Air and Space Explorers

Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, died mysteriously after she disappeared in 1937 while trying to become the first woman to fly around the world. Her fate has become one of the greatest mysterious of the 20th century.

Howard Hughes was a businessman, a movie producer, and an aviator; however, he is perhaps best remembered for spending his later years as an eccentric, reclusive billionaire.

Aboard the Soviet's Sputnik 2, Laika, a dog, became the very first living creature to enter orbit. However, since the Soviets did not create a re-entry plan, Laika died in space. Laika's death sparked debates about animal rights around the world.

Charles Lindbergh became an international celebrity after he became the first person to successfully fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. His fame came back to haunt him when his firstborn son was kidnapped and then killed in 1932. Learn more about aviator Charles Lindbergh - his accomplishments, his sorrows, and the controversy that...

During World War I, there was one man, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, who liked to fly in a blazing red airplane and shoot down plane after plane. His achievements made him both a hero and a propaganda tool. With 80 credited victories, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the "Red Baron," defied the odds and became a legend in the air.

On board Vostok 1, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made history on April 12, 1961 when he became both the first person in the world to enter space and the first person to orbit the Earth.