Polaris Intelligence
Polaris
Intelligence
About
Ctrl K
Sign in
© Polaris Intelligence 2026
PrivacyTermsAdmin

Smithsonian Institution

US

The Smithsonian Institution, particularly through its National Air and Space Museum (NASM), plays a vital role in preserving and showcasing the history and future of aerospace technology. NASM maintains a vast collection of air and spacecraft, offering exhibits and educational resources to the public. It also partners with NASA, having the right of first refusal for historic space agency artifacts. The Smithsonian also provides STEM education through the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, which is a Smithsonian Affiliate.

ngoFounded 1846
Washington, D.C., United States
www.si.edu/
Admin Edit
0.0-5.0

All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics flagged the new object and identified its orbit as 602 by 608 km at 50.0 degrees inclination.

CapabilityValue 4.0May 26, 2024China’s secretive spaceplane releases object into orbit

The donated Space Tango spaceflight hardware will go on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum when the "At Home in Space" exhibition opens in 2026.

GeneralValue 2.0Mar 21, 2024Space Tango Donates Spaceflight Hardware to Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum will place a model Pathfinder satellite on permanent display in its renovated galleries expected to open in 2026.

PlanValue 3.0Dec 4, 2023HawkEye 360’s inaugural satellite cluster “Pathfinder” celebrates 5 years in space

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum will place a model HawkEye 360 Pathfinder satellite on permanent display in its renovated galleries expected to open in 2026.

PlanGeneralValue 3.5Dec 4, 2023HawkEye 360’s Inaugural Satellite Cluster “Pathfinder” Turns Five Years Old

As of 2023-11-18, astronomer Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics counts more than two million Starlink subscribers in more than 60 countries.

GeneralValue 2.5Nov 20, 2023Starlink’s successful launch is SpaceX’s third launch in four days

Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics tracked Shiyan-10 in a 51.1-degree orbit following small orbit-raising moves in late February 2022.

CapabilityValue 4.0Apr 15, 2022Chinese Shiyan-10 satellite reappears in new Molniya orbit months after launch anomaly

Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, assesses that China is using the Chang’e-5 spacecraft to gain experience with astrodynamics.

CapabilityValue 2.6Feb 15, 2022A Chinese spacecraft is testing out a new orbit around the moon

Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics concurs with the reassessment and is 80% certain the object is from the 2014 Chinese launch.

GeneralValue 1.5Feb 15, 2022Rocket part on crash course with Moon

Since 2017, MEASAT has provided distribution services to Rock Entertainment Holdings for the ROCK Entertainment, ROCK Extreme, ZooMoo, and Smithsonian HD channels.

RelationshipsValue 4.0Nov 1, 2021MEASAT’s HD Video Neighborhood Adds Global Trekker

Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics estimates there are 14 defunct spacecraft in LEO that were either licensed by the U.K., owned by British entities, or registered by the U.K. with the United Nations.

GeneralLegalValue 3.0Oct 26, 2021UK funds studies to remove two spacecraft from LEO

The $200,000,000 donation to the National Air and Space Museum is the largest single gift the Smithsonian Institution has received since its founding by James Smithson in 1846.

FinancialGeneralValue 4.0Jul 15, 2021Blue Origin donates New Shepard auction proceeds to space nonprofit groups

About 10 satellites from SpaceX’s May 2019 Starlink launch never reached their final operational orbit, according to tracking by astronomer Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

FinancialGeneralValue 2.0Jan 6, 2020SpaceX becomes operator of world’s largest commercial satellite constellation with Starlink launch

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory operations continued because the Smithsonian Institution agreed to advance funding to the Chandra X-Ray Center to continue science and mission operations through mid-March 2019 as necessary.

RelationshipsFinancialPlanValue 4.0Jan 23, 2019Shutdown’s toll mounts for NASA and companies
Page2of2
Track