National Air and Space MuseumVerified account

Gus Grissom was the first to fly in space twice. Gordon Cooper was the youngest of the Mercury 7. Scott Carpenter served as both an astronaut and an aquanaut. Deke Slayton, who didn’t fly on a Mercury mission, finally made it to space during Apollo-Soyuz.pic.twitter.com/888UNeJDTx

Wally Schirra was the only astronaut to fly in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. He also provided commentary alongside Walter Cronkite on CBS News during the Apollo Moon landings. #Apollo50pic.twitter.com/ewm6pWv0hA

John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth during his February 20, 1962, flight in Friendship 7. He returned to space on board Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998, becoming the only Mercury astronaut to fly on the space shuttle: https://s.si.edu/2Jp5y3g pic.twitter.com/SGEh9DKVfF

Alan Shepard became the first American in space on May 5, 1961, when he launched on the first crewed Mercury mission. He returned to space on Apollo 14, during which he walked — and played golf — on the Moon!pic.twitter.com/I5Yfx4e8AR

It’s the Sopwith F.1 Camel! Camels downed 1,294 enemy aircraft during the war, more than any other Allied fighter in WWI. We have one on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center: https://s.si.edu/2IjFRme pic.twitter.com/auUqvSPCnH

Earlier this year, Beth Moses, chief astronaut instructor at @VirginGalactic, became the first woman to fly aboard a commercial spaceship. She’s also the keynote speaker at our Yuri’s Night party April 12, and we still have a few tickets left: https://s.si.edu/2I6dtnG pic.twitter.com/d4JYmoFaPo

60 years ago today, @NASA introduced us to seven American heroes: the Project Mercury astronauts. The Mercury Seven were Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, Gordon Cooper, Wally Schirra, Deke Slayton, John Glenn, and Scott Carpenter.pic.twitter.com/M8UkOfH4fb

On this day in 1993, Ellen Ochoa become the first Hispanic woman to fly in space. https://s.si.edu/2J2MRB3  #BecauseOfHerStorypic.twitter.com/8wCOsSn9ay

55 years ago today: Gemini 1 launched on the first mission of the Gemini program. It was an uncrewed orbital test of the Titan 2 launch vehicle.pic.twitter.com/4ImCZNkLSp

Do you know what aircraft this instrument panel is from? Here's a hint: It was one of the most significant and famous World War I aircraft. Answer: https://s.si.edu/2IlI5S8  #AirSpacePhotopic.twitter.com/WDwr96GDLe

Every April, Yuri’s Night celebrates the past, present, and future of human spaceflight through events around the world. Tickets are still available for our Yuri's Night celebration, "Space Oddity: Ground Control to Major Party" with @BYT. Details: https://s.si.edu/2I6dtnG pic.twitter.com/dyrFEyhjOY

Today in 1942, during World War II, the 1903 Wright Flyer was moved to an underground chamber 100 miles west of London. But why was it in Great Britain? Explore: https://s.si.edu/2IjLH7b pic.twitter.com/avzMdHVGdV

That was a tough one! The answer is “Chicago” & “New Orleans.” Douglas World Cruiser “Chicago” is on display at the Museum in DC: https://s.si.edu/2hvctKG pic.twitter.com/cJkXymmNs2

In the 1920s, the US Post Office's airmail system was hindered because its aircraft could only fly during daylight hours. The solution: airway beacons lining the route to show pilots where to fly at night. We explore on our blog: https://s.si.edu/2I3N5f4  #AirSpacePhotopic.twitter.com/NVAVMX3EP2

On this day in 2001, NASA's Mars Odyssey was launched to Mars. The mission was named "2001 Mars Odyssey" as a tribute to Arthur C Clarke's influential science fiction story. More on the mission: https://s.si.edu/2pX9G2j pic.twitter.com/5jkBufR1Q8

Today in 1983, Donald Peterson and Story Musgrave made the first spacewalk of the Space Shuttle program during STS-6.pic.twitter.com/8Rp37VngFT

Today in 1917: the U.S. entered #WorldWarI. In need of combat-worthy aircraft, the de Havilland DH-4 was chosen. American-built DH-4s were nicknamed the "Liberty Plane," due to its Liberty V-12 engine: https://s.si.edu/2pRswru  #AirSpacePhotopic.twitter.com/cAhtsNWrEd

In 1995, Kate Mulgrew, who portrayed the first female captain in the #StarTrek franchise, gave this communicator pin to Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. It is a prop from the set of Star Trek Voyager. https://s.si.edu/2VrvgcS  #AirSpacePhoto pic.twitter.com/4XI9P9hr23

95 years ago today, this U.S. Army Air Service crew departed Seattle, Washington in four Douglas World Cruisers ("Seattle," "Chicago," "Boston," and "New Orleans") on the first circumnavigation of the globe by air: https://s.si.edu/1DMFIha  #IdeasThatDefypic.twitter.com/WmgACIdOop