Airspace

AirSpace will be back with Season 11 very soon. In the meantime we thought y'all would enjoy this episode from the Smithsonian Magazine's podcast, There's More to That: Why Auroras Are Suddenly Everywhere All at Once.For millennia, auroras have both enchanted and haunted human beings. Ancient lore is filled with myths attempting to explain what caused the celestial phenomenon. More recent historic documentation of auroras may even help us predict damaging solar storms in the future.As we head into a year expected to bring the best northern lights in two decades, we consider the science behind auroras and why they are suddenly so plentiful—even in places that hardly qualify as northern.In this episode, Jo Marchant, author of The Human Cosmos, and Smithsonian science editor Carlyn Kranking revel in auroras through the ages and explain how to view these dazzling displays yourself.

The Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) are relatively well-known in the U.S. today (to hear more about their story, see our previous episode), but they weren't the only women who flew planes in World War II. A small group of Americans joined pilots from 25 other countries in England's Air Transport Auxiliary, where they ferried hundreds of thousands of planes across the British Isles. Among the pilots were women from all countries and men too old or otherwise unfit for active duty (including a WWI Ace with only one eye and arm). They braved poor weather, mechanically iffy planes, regular bombings, and dangerous conditions to keep the Allies in the air.Thanks to our guests in this episode Becky Aikman, Author of Spitfires: The American Women who Flew in the Face of Danger During WWII Richard Poad, organizer, Air Transport Auxiliary Museum at the Maidenhead Heritage Centre Oral histories in the episode came from the NASA Oral History Project and the TWU Libraries Women's Collection at Texas Women's Universi

Just off the coast of the United States, a menace lurked in the water. German U-boats were a very real problem for merchant vessels and war ships during World War II. With all available military airplanes and pilots needed on the front lines, and the Coast Guard mostly lacking aviation assets, the U.S. needed to get creative. Enter: the brand new Civil Air Patrol. This entirely civilian effort put private planes and pilots to work spotting U-Boats and other threats in the water. They even carried bombs on coastal patrols. The CAP also did search and rescue, medical flights, border patrol and more--roles the organization still serves today.Thanks to our guest in this episodeDr. Frank Blazich of the Civil Air Patrol and the Smithsonian's American History MuseumYou can find the transcript for this episode at s.si.edu/homefront3Sign up for our monthly newsletter s.si.edu/airspacenewsletterAirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Lockheed Martin

In 1940, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt broadcast a new goal in one of his famous Fireside Chats: he wanted to see 50,000 planes a year built in the United States. Up until that point, the U.S. had built just over 30,000 military planes . . . total. 50,000 seemed like an impossible goal. But with war looming, "Rosie" rolled up her sleeves and said "We can do it!" And she did. Millions of war workers flooded cities and factories to take jobs not open to them before the war, turning out plane after plane to support the war effort. Manufacturing, labor, and the aviation industry would never be the same.Thanks to our guests in this episode "Rosie" Erlinda Avila who bucked rivets in Goodyear, Arizona Cory Graff, Curator and Restoration Manager- National World War II Museum Dr. Jeremy Kinney, Associate Director for Research, Collections and Curatorial Affairs- National Air and Space Museum Transcript for this epside is at s.si.edu/homefront2Sign up for our monthly newsletter at s.si.edu/airspacenewsletterAirSp

In 1937, there were fewer than 20,000 licensed pilots in the United States. The Civilian Pilot Training Program increased that number to more than 400,000 in less than five years. With national "airmindedness" as their goal in the run-up to World War II, the US government created the program to train students (10% of whom could be women) on the ground and in the air at colleges and universities across the country. Later on, trainees had to enlist after training, which meant women were barred. Throughout this limited series, almost every pilot we’ll meet either got their flight training with the CPTP, or taught for the program. Many of them would go on to find work in commercial aviation and reshape the field into the Jet Age.Thanks to our guest in this episodeDorothy Cochrane - National Air and Space MuseumFind the transcript of this episode at s.si.edu/homefront1Sign up for our monthly newsletter at s.si.edu/airspacenewsletter Home Front is made possible by the generous support of Lockheed Martin

The Women's Airforce Service Pilots were a huge part of civilian aviation during WWII. Ahead of our new limited series, Home Front, we've brought back our season four episode. Episodes of Home Front start August 14th.On this episode of AirSpace we’re spotlighting the heroic service and enduring legacy of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP. More than 1,000 of these fearless women flew as civilians for the Army Air Forces during World War II. These skilled pilots performed jobs on the home front – ferrying planes, towing targets, transporting personnel – flying almost every type of military aircraft. Yet despite filling a crucial wartime role, these women weren’t recognized as veterans for more than 30 years. And their campaign to be permitted burial in Arlington National Cemetery lasted even longer.  In this episode, we’re welcoming our first ever guest host, historian and author Dr. Katherine Sharp Landdeck. And we’ll hear firsthand from three women connected to the WASP legacy, including a WASP herse

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

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.

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.

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 AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed Martin.

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.

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.

If you haven't listened already, go back and check out Part One. When you hear 'space race' you probably (correctly) think about the 1960s Soviet Union v. U.S. race to put an astronaut on the Moon. But a few hundred years before, the space race was all about Venus. About twice every century we here on Earth get to see Venus pass in the front of the Sun. Back the 18th and 19th centuries, this was a Big Deal. At the time, all astronomers wanted to be the first to use the transit of Venus to figure out the distance between the Earth and the Sun. In Part Two we're bringing you more adventures to observe the transit and talking about what the result (or lack of results) meant for astronomy.Thanks to our guests in this episode: Ted Rafferty, formerly of the United States Naval Observatory Dr. Samantha Thompson, Astronomy Curator - National Air and Space Museum Find the transcript here.AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed Martin.

When you hear 'space race' you probably (correctly) think about the 1960s Soviet Union v. U.S. race to put an astronaut on the Moon. But a few hundred years before, the space race was all about Venus. Twice every century or so we here on Earth get to see Venus pass in front of the Sun (with proper eye protection. Don't stare at the Sun, kids.) Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, this was a Big Deal. At the time, all astronomers wanted to be part of the effort to use the transit of Venus to figure out the distance between the Earth and the Sun. And to claim that astronomical victory for their respective empire. In Part One we're talking about the astronomical breakthroughs that made scientists and adventurers flock to the 1761 transit. Thanks to our guests in this episode:  Ted Rafferty, formerly of the United States Naval Observatory Dr. Samantha Thompson, Astronomy Curator-National Air and Space Museum Find the transcript here.Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletterAirSpace is created by the Smiths

The oldest Earth rocks we have are 4.3 billion years old, and samples we've brought back from the Moon are even older. But what does that have to do with craters on Mars? When the Apollo missions brought back samples, those rocks let us confirm the age of parts of our lunar bestie for the first time. Now, scientific models use data from those samples to extrapolate the age of other geologic events in our Solar System. Thanks to our guest in this episode: Dr. Beau Bierhaus, Senior Research Scientist - Lockheed Martin*Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletterFind the transcript here.Take our listener survey at s.si.edu/airspace2025Find the transcript here.AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed Martin*AirSpace is editorially independent from its sponsors

Right now there are seven women on Mars... kind of. The women of Hypatia Mars started out as a small group of friends from Catalonia who wanted to work together tp advance space science and women in STEM. Today they're on their second analog mission at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, testing systems and equipment, doing multidisciplinary research, and continuously working to reach out to girls and young women about what their careers are like.Thanks to our guests in this episode:  Carla Conejo Gonzalez, Co-Founder of Hypatia Mars  Dr. Ariadna Ferrés, Commander of Hypatia II  Dr. Estel Blay, Scientist Hypatia II Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletterTake our listener survey at s.si.edu/airspace2025Find the transcript here.AirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed-Martin

We want to hear from you! Fill out our listener survey at s.si.edu/airspace2025All the military aircraft and some of the civilian ones in our collections have to be demilitarized before they go on display or into storage. This process, usually called demilling, means taking anything out that might leak, corrode, explode or give away military secrets.Thanks to our guest in this episode:Dr. Mike Hankins, Curator of Modern Military Aviation-National Air and Space MuseumFind the transcript here.Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletterAirSpace is created by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum with generous support from Lockheed-Martin.

We want to hear from you! Fill out our listener survey at s.si.edu/airspace2025Our museum collection, like a lot of other museums' collections, can be a working collection. That means that scientist come to do air or space research using objects in the museum. Sometimes it's as simple as an engineer coming after hours to look a little closer at a plane or spacecraft so they can better understand how it works. And other times researchers leave seismometers on the Viking Lander for several weeks. Thanks to our guests in this episode:  Dr. Malcolm Collum, Head Conservator-National Air and Space Museum  Dr. Ben Fernando, Post-Doctoral Researcher-Johns Hopkins University  Dr. Kevin Lewis, Vice Chair and Professor in Earth and Planetary Science-Johns Hopkins University  Dr. Andy Lazarewicz, Formerly of the Viking Seismology Team Additional thanks to Lisa Young and Becca Hiatt of the National Air and Space Museum's Collections Processing UnitFind the transcript hereSign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletterAir

In the lead up to Season 10 we're reviving some of our favorite episodes. Today we bring you Emily's favorite, The Ninety-Nines. It took a certain amount of pure grit to be a pilot in the early days of aviation – and even more for the women who had to defy convention just to get up in the air.  And if you’re thinking the only aviatrix was Amelia Earhart – think again. She was just one of a daring group of women aviators who were walking on wings, flying under bridges, breaking altitude records, and racing across the country – in the 1920s! Join Emily, Matt, and Nick as they explore the history of the Ninety-Nines, the organization of women pilots originally led by Earhart and still active today. Documentary-maker Heather Taylor sets the scene of the thrilling and dangerous first Women’s National Air Derby in 1929. And Emily discovers an amazing view in her first non-commercial flight (in a tiny four-seater!) with modern-day Ninety-Nine Judy Shaw.Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter