Logbooks of the 103rd Pursuit Squadron from World War I, recording day-to-day lives and combat details of the Squadron members. One from early March, 1918 to December 15, 1918, the other dated from February 19, 1918 to March 19, 1919.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum’s Library has an extensive collection of aerospace related periodicals, dating from the dawn of flight through World War II. Take a look at a spotlight on one of our local Southern California publications, Aero Album! Although short-lived, Aero Album drew on the expertise of editors and contributors from around the world to deliver rich aviation history content in a high quality magazine format.
One of the oldest items in our book collection is an 1838 publication of Aeronautica, or, sketches illustrative of the theory and practice of Aerostation: Comprising an enlarged account of the late aerial expedition to Germany by Monck Mason. In this book, Mason recounts a record setting ballooning journey in which he partook with prominent aeronauts Charles Green and Thomas Hollond. The trio flew from London to Weilburg, Germany in approximately eighteen hours.
The moon rock on display near the exit of the Space Exhibit inside the San Diego Air & Space Museum was collected by the astronauts of Apollo 17, the last manned mission to the moon in 1972. The sample we have is particularly important in U.S. space exploration history, since it came from the area where the age and method of creation of the moon were determined. This was one of the major scientific goals of the Apollo program.
Gathering samples from the moon’s surface was so important to NASA that Neil Armstrong’s instructions were to do so as soon as he stepped onto the moon’s surface. He was to put rock samples into a pocket in his spacesuit so that he and Buzz Aldrin would have something to bring back to earth in case they had to leave suddenly. It is no surprise, then, that the box designed to hold their moon rocks, dust, and core samples was one of the most important pieces of equipment they brought to the moon
2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA
Phone: 619.234.8291
Información En Español
Contact Us
We would like to thank all our sponsors who help us make a difference. Click here to view all who help us.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Federal Tax ID Number 95-2253027.
