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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.

Related Topics: Stargazer Photos, SpaceKids, Space Books

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An artist's illustration of the first-ever docking of two crewed spacecraft during the Soviet Union's Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 missions on Jan. 16, 1969.

On This Day in Space! Jan. 16, 1969: 1st docking of 2 crewed spacecraft

By Hanneke Weitering published

On January 16, 1969, two crewed spacecraft docked in orbit for the first time. See how it happened in our On This Day In Space video series.

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

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.

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."

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 published

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 published

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 published

"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 published

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 published

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 published

Do you have the "Right Stuff" like Ride?