Examine the history of the space suit, from the iconic silver outfits that took us to the moon to robust suits built for Mars, told by those who design them, build them, and risk their lives to wear them at the highest frontier of human exploration.

From Leonardo da Vinci’s first sketch 500 years ago to new designs aimed at dropping astronauts on alien planets, parachutes have come a long way. Learn their history from the people who design and test them, and from those whose lives they’ve saved.

As aviation evolves, engineers must find better ways to propel pilots to safety when disaster strikes. Rare archives show the evolution of the ejection seat, from humble beginnings into one of the world’s most sophisticated survival machines.

In just a few decades, the jet engine has advanced warfare and transformed the way people travel, and it may soon change the way we explore space. Discover its history, from the first crude gas turbine engine to a design that can outrun a missile.