Space History Photos

The history of space exploration is rich with photos from NASA that detail the history of space travel, breakthrough propulsion systems, groundbreaking astronauts and missions, and robotic exploration. Each weekday, SPACE.com looks back at the history of spaceflight, from the early days of the space race through the space shuttle era, from the years of the first rockets and satellites to the test-flight era that preceded human spaceflight, and of course beyond.

Related Topics: Stargazer Photos, SpaceKids, Space Books

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Russian cosmonaut Valery Ryumin aboard the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery during the STS-91 mission to the Russian space station Mir in June 1998.

Valery Ryumin, cosmonaut who launched to Salyut and Mir space stations, dies at 82

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Russian cosmonaut Valery Ryumin, who launched on four space station missions including the final U.S. space shuttle flight to dock with the former Mir outpost, has died.

Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter's Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaut chronograph.

Mercury astronaut's long-lost space-flown watch found in Breitling archives

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

The first Swiss watch worn in space has been found in time to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its mission. Breitling revealed the watch Scott Carpenter used on the second U.S. orbital spaceflight.

The new benches outside of NASA's Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center in Houston stand for three periods of flight control: Gemini and Apollo; Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz Test Project; and the space shuttle.

NASA dedicates new benches of honor to veterans of Mission Control

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

A trio of monuments at NASA's home for human spaceflight pays tribute to the control teams of the past by inviting visitors to sit down and reflect on what was made possible in Mission Control.

Carolyn Shoemaker

20 trailblazing women in astronomy and astrophysics

By Elizabeth Howell published

From discovering planets to following comets, women all over the world play a crucial role in astronomy.

The AN-225 Antonov "Mriya" ("Dream") aircraft was originally built to transport Soviet-era Buran space shuttles.

Soviet-era space shuttle carrier aircraft destroyed in Russian attack on Ukraine

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has destroyed a "large" part of its space history, with reports confirming the fate of an enormous aircraft that was originally built to transport Soviet space shuttles.

The astronauts on board the International Space Station, who are the latest to follow John Glenn into Earth orbit, and the Australian city that lit up for his mission 60 years ago both celebrated the legacy of Glenn's historic Mercury-Atlas 6 spaceflight.

Astronauts, Australian airport mark 60 years since John Glenn first orbited Earth

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

The astronauts on the International Space Station, who are the latest to follow John Glenn into orbit, and the city that lit up for his mission 60 years ago marked the legacy of Glenn's spaceflight.

An STS-51L crew patch and American flag recovered from among the debris of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986 were prepared by NASA for presentation to President Ronald Reagan but instead ended up in the collection of a liaison to the White House.

Challenger artifacts intended for President Reagan recovered after 36 years

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Artifacts that were recovered from the fallen space shuttle Challenger and prepared for presentation to the President of the United States have been recovered again, 36 years later.

Flowers placed before the Space Mirror Memorial mark NASA’s Day of Remembrance at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Jan. 28, 2021. The mirror was dedicated in 1991 to honor all astronauts who lost their lives on missions or during training.

New NASA video honors fallen astronauts of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA released a new video today (Jan. 27) to remember the three crews and other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the pursuit of space exploration.

An aerial view of the crater from the explosion of the V2 rocket in 1944 being excavated last month. The site was an orchard when the rocket hit it 77 years ago.

Remains of Nazi V2, the first supersonic rocket, unearthed in South East England

By Tom Metcalfe published

The remains of a V2 rocket fired by Nazi Germany at London during World War II have been unearthed in a field in the southeast of England, where it crashed and exploded before reaching its target.

You can now pledge for your own museum-quality, full-scale replica of the Apollo command module control panel to hang on your home or office wall.

Hollywood artists offer full-scale replica of Apollo spacecraft controls

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

A team of Hollywood prop and visual artists are offering replicas of the Apollo command module control panel.

Jeff Bezos has pledged a $200 million donation to the Smithsonian.

Jeff Bezos donates $200 million to the Smithsonian Institution ahead of Blue Origin launch

By Chelsea Gohd published

Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and the spaceflight company Blue Origin, will donate $200 million to the Smithsonian, the Institution announced Wednesday (July 14).

The medical kit flown on the last mission of NASA's space shuttle Endeavour is on display as part of "Stranger Than Fiction: The Incredible Science of Aerospace Medicine" running July 3, 2021 to Feb. 6, 2022 at The Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.

New exhibit tells 'stranger than fiction' tale of aerospace medicine

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

A new exhibit at the museum of flight is lifting the curtain on the strange-but-true history of aerospace medicine.

NASA astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American in space on May 5, 1961 aboard his Mercury spacecraft Freedom 7.

US spaceflight at 60: A lot has changed since NASA's 1st crewed mission

By Elizabeth Howell published

It was 60 years ago today (May 5) that Alan Shepard, America's first spaceflyer, urged nervous flight controllers to ''fix your little problem and light this candle" to send him into space.

Apollo 11 command module pilot Michael Collins trains aboard a spacecraft simulator in preparation for the 1969 mission.

Michael Collins, Apollo 11 astronaut who orbited moon, dies at 90

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Gemini and Apollo astronaut Michael Collins, who orbited the moon during the world's first lunar landing mission, has died at the age of 90.

The last United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II rocket stands among the a Mercury-Redstone, Mercury-Atlas, Saturn IB and five other launch vehicles from the early years of space exploration in the Kennedy Space Center rocket garden.

Last Delta II takes root in Kennedy Space Center rocket garden

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Apollo 14 golf shot

50 years ago, an Apollo 14 astronaut played golf on the moon. Here's the inside story.

By Elizabeth Howell published

Most golfers really want to avoid sand traps, but NASA astronaut Alan Shepard had no choice but to deal with that when wielding a six-iron head on the moon's dusty surface 50 years ago this month.

National Geographic's new "Return to the Moon" series will chronicle NASA's Artemis program to send astronauts back to the moon by 2024.

National Geographic's 'Return to the Moon' to chronicle NASA's Artemis astronauts and lunar missions

By Kasandra Brabaw published

National Geographic has announced an ambitious new show that will chronicle NASA's attempt to send the next man and first woman to the moon.

Brigadier General Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager standing in front of his F-15 Eagle on the 50th Anniversary of his becoming the first man to break the speed of sound in October 1997.

NASA, astronauts and more mourn death of Chuck Yeager, the world's first supersonic pilot

By Elizabeth Howell published

The man who first broke the speed of sound died Monday (Dec. 7) at age 97.

U.S. Air Force test pilot Charles E. Yeager (shown standing with the Bell X-1 supersonic rocket plane) became the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight on Oct. 14, 1947.

Chuck Yeager, 1st pilot to break the sound barrier, is dead at 97

By Hanneke Weitering published

Chuck Yeager, the U.S. Air Force Pilot who became the first person to break the sound barrier, passed away today (Dec. 7) at the age of 97.

To score the soundtrack of "The Real Right Stuff," the National Geographic Channel launched into the virtual orchestra frontier.

Watch 'The Real Right Stuff' launch into the virtual orchestra frontier for an epic soundtrack (exclusive)

By Elizabeth Howell published

A new video from the National Geographic Channel shows musicians virtually coming together to score "The Real Right Stuff."