On Nov. 16, 1973, Skylab 4 launched as the third, and final, crewed mission to America’s first space station, Skylab. Commander Gerald Carr, pilot William Pogue, and scientist Edward Gibson spent a total of 84 days on orbit, which became the record, at the time, for the longest crewed spaceflight. All three crew members were […]

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, we are highlighting the legendary astronauts who paved the way for future space exploration and opened the door to boundless curiosity and discovery. Learn more about the astronaut who piloted the Apollo 11 spacecraft: During your next visit, stop by Astronaut Gallery to see the […]

Soon, Curiosity will get a friend on the surface of the red planet. NASA launched its next mission to Mars on May 5: a new lander named Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (abbreviated InSight). InSight will hit the Martian surface Nov. 26. Join us at Space Center Houston to view this […]

It’s Friday and that means we’re highlighting an astronaut! Today’s featured space traveler is one of NASA’s “Original Seven” astronauts. To commemorate the anniversary of his Apollo 7 flight (Oct. 11), and the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Program, we’re remembering astronaut Walter “Wally” Schirra. In total, Schirra flew aboard three missions. He piloted the […]

As part of the restoration of Historic Mission Control, conservationists sent the consoles from the room to the Cosmosphere in Kansas. How do you transport such large and cumbersome consoles while still protecting them as historic artifacts? Enter NASA’s Super Guppy airplane. The Guppy was built to transport machinery that no other plane can carry. […]

Space Center Houston honors heroes with free admission To reach for the stars requires support from a solid foundation. No one provides that foundation of safety like the military and first responders like firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians. Their service and sacrifice makes them everyday heroes. These heroes inspire us every day with […]

Before NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), there was Ares. In 2004, the Vision of Space Exploration was put forth, committing NASA astronauts to return to the Moon and continue on to Mars. This meant that NASA needed to develop a new launch architecture system. On Oct. 28, 2009, nearly five years later, and on the […]

On Oct. 11, 1968, the Apollo 7 mission launched from Cape Kennedy Air Force Base in Florida. The 10-day mission ended Oct. 22 when the capsule successfully splashed down into the Atlantic Ocean. Learn more about this extraordinary mission in this Apollo 7 mission infographic. It was a return to flight for the Apollo program […]

Did you know that Houston declared Oct. 23 Gene Kranz Day to honor the legendary NASA flight director? Kranz joined the NASA Space Task Group at Langley, Virginia, in 1960 and was assigned the position of assistant flight director for Project Mercury. He assumed flight director duties for all Project Gemini Missions, and was branch […]

Two Thought Leader Series events will bring a flight-filled November to Space Center Houston. On Nov. 8, the center will bring in experts from the space shuttle mission STS-95 to discuss the anniversary of John Glenn’s second spaceflight aboard the shuttle orbiter Discovery. At age 77, Glenn holds the record for the oldest person to […]