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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.

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NASA's LADEE moon dust probe (circled) is photographed by the agency's powerful Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in this image released on Jan. 29, 2014. The image, taken on Jan. 14, shows LADEE from a distance of 5.6 miles (9 kilometers) away as the two spacecraft passed each other as they orbited the moon. Both spacecraft are orbiting the moon with velocities near 3,600 mph (1,600 meters per second), so timing and pointing of LRO must be nearly perfect to capture LADEE in an LROC image.

On This Day in Space! April 18, 2014: NASA's LADEE probe crashes into the moon

By Hanneke Weitering

On April 18, 2014, NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) ended its mission by crashing into the moon. See how it happened in our "On This Day In Space" series!

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

Carolyn Shoemaker

20 trailblazing women in astronomy and astrophysics

By Elizabeth Howell

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

Apollo 14 golf shot

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

By Elizabeth Howell

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

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

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

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

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

Rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, portrayed by Sacha Seberg, and his team in the blockhouse for the Mercury-Redestone 1 launch in the fourth episode of National Geographic's "The Right Stuff" streaming on Disney Plus.

'The Right Stuff' recap: We've got a lot of catching up to do ('Advent')

By Robert Z. Pearlman

The moon comes into focus in the fourth episode of National Geographic's "The Right Stuff" on Disney Plus.

The Mercury astronauts go for a spin on the Multiple-Axis Space Test Inertia Facility, or MASTIF, in the third episode of the National Geographic series "The Right Stuff" now on Disney Plus.

'The Right Stuff' recap: This is not a game ('Single Combat Warrior')

By Robert Z. Pearlman

In his 1979 book, Tom Wolfe wrote about the Mercury astronauts as being the last of the single-combat warriors. The third episode of NatGeo's "The Right Stuff" borrows the phrase for its title.

The Mercury 7 astronauts meet the world in the first two episodes of the National Geographic series "The Right Stuff," now streaming on the Disney Plus service.

'The Right Stuff' recap: Meet the Mercury 7 astronauts — 'Sierra Hotel' and 'Goodies'

By Robert Z. Pearlman

"The Right Stuff" lifts off with a countdown to a liftoff. The new National Geographic show launched on Disney Plus with the first two hours of the eight-episode series.

Rene Carpenter in 1969.

Rene Carpenter, pioneering space writer and last member of 'astronaut wives club,' dies at 92

By Chelsea Gohd

Rene Carpenter — pioneering writer, space reporter and last surviving member of the "astronaut wives club," has died. She was 92.

The crewmembers of the Apollo 13 mission, step aboard the USS Iwo Jima recovery ship after successfully surviving their journey around the moon and splashing down in the Pacific ocean.

Apollo 13 at 50: How NASA turned near-disaster at the moon into a 'successful failure' in space

By Chelsea Gohd

Fifty years ago today (April 11), three astronauts launched to space, poised to be the next humans to walk on the moon. But things didn't exactly go according to plan.

The National Air and Space Museum, working with the Smithsonian Transcription Center, is seeking the public's help to expand access to the extensive, handwritten astronaut training notes by Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly into space.

Smithsonian seeks public's help with Sally Ride's astronaut training notes

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Do you have the "Right Stuff" like Ride?

OneWeb has dedicated its third broadband satellite launch to the memory of the world's first spacewalker, cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. The launch comes 55 years after Leonov's spacewalk.

OneWeb dedicates satellite launch to first spacewalker Alexei Leonov

By Robert Z. Pearlman

A company launching a constellation of broadband satellites is paying tribute to the first "human satellite" 55 years after he walked in space.

The first group of Manned Orbiting Laboratory astronauts poses in front of a model of the Titan III-M launch vehicle. Al Crews is at center.

Lost space dreams: How Al Crews missed out on becoming an astronaut — twice

By Roger Guillemette

Crews was in line to fly on two military spacecraft that never made it to orbit.

NASA released an updated version of the famous "Pale Blue Dot" image of Earth taken by Voyager to celebrate the photograph's 30th anniversary.

NASA's iconic 'Pale Blue Dot' photo of Earth from space just got a 21st-century makeover

By Meghan Bartels

On Feb. 14, 1990, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft captured one of the most iconic photographs of the space age; to commemorate the moment's 30th anniversary, NASA has digitally dusted off the image.

A new memorial for Félicette, the first and only cat to go to space, has arrived at its permanent home at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.

Félicette has landed! Memorial for first cat in space unveiled in France.

By Hanneke Weitering

A new memorial for Félicette, the first and only cat to go to space, has arrived at its permanent home at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.

Apollo 12 moonwalkers Charles "Pete" Conrad (pictured) and Alan Bean retrieved parts from the Surveyor 3 spacecraft, which was in walking distance of their lunar module, Intrepid.

50 Years On, Where Are the Surveyor 3 Moon Probe Parts Retrieved by Apollo 12?

By Robert Z. Pearlman

Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, who died Oct. 11, 2019, is seen on the world's first spacewalk in 1965.

Heroes of Space: Alexei Leonov

By All About Space magazine

Today spacewalks are an almost routine part of space exploration but the very first spacewalk by Alexei Leonov, who died last week at 85, was anything but straightforward.