Apollo 7 Launches on October 11, 1968

On October 11, 1968, Apollo 7 launched

Where Does the Sand Come From?

This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter (MRO) shows one possible place where sand grains are being produced on Mars today.

Suited Up for a Day's Work

Astronaut Randy Bresnik conducts a spacewalk on October 5.

First Meeting of the National Space Council

Members of the National Space Council are seen during the council's first meeting on Oct. 5 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. The council, chaired by Vice President Mike Pence heard testimony from representatives from civil space, commercial space, and national security space industry representatives.

Oct. 4, 1957 - Sputnik, the Dawn of the Space Age

History changed on Oct. 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a beach ball, about 23 inches in diameter and weighing less than 190 pounds.

It's Planting Season on the International Space Station

It's planting season on the International Space Station! NASA astronaut Joe Acaba prepared the Veggie facility for three different kinds of lettuce seeds as part of the VEG-03-D investigation. This is the first time seeds from multiple kinds of plants are being grown in the facility all at the same time.

Goodbye to the Dark Side

Stunning views like this image of Saturn's night side are only possible thanks to our robotic emissaries like Cassini.