the show, he hopes to reignite interest in this storied piece of aviation history. "Poor Little Lambs" is now available for pre-order.

For this "Summer Friday" we've put together some of our favorite conversations this year:Hua Hsu, New Yorker staff writer, professor of English at Bard College and author of the memoir Stay True (September 2022), discusses what college students lose when ChatGPT writes their essays for them and what that says about our evolving understanding of the purpose of higher education.Jessica Gould, education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, shares her reporting on the deal struck between Big Tech and The American Federation of Teachers which offers artificial intelligence training and software to teachers in New York City public schools.Peniel Joseph, professor of history and public affairs and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of Freedom Season: How 1963 Transformed America's Civil Rights Revolution (Basic Books, 2025), talks about his new book, an examination of the impact of events in 1963 on the struggle for civil rights -- from MLK's “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to the assassination of JFK.From our centennial series, Bob van der Linden, commercial aviation curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, looks at the past 100 years of civilian air travel.Listeners share the best, maybe even most surprising, times they've been helped or helped others, inspired by an article for The Atlantic titled "A Wedding Reveals How Much Help Is Really Available to You," by Julie Beck. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity and the original web versions are available here:What Students Lose When ChatGPT Writes Their Essays (July 8, 2025)NYC Teachers' Union Embraces AI (July 28, 2025)How 1963 Defined the Civil Rights Movement (June 12, 2025)100 Years of 100 Things: Commercial Aviation (May 6, 2025)How Helping Can Feel Good (July 9, 2025)

After many years out of the public's view, the Rolls-Royce Aerospace Collection has a brand new home at Aerospace Bristol and thanks to the fantastic team at the museum, we got to have a quick look around this historic collection of Bristol and Rolls-Royce aero engines.Visit the Aerospace Bristol website: https://aerospacebristol.org/https://www.facebook.com/aerospacebristol/https://twitter.com/BristolAerohttps://www.instagram.com/aerospacebristol/https://www.youtube.com/c/aerospacebristol-----------------------------------------------------

The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum is undergoing its most dramatic transformation since opening nearly 50 years ago. With new exhibits that spotlight the future of flight and space exploration—from Mars habitats to commercial spacecraft—the museum is shifting its focus from history to possibility. It's a bold reimagining timed to coincide with America's 250th birthday in 2026. Here to give us the inside details is the museum's curator of Earth and Planetary Science, Dr. Matt Shindell.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bristol has been a vibrant hub for British aviation since aircraft first took to the United Kingdom's skies. While the skies of the West Country no longer hum to the aircraft and engines produced at Filton, Aerospace Bristol houses that history in an accessible and vibrant way. The Bristol Aero Collection Trust chair, Sir Iain Gray kindly showed us around the collection and talked us through Bristol's contribution to British aerospace.Visit the Aerospace Bristol website: https://aerospacebristol.org/https://www.facebook.com/aerospacebristol/https://twitter.com/BristolAerohttps://www.instagram.com/aerospacebristol/https://www.youtube.com/c/aerospacebristol-----------------------------------------------------

This show has been flagged as Clean by the host. This episode was originally posted as hpr4440, with thanks to Ahuka for allowing us to move it. This is a further look at the stories of the First Doctor, portrayed by William Hartnell, during the 1960s. Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Space_Museum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chase_(Doctor_Who) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Time_Meddler https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059126/ https://archive.org/details/doctorwhoandthedaleks1965 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060278/ https://archive.org/details/doctorwhodaleksinvasionearth2150ad1966.encoded https://www.palain.com/science-fiction/intro-to-doctor-who/the-first-doctor-part-3/ Provide feedback on this episode.

The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum opened 5 new galleries earlier this week – a big milestone in a multi-year revamp that began in 2018. The museum has seven more galleries to renovate before the July, 2026 deadline. 

The MOSAIC final rule, an interview with the founder and CEO of Flying Eyes Optics, FAA guidance on certification of powered lift vehicles, new galleries opening at the National Air and Space Museum, a Delta pilot lands and gets immediately arrested, deer strikes in Alaska, and the NTSB investigation of a fatal flight in that state. Also, thoughts on recent moves to relocate the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum to Space Center Houston. Guest Dean Siracusa Dean Siracusa is the founder and CEO of Flying Eyes Optics. Dean, a pilot, started the company when he realized that existing sunglasses did not perform well with the increased clamping force of modern aviation headsets. Flying Eyes temples are made of a patented material that allows the temples to conform to your head instead of curving around your ears. They're easy to put on and take off while wearing a headset or helmet. The flexibility of the temple material and shatterproof polycarbonate lenses makes these glasses hard to break. Hillel Glazer, our Aviation Innovation and Entrepreneurship Correspondent, interviewed Dean at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025. Aviation News U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces Improvements to Recreational Aviation Safety, Expansion of Light-Sport Sector The Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) final rule was announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. The new rule makes changes to the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category and Sport Pilot privileges by expanding an alternative to experimental amateur-built aircraft. MOSAIC: Removes the weight limit Encompasses aircraft with higher speeds, more seats, and retractable landing gear.  Allows for new types of propulsion and modern avionics. Allows aerial work with LSA, such as infrastructure and forest inspections, photography/filming, and agricultural surveillance. Allows pilots operating under Sport Pilot privileges to fly a broader range of aircraft. Reduces regulatory requirements by expanding the types of aircraft that qualify as LSA and the types of aircraft pilots can fly under Sport Pilot privileges. Changes for sport pilots and light-sport repairmen take effect 90 days after the final rule publishes. Changes for LSA certification take effect 365 days after the final rule publishes. Video: Secretary Sean P. Duffy Holds Press Conference for Important Announcement on General Aviation https://www.youtube.com/live/iRzzTspdjUM?si=gje-ftiRm94Y2eY4 EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2025 Facts and Figures Attendance for the week: approximately 704,000, the highest on record. More than 10,000 aircraft, 2,543 show planes, nearly 6,000 volunteers, and 962 commercial exhibitors. FAA Releases Powered-Lift Certification Guidance Originally, certification of the new advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft types, such as eVTOLs, had been worked under Part 23 regulations for light aircraft. In 2022, the FAA categorized them as powered-lift under FAR 21.17(b) regulations for special class aircraft. That category had no airworthiness standards and operating rules. The FAA has now released an advisory circular “streamlining the certification process for advanced air mobility aircraft by releasing guidance for how manufacturers can meet the agency's aircraft design and performance safety standards. It establishes a consistent, performance-based framework for manufacturers to follow.  The FAA will carefully evaluate each proposed design to ensure it meets the agency's rigorous standards.” The AC defines powered-lift as heavier-than-air aircraft that use “engine-driven lift devices” or engine thrust for vertical takeoff and landing and low-speed flight. For lift during horizontal flight, they use rigid airfoils such as wings. National Air and Space Museum Opens Five New Galleries July 28 [2025] The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum opened five ...

This is a special episode in which I'm reflecting on a unique experience that I undertook: visiting 9 Ottawa museums in just 3 days to explore how each one creates meaningful, accessible, and inspiring learning experiences. This whirlwind tour includes 7 of Canada's national museums: Canada Agriculture and Food Museum - https://ingeniumcanada.org/cafm Canada Aviation and Space Museum - https://ingeniumcanada.org/casm Canadian Museum of History - https://www.historymuseum.ca Canadian Museum of Nature - http://nature.ca Canada Science and Technology Museum - http://ingeniumcanada.org Canadian War Museum - https://www.warmuseum.ca National Gallery of Canada (Including an interview with Kathryn Lyons, Director of Learning and Community Engagement - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-lyons-48a6253/ ) http://www.gallery.ca Plus, two additional Ottawa landmarks: Royal Canadian Mint - https://www.mint.ca/en Bytown Museum - http://bytownmuseum.ca While each of these remarkable museums easily warrants a full day, I'm using the new 3-Day Museum Pass from Ottawa Tourism, which is a great way to see what each museum has to offer. Ottawa Museum Pass https://ottawatourism.ca/en/ottawa-insider/explore-ottawas-museums-ottawa-museums-pass?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22501991642&gbraid=0AAAAA-NkCBJ8OQutpMd54a4wyAFE5Zi3B&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIntnbs-nYjgMVilN_AB2NsjYgEAAYAiAAEgKnPfD_BwE Ottawa Tourism https://ottawatourism.ca/en?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6mJqJqOQlwQnuz9-vM4Q20AQu0eNNQlW_lnjAo_R6H20kfO0SGb_qIYC8DeA_aem_ry7fXUc3ozpQdV-neRnTGA

In 2012, following the end of the Space Transportation System program, NASA faced the monumental task of finding permanent homes for the three remaining Space Shuttle Orbiters—so that their incredible stories could be preserved and shared with the public. After a lengthy and sometimes contentious selection process, the three operational orbiters—Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour—along with the prototype Enterprise, were officially retired and transported to their new homes amid much celebration. These irreplaceable artifacts of American space history now serve as centerpieces in four major museums across the country, inspiring millions of visitors each year. One notable omission from the final list was Houston, Texas—home to NASA's Johnson Space Center. While the city did not receive one of the orbiters, it was awarded a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and a full-scale model orbiter, which allows visitors to explore a replica of the Shuttle's interior. That should have been the end of the story—but it wasn't. In a surprising twist, Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz inserted a provision into the recently passed Reconciliation Act, also known as “The Big Beautiful Bill Act" that calls for relocating Space Shuttle Discovery from its current home at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, to Houston. Is this bold attempt at “Shuttle Rustling” even viable? To find out, we spoke with Joe Stief, the founder of Keep the Shuttle, a grassroots campaign working to prevent Discovery's relocation. We discuss his efforts, what's at stake, and the broader implications this move could have for the future of artifacts held by national museums. Host: Gene Mikulka  Guest: Joe Stief, KeepTheShuttle.org     

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveDead almost six years, Jeffrey Epstein is back in the news. The sordid details of his crimes, and the elaborate conspiracy concerning elites that he may or may not have been a part of, have become a central issue within the MAGA coalition. Conspiracy theories in general are now a part of daily political life. None of us can escape them. Most of us probably half-believe in at least one of them. Why is that?Today's guest is the writer Matthew Walther, editor of The Lamp, biographer of John Henry Cardinal Newman, and a columnist for The New York Times. He has written extensively about Epstein, Russiagate, and the place of conspiracy theories in American politics. He joined Shadi Hamid and Damir Marusic to ponder the Epstein saga and its potential to hurt Trump's coalition. “We live in an awesome country, why do we have to make up stories about a decline that doesn't even really exist?” Shadi says near the beginning of the conversation. Walther explains how conspiracy theories are politically useful, and how they “almost on a dime can become useful to one side or another.” Damir agrees about the bipartisan nature of conspiracy-mongering: “For the Left it was the Pee Tape, and for the Right it's this [Epstein] stuff.” The conversation goes deep into the nature of conspiracy theories and the psychological need they satisfy. Epstein, Stop the Steal, Russiagate and of course, the Kennedy assassination are all discussed. Walther quotes the English philosopher Gilbert Ryle as a guide: “A myth is, of course, not a fairy story. It is the presentation of facts belonging to one category in the idioms appropriate to another. To explode a myth is accordingly not to deny the facts but to re-allocate them.”In our bonus section for paid subscribers, the gang discusses the work of Seymour Hersh; Damir and Shadi argue whether the Democrats have ever had a cult of personality equivalent to that of Trump; Matthew argues that Obama is a lot like Trump; Matthew explains why Nixon was “the last, great technocratic leftist”; Shadi distinguishes emotional versus material self-interest in order to explain why MAGA won't break with Trump; Damir and Shadi disagree about technocracy; and more!Required Reading:* Matthew Walther, “Sorry, This Epstein Stuff Isn't Going to Hurt Trump” (New York Times).* Matthew Walther, “The Pointless Triumph of a Hapless President” (New York Times). * Matthew Walther, “The Jeffrey Epstein case is why people believe in Pizzagate” (The Week). * Matthew Walther, “The most respectable conspiracy theory in Washington” (The Week). * Matthew Walther refers to Paul Fussell's concept of “high proles” in “Talking About Class in America” (American Conservative). * Jonathan Chait, “What If Trump Has Been a Russian Asset Since 1987?” (New York). * “The CIA Reveals More of Its Connections to Lee Harvey Oswald” (Washington Post). * Gilbert Ryle, The Concept of Mind (Amazon). * Musa al-Gharbi, “No, America is not on the brink of a civil war” (The Guardian). * “Airline Deregulation: When Everything Changed” (Smithsonian Air and Space Museum). Free preview video:Full video for paid subscribers below:

Join the National Air and Space Museum's director Chris Browne and Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo for a private tour of the revamped museum in Washington. Watch the video version on Youtube here. Thank you to our sponsor GE Aerospace. Learn more about how GE Aerospace and its partners are defining flight for today, tomorrow, and the future here

In just a few weeks, five brand new galleries are opening in the museum down on the mall, including galleries where we are once again hanging some (really big) things from the ceiling. We're revisiting this season eight behind-the-scenes episode to remind you just how they get up there. AirSpace is looking up! (We know, we know, we're usually looking up what with the air and the space-ness of our podcast) But today we're exploring how we hang really big, priceless artifacts from the ceiling in the Museum. We asked two friends whose jobs are to do just that to talk to us about just what it takes to put airliners, spacecraft, X-wings and more up on the ceiling.Thanks to our guests on this episode: Tony Carp, Museum Specialist, National Air and Space Museum Hannah O'Toole, Exhibit Designer, National Air and Space Museum

The life and legacy of Amelia Earhart are framed by her disappearance on July 2, 1937. However, in her new book, The Aviator and the Showman, author Laurie Gwen Shapiro examines Earhart's remarkable accomplishments beyond her mysterious disappearance in 1937, focusing on her pioneering role in aviation and the significant impact of her marriage to George Putnam. Shapiro reveals how their relationship shaped their public personas, examining the dynamics of celebrity and media influence during the Jazz Age. Buy The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage that Made an American Icon by Laurie Gwen Shapiro here:US Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/111804/9780593295908UK Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aviator-Showman-Earhart-Marriage-American/dp/0593295900Read the New Yorker excerpt here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/06/09/amelia-earharts-reckless-final-flightsFollow Laurie here:Website: https://lauriegwenshapiro.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriegwenshapiroInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriestories/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lauriestories.bsky.socialX: https://x.com/LaurieStories-----------------------------------------------------

AirSpacers are watchers of movies, but we are also readers of books. In our inaugural Book Club we're reading The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy by Dr. Moiya McTier. This book is a non-fiction romp through the Milky Way's life (and future death) told from its perspective. How does the Milky Way feel about consuming other galaxies? Does watching us humans get boring? Can a galaxy be self-conscious about its black hole? Dr. Moiya explores these questions and more with personality, or should we say galaxality? Read along with the AirSpace book club.Thanks to our Guest in this episode:Dr. Moiya McTier, AuthorFind the transcript at s.si.edu/airspaces10e12AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed Martin.

From Pathfinder to Perseverance: A Planetary Scientist's Journey

In 1942, a group of American women arrived in Liverpool, England. This group of aviatrixes, led by the remarkable Jackie Cochran, were joining the Air Transport Auxiliary to help deliver the latest aircraft to frontline RAF Squadrons. Author Becky Aikman joins us to discuss these intrepid women and their legacy.Buy Spitfires: The American Women Who Flew in the Face of Danger During World War II via the links below:UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitfires-American-Women-Danger-During/dp/1635576563US - https://bookshop.org/a/111804/9781635576566-----------------------------------------------------

If you've been to visit us on the National Mall in the last several years you may have noticed that we've been under construction. Which is very exciting! But even more exciting is some of that construction is done! On July 28, we're welcoming visitors into five brand new galleries. But you, lovely AirSpace listener, get a little bit of a sneak peek. A behind the scenes look at Futures in Space, one of the new galleries with two of its curators — including AirSpace host Matt Shindell. Thanks to our Guest in this episode:Dr. Emily Margolis, Curator- National Air and Space MuseumFind the transcript at s.si.edu/airspaces10e11 AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed Martin.

Ever wonder what it is like to run a space museum? Jason and Rich sit down for a conversation with Chris Orwoll, the former President & CEO of the Kansas Cosmosphere and former Executive Director, New Mexico Museum of Space History, to explore his amazing career. From a decorated Naval submariner to the curator of some of the most fascinating pieces of space history, Chris' journey takes us through some of his favorite memories, artifacts, and exhibits as he also discusses practical advice on how collectors can work with museums to share their collections with the world.

The Bristol Brabazon was conceived at the height of the Second World War. With the tide of the conflict turning, the British Government set up a committee to examine the nation's future civil airliner needs post-war. The Brabazon I was the first aircraft specified and the first to fly. Its legacy is complicated, and author Alan J Porter joins us to argue the case for the Brab and the legacy it left following its scrapping.Buy Bristol Brabazon: The Ocean Liner of the Skies and Its Ongoing Legacy by Alan J. Porter at The Aviation Bookshop! 10% of each sale goes to supporting the show.UK Bookshop.org link: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/11015/9781399055680US Bookshop.org link, Release Date: 30th August: https://bookshop.org/a/111804/9781399055680-----------------------------------------------------

The first book to combine exquisite cartographical charts of the Moon with a thorough exploration of the Moon's role in popular culture, science, and myth. President John F. Kennedy's rousing “We will go to the Moon” speech in 1961 before the US Congress catalyzed the celebrated Apollo program, spurring the US Geological Survey's scientists to map the Moon. Over the next eleven years a team of twenty-two, including a dozen illustrator-cartographers, created forty-four charts that forever changed the path of space exploration.For the first time, each of those beautifully hand-drawn, colorful charts is presented together in one stunning book. In Lunar: A History of the Moon in Myths, Maps and Matter (U Chicago Press, 2024), National Air and Space Museum curator Matthew Shindell's expert commentary accompanies each chart, along with the key geological characteristics and interpretations that were set out in the original Geologic Atlas of the Moon. Interwoven throughout the book are contributions from scholars devoted to studying the multifaceted significance of the Moon to humankind around the world. Traveling from the Stone Age to the present day, they explore a wide range of topics: the prehistoric lunar calendar; the role of the Moon in creation myths of Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome; the role of the Moon in astrology; the importance of the Moon in establishing an Earth-centered solar system; the association of the Moon with madness and the menstrual cycle; how the Moon governs the tides; and the use of the Moon in surrealist art.Combining a thoughtful retelling of the Moon's cultural associations throughout history with the beautifully illustrated and scientifically accurate charting of its surface, Lunar is a stunning celebration of the Moon in all its guises. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

If you were curating a mixtape that might be heard by aliens billions of years from now - but definitely would be seen by your fellow Earthlings - what would you put on it? In 1977, two Voyager spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral on a journey that would take them beyond our solar system. Affixed to the side of these two planetary explorers was the Voyager Golden Record — the ultimate mixtape of humanity — containing 27 pieces of music as well as pictures and sounds of Earth. But how did these selections get made? Nearly 50 years later, we're teaming up with our friends at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's podcast, AirSpace, to explore what's on the record, how it got made, and its legacy.Learn more about AirSpace! Airspace Hosts: Matthew Shindell, curator of space history at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space MuseumEmily Martin, planetary geologist at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space MuseumGuests:Ann Druyan, Voyager Golden Record Creative DirectorLawrence Azerrad, Co-founder of Macroscopic

Alan Lowe speaks with Dr. Margaret Weitekamp of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum about its transformation ahead of America's 250th anniversary. They explore how new exhibits, immersive storytelling, and iconic artifacts like the Wright Flyer, Space Shuttle Discovery, and Neil Armstrong's spacesuit bring aviation and space history to life. Weitekamp discusses the museum's role as both a public institution and research center, preserving innovations from early flight to modern space exploration. She also reflects on international collaboration, private sector contributions, and how triumph and tragedy alike shape our understanding of humanity's journey beyond Earth.     Guest Bio Dr. Margaret Weitekamp is the curator and department chair of the space history department at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. She holds a BA from the University of Pittsburgh and earned her MA and PhD in history from Cornell University. A former Mellon Fellow in the humanities, she also served as the American Historical Association's NASA Aerospace History Fellow at NASA Headquarters. Since joining the museum in 2004, she has led major curatorial efforts and became department chair in 2019. Dr. Weitekamp is a widely published author, including Space Craze and Spaceships: An Illustrated History of the Real and the Imagined.     Show Highlights (2:09) The goals of the renovation and when it's going to be completed (6:28) The Udvar-Hazy Center (8:09) What Margaret Weitekamp does at the National Air and Space Museum (10:49) Key moments of American flight innovation documented at the museum (18:50) Artifacts on display that tell the story of American innovation in getting to the moon (22:12) The space shuttle's impact on our understanding of Earth and space (25:58) How the museum communicates with NASA about adding to their collection (29:32) The role of international competition versus collaboration in forwarding innovation (32:48) The private sector's role in space innovation and how the museum interacts with it (34:57) How satellites are used and what American innovations have contributed to them (38:35) The way the Air and Space Museum teaches about unmanned missions like Voyager (41:13) What we've learned from past mistakes, such as the Challenger explosion (44:59) What's made the biggest impression on Margaret since she's been at the museum (47:11) What we should keep in mind when looking at the next 250 years of space innovation (49:51) How to follow what's going on at the National Air and Space Museum     Links Referenced Spaceships: An Illustrated History of the Real and the Imagined: https://www.amazon.com/Spaceships-2nd-Illustrated-History-Imagined/dp/1588347265/ Space Craze, America's Enduring Fascination With Real and Imagined Space Flight: https://www.amazon.com/Space-Craze-Americas-Fascination-Spaceflight/dp/1588347257 National Air and Space Museum: https://airandspace.si.edu  

As Scott Marchand and Andrew Boehly, CEO and Director of Collections of the Pima Air and Space Museum, respectively, were in town, I had to drag them to the pub to find out what the future holds for the expanding Museum. With the arrival of Philippine Mars, the opening of the Tucson Military Vehicle Museum, and a raft of projects on the go, Scott and Andrew bring us up to speed with all the latest from Pima and the current trends affecting aviation museums. Welcome to the Pima Pubcast!Many thanks to @boneyardsafari for the footage of the Martin Mars move!-----------------------------------------------------

Pancho Barnes was larger than life. Born at the turn of the century, she spent the next 75 years defying every societal norm she found stuffy, boring or just plain stupid. She rode horses and then flew planes in the movies. She raced airplanes and briefly held the women's airspeed record. She owned a notorious inn/restaurant/club/hotel/airport in the desert near what would become Edwards Air Force Base. The Happy Bottom Riding Club was populated by Pancho, her personality and famous people from Roy Rogers to Chuck Yeager. We're exploring all the excitement that was the life of Pancho Barnes.Thanks to our guest in this episode:Lauren Kessler- Author, The Happy Bottom Riding Club: The Life and Times of Pancho BarnesFind the transcript at here. AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed Martin.

The first book to combine exquisite cartographical charts of the Moon with a thorough exploration of the Moon's role in popular culture, science, and myth. President John F. Kennedy's rousing “We will go to the Moon” speech in 1961 before the US Congress catalyzed the celebrated Apollo program, spurring the US Geological Survey's scientists to map the Moon. Over the next eleven years a team of twenty-two, including a dozen illustrator-cartographers, created forty-four charts that forever changed the path of space exploration.For the first time, each of those beautifully hand-drawn, colorful charts is presented together in one stunning book. In Lunar: A History of the Moon in Myths, Maps and Matter (U Chicago Press, 2024), National Air and Space Museum curator Matthew Shindell's expert commentary accompanies each chart, along with the key geological characteristics and interpretations that were set out in the original Geologic Atlas of the Moon. Interwoven throughout the book are contributions from scholars devoted to studying the multifaceted significance of the Moon to humankind around the world. Traveling from the Stone Age to the present day, they explore a wide range of topics: the prehistoric lunar calendar; the role of the Moon in creation myths of Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome; the role of the Moon in astrology; the importance of the Moon in establishing an Earth-centered solar system; the association of the Moon with madness and the menstrual cycle; how the Moon governs the tides; and the use of the Moon in surrealist art.Combining a thoughtful retelling of the Moon's cultural associations throughout history with the beautifully illustrated and scientifically accurate charting of its surface, Lunar is a stunning celebration of the Moon in all its guises. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In 1944, the USS Intrepid embarked on its first combat voyage. The mission was abruptly jeopardized when a Japanese torpedo plane struck the vessel, jamming its rudder at a precarious 45-degree angle. Forced to sail in circles amidst treacherous waters, the crew faced an uncertain future.Despite the daunting circumstances, the ship's Captain initially managed to steer the Intrepid using its engines, but the perilous seas soon overwhelmed his efforts. The crew's perseverance was put to the ultimate test until an inventive crewman devised a makeshift solution-a 3000-square foot sail rigged on the forecastle. Against all odds, this ingenious sail provided the means to steer the ship safely back to Pearl Harbor.This book is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the USS Intrepid's crew, detailing their remarkable struggle for survival with grit and determination. The story is an inspiring account of how teamwork and innovation can triumph even in the direst situations."I am deeply honored to bring the extraordinary story of the USS Intrepid to life in THE SAILING OF THE INTREPID," said author Montel Williams. "This book is a tribute to the incredible bravery and ingenuity of the Intrepid's crew, who refused to surrender in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Their story is one of true heroism and resilience, and I am thrilled to collaborate with David Fisher to share this inspiring narrative with the world. I hope readers will find as much inspiration in their story as I have."The Intrepid Museum is a world-renowned air and space museum founded in 1982 with the acquisition of the storied WWII aircraft carrier. The Intrepid is a National Historic Landmark and the centerpiece of the Museum's collection on the Hudson River in New York City, which welcomes more than a million visitors annually."Today the Intrepid is a great air and sea museum, a living tribute to the men and women who fought for our country," said Kenneth Fisher, co-chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. "This book tells the incredible story of a few days in February 1944 when the crew of the battle-crippled aircraft carrier devised an incredible, ingenious solution that saved their ship."The Intrepid is a household name, the museum an icon, but so many don't know its story This story is perfectly timed for Fleet Week and Memorial Day - though it's also a timeless story of American heroism, ingenuity, and survival against insurmountable odds Montel is the one to tell it: he served as a naval officer for two decades and has remained active in various military causesMontel was the first Black Marine to attend the Naval Academy Prep School and graduate from the United States Naval Academy and while serving, he earned numerous commendations. The Sailing of the Intrepid is a unique page-turning narrative with new maps, diagrams, and fascinating insights into the Intrepid's history and its importance today. In an interview, Montel could share the timeline of events of the attack on the Intrepid in 1944 and the ingenious solution of the crew.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

The first book to combine exquisite cartographical charts of the Moon with a thorough exploration of the Moon's role in popular culture, science, and myth. President John F. Kennedy's rousing “We will go to the Moon” speech in 1961 before the US Congress catalyzed the celebrated Apollo program, spurring the US Geological Survey's scientists to map the Moon. Over the next eleven years a team of twenty-two, including a dozen illustrator-cartographers, created forty-four charts that forever changed the path of space exploration.For the first time, each of those beautifully hand-drawn, colorful charts is presented together in one stunning book. In Lunar: A History of the Moon in Myths, Maps and Matter (U Chicago Press, 2024), National Air and Space Museum curator Matthew Shindell's expert commentary accompanies each chart, along with the key geological characteristics and interpretations that were set out in the original Geologic Atlas of the Moon. Interwoven throughout the book are contributions from scholars devoted to studying the multifaceted significance of the Moon to humankind around the world. Traveling from the Stone Age to the present day, they explore a wide range of topics: the prehistoric lunar calendar; the role of the Moon in creation myths of Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome; the role of the Moon in astrology; the importance of the Moon in establishing an Earth-centered solar system; the association of the Moon with madness and the menstrual cycle; how the Moon governs the tides; and the use of the Moon in surrealist art.Combining a thoughtful retelling of the Moon's cultural associations throughout history with the beautifully illustrated and scientifically accurate charting of its surface, Lunar is a stunning celebration of the Moon in all its guises. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science

On this edition of Ask Joan, Joan dives into the details of Fleet Week New York, starting on May 21st with a parade down the Hudson River and running through Memorial Day. The US Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard will showcase their ships and capabilities, with events including public ship tours and military displays across Manhattan and Staten Island. Highlights include performances at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, a movie night featuring 'Top Gun,' and multiple Memorial Day parades in Brooklyn and Queens. For the full schedule and more details, listeners are encouraged to visit the Fleet Week NYC Facebook page and NYC tourism website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erin Gregory, the Curator at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, joined us to look into the life and escape of her fellow Canadian, Gordon Kidder, who was a linguistics expert, and who teamed up with Tom Kirby-Green for the Great Escape. Erin is responsible for managing a collection of more than 8,500 objects and has curated many exhibitions at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. She is currently managing research projects that focus on women's experiences in the Royal Canadian Air Force and the impact of aviation on northern Canada.For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World War. Hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, each episode looks at a new escape. If you would like to follow us on Twitter we can be found @FYTWIO we can also be found on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FYTWIO/ or if you would prefer to send a more long form message we can also be reached via email at FYTWIOpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you were curating a mixtape that might be heard by aliens billions of years from now, but definitely would be seen by your fellow Earthlings, what would you put on it? In 1977, two Voyager spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral on a journey that would take them out to our outer solar system and beyond. Affixed to the side of these two planetary explorers was the Voyager Golden Record. This ultimate mixtape of humanity contained 27 pieces of music and also pictures, greetings in many languages, and the sounds of Earth. Nearly 50 years later, we're exploring what's on the record, how it got made, and its legacy with one of it's makers. Oh! and we brought in our friends from Sidedoor to help :)Thanks to our guests in this episode: Ann Druyan - Voyager Golden Record Creative Director Lawrence Azerrad - Co-founder of Macroscopic Find the transcript here.AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed Martin.

As our centennial series continues, Bob van der Linden, commercial aviation curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, looks at the past 100 years of civilian air travel.

Bats are the only mammals that truly fly. And the way they do it is very different from other flying things. The way they fly has only recently been understood and there are still questions. Scientist and engineers are trying to use what they do know to create bat-inspired flying machines, but things like bats self-cambering stretching wings skin, skeleton muscles and tiny hair sensors are proving difficult to replicate. Thanks to our guests in this episode: Dr. Sharon Swartz-Brown University Dr. Nancy Simmons-American Museum of Natural History  Find the transcript here.AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed Martin.

There are a lot of different aircraft that fight wildfires, from Host Matt's favorite Sky Crane helicopter to giant cargo jets that dump tons of fire retardant. But today we're taking about a truly unique, purpose-built firefighting airplane: the Super Scooper. This plane skims the surface of a body of water, collects a shocking amount through tiny scoop ports, flies off, and dumps it on a wildfire. We talk to a pilot about what it's like to fly one.Thanks to our guest in this episode:Scott Blue, Pilot, Bridger AerospaceFind the transcript here.AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed Martin.

In “Fruitcake in Space,” Gravy producer Bronwen Wyatt explores a bizarre footnote in the annals of human space travel. In 1968, a scientist at a military research facility developed a very unusual recipe: a nutritionally-fortified fruitcake designed as an emergency ration for astronauts. It might be easy to dismiss this fruitcake, but we're here to argue that it's part of a larger story—one that takes us from the early days of NASA's space program to our current quest for Mars. Wyatt investigates the importance of safe preservation techniques in space, how NASA determines what food astronauts will actually eat, and why fruitcake actually makes perfect sense as an emergency ration.   In an archival interview from 1966, dietician Mary Klicka at the Natick Laboratory Army Research, Development, and Engineering Center points to the unique challenges of preparing acceptable menus for long-term space travel. Wyatt speaks to Vickie Kloeris, who managed NASA's food systems for nearly thirty years from the laboratory at Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Jennifer Levasseur, a curator specializing in food at the Air and Space Museum. Finally, retired astronaut Cady Coleman shares her perspective on dining in orbit. Coleman, who volunteered for the role of "food czar" on the International Space Station, tells how food becomes a form of currency and a tool for building camaraderie among astronauts.   Kloeris, Levasseur, and Coleman emphasize that dining space is about more than the mechanical function of obtaining enough calories to survive. Even in the most barren environments, our cultural drive to bond over food is a connection to our lives on earth and part of what makes us human. The selection and preparation of food—work that is often dismissed as inconsequential domestic labor—is a crucial part of the success of any mission in space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Time and Space... Hoai-Tran and Jacob have an "Identity Crisis" with a pretty good episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and continue to explore "The Space Museum" over on classic Doctor Who. Doctor Who: The Space Museum (Parts 3-4) - 1:43 Star Trek: The Next Generation: Identity Crisis - 32:15 Episode Rankings - 59:58 Logo by David Scaliatine. Send all questions, comments, concerns, suggestions, and complaints to trekkingtimepodcast@gmail.com Support us on Patreon for early access to new episodes, weekly bonus episodes, and more.

DOGE ON MARS. 4/4: For the Love of Mars: A Human History of the Red Planet  by  Matthew Shindell  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Love-Mars-Human-History-Planet/dp/0226821897/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Mars and its secrets have fascinated and mystified humans since ancient times. Due to its vivid color and visibility, its geologic kinship with Earth, and its potential as our best hope for settlement, Mars embodies everything that inspires us about space and exploration. For the Love of Mars surveys the red planet's place in the human imagination, beginning with ancient astrologers and skywatchers and ending in our present moment of exploration and virtual engagement.   National Air and Space Museum curator Matthew Shindell describes how historical figures across eras and around the world have made sense of this mysterious planet. We meet Mayan astrologer priests who incorporated Mars into seasonal calendars and religious ceremonies; Babylonian astrologers who discerned bad omens; figures of the Scientific Revolution who struggled to comprehend it as a world; Victorian astronomers who sought signs of intelligent life; and twentieth- and twenty-first-century scientists who have established a technological presence on its surface. Along the way, we encounter writers and artists from each of these periods who take readers and viewers along on imagined journeys to Mars.   By focusing on the diverse human stories behind the telescopes and behind the robots we know and love, Shindell shows how Mars exploration has evolved in ways that have also expanded knowledge about other facets of the universe. Captained by an engaging and erudite expert, For the Love of Marsis a captivating voyage through time and space for anyone curious about Curiosity and the red planet. 1868 JULES VERNE

DOGE ON MARS. 1/4: For the Love of Mars: A Human History of the Red Planet  by  Matthew Shindell  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Love-Mars-Human-History-Planet/dp/0226821897/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Mars and its secrets have fascinated and mystified humans since ancient times. Due to its vivid color and visibility, its geologic kinship with Earth, and its potential as our best hope for settlement, Mars embodies everything that inspires us about space and exploration. For the Love of Mars surveys the red planet's place in the human imagination, beginning with ancient astrologers and skywatchers and ending in our present moment of exploration and virtual engagement.   National Air and Space Museum curator Matthew Shindell describes how historical figures across eras and around the world have made sense of this mysterious planet. We meet Mayan astrologer priests who incorporated Mars into seasonal calendars and religious ceremonies; Babylonian astrologers who discerned bad omens; figures of the Scientific Revolution who struggled to comprehend it as a world; Victorian astronomers who sought signs of intelligent life; and twentieth- and twenty-first-century scientists who have established a technological presence on its surface. Along the way, we encounter writers and artists from each of these periods who take readers and viewers along on imagined journeys to Mars.   By focusing on the diverse human stories behind the telescopes and behind the robots we know and love, Shindell shows how Mars exploration has evolved in ways that have also expanded knowledge about other facets of the universe. Captained by an engaging and erudite expert, For the Love of Marsis a captivating voyage through time and space for anyone curious about Curiosity and the red planet.. 1958

DOGE ON MARS. 2/4: For the Love of Mars: A Human History of the Red Planet  by  Matthew Shindell  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Love-Mars-Human-History-Planet/dp/0226821897/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Mars and its secrets have fascinated and mystified humans since ancient times. Due to its vivid color and visibility, its geologic kinship with Earth, and its potential as our best hope for settlement, Mars embodies everything that inspires us about space and exploration. For the Love of Mars surveys the red planet's place in the human imagination, beginning with ancient astrologers and skywatchers and ending in our present moment of exploration and virtual engagement.   National Air and Space Museum curator Matthew Shindell describes how historical figures across eras and around the world have made sense of this mysterious planet. We meet Mayan astrologer priests who incorporated Mars into seasonal calendars and religious ceremonies; Babylonian astrologers who discerned bad omens; figures of the Scientific Revolution who struggled to comprehend it as a world; Victorian astronomers who sought signs of intelligent life; and twentieth- and twenty-first-century scientists who have established a technological presence on its surface. Along the way, we encounter writers and artists from each of these periods who take readers and viewers along on imagined journeys to Mars.   By focusing on the diverse human stories behind the telescopes and behind the robots we know and love, Shindell shows how Mars exploration has evolved in ways that have also expanded knowledge about other facets of the universe. Captained by an engaging and erudite expert, For the Love of Marsis a captivating voyage through time and space for anyone curious about Curiosity and the red planet

DOGE ON MARS. 3/4: For the Love of Mars: A Human History of the Red Planet  by  Matthew Shindell  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Love-Mars-Human-History-Planet/dp/0226821897/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Mars and its secrets have fascinated and mystified humans since ancient times. Due to its vivid color and visibility, its geologic kinship with Earth, and its potential as our best hope for settlement, Mars embodies everything that inspires us about space and exploration. For the Love of Mars surveys the red planet's place in the human imagination, beginning with ancient astrologers and skywatchers and ending in our present moment of exploration and virtual engagement.   National Air and Space Museum curator Matthew Shindell describes how historical figures across eras and around the world have made sense of this mysterious planet. We meet Mayan astrologer priests who incorporated Mars into seasonal calendars and religious ceremonies; Babylonian astrologers who discerned bad omens; figures of the Scientific Revolution who struggled to comprehend it as a world; Victorian astronomers who sought signs of intelligent life; and twentieth- and twenty-first-century scientists who have established a technological presence on its surface. Along the way, we encounter writers and artists from each of these periods who take readers and viewers along on imagined journeys to Mars.   By focusing on the diverse human stories behind the telescopes and behind the robots we know and love, Shindell shows how Mars exploration has evolved in ways that have also expanded knowledge about other facets of the universe. Captained by an engaging and erudite expert, For the Love of Marsis a captivating voyage through time and space for anyone curious about Curiosity and the red planet. 1958

A billion-dollar spacecraft, a daring deep-space mission, and one of humanity's biggest questions: Where did we come from? NASA's OSIRIS-REx set out to collect a pristine sample from asteroid Bennu, a cosmic time capsule that may hold clues to the origins of life in our solar system. But the journey was anything but easy.Guests:Erica Jawin, postdoctoral research geologist in the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and member of the OSIRIS-REx missionTim McCoy, curator of meteorites at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and deputy mission sample scientist for the OSIRIS-REx missionMike Moreau, deputy project manager in the Space Science Mission Operations Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center 

There was a time, before Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, when some researchers believed women were better suited for space than men. In 1961, a group of female pilots—today known as the Mercury 13—quietly aced NASA's toughest astronaut tests, even outperforming the Mercury men in some areas. But with the space race heating up, their mission was grounded— but not by science. But what became of America's first female astronaut candidates?Guests: Margaret Weitekamp, chair of the space history department at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, and author of Right Stuff, Wrong Sex: America's First Women in Space Program andSpace Craze: America's Enduring Fascination with Real and Imagined Spaceflight Emily Calandrelli, engineer, author, and TV show host of Emily's Wonderlab and Xploration Outer Space