We are at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.! Discover the technology and science driving our most exciting missions by visiting the NASA Pavilion—today through July 10: https://nasa.gov/freedom250/#american-state-fair…

NASA Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday - NASA

Source: https://www.nasa.gov/freedom250/

NASA Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday

For 250 years, America has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. From the earliest days of exploration, to the first steps on the Moon and the missions shaping our future, NASA represents the spirit of discovery that defines our nation.

As the United States approaches its semiquincentennial, Freedom 250 highlights how innovation, courage, and scientific leadership have carried America forward — and how NASA continues to expand the frontier for the next generation.

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Great American State Fair

Join NASA at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., June 25–July 10.

At the NASA Pavilion, visitors will be able to explore and experience Artemis and the Golden Age of Space with a variety of hands-on activities, exhibits, and displays. From the Orion Crew Survival Suit designed to protect astronauts on lunar missions to detailed Moon Base models and lunar terrain displays, visitors can engage with NASA’s most cutting-edge technology. Other highlights include authentic spacesuit tools, immersive pop-up visuals, the X-59 experimental aircraft model, interactive tabletop demonstrations, astronaut food, and life-size astronaut cutouts for photos.

NASA Pavilion hours: Sunday–Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. EDT Thursday–Saturday: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. EDT July 4: 10 a.m. – 12 a.m. EDT

Learn Moreabout Great American State Fair

Soaring Into America’s 250th

NASA will mark America’s 250th anniversary with a series of special aircraft flyovers. The planned schedule of appearances is as follows:

• July 3-5:The Great American State Fair, Washington, D.C.
• July 4:Salute to America: The Nation’s 250th Birthday Fireworks Celebration, Washington, D.C.
• July 23-24:EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
• Aug. 23:Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.
• Oct. 3-4:Pacific Air Show, Huntington Beach, California
• Oct. 31-Nov. 1:Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Houston Air Show

Links to external sites are provided for informational purposes and do not imply NASA’s endorsement.

NASA Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday

Celebrating the Triumph of the American Spirit

As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, Artemis II is another step toward new U.S.-crewed missions on the Moon’s surface that will help the agency prepare to send the first astronauts, Americans, to Mars.

The Rocket’s Red Glare

NASA’s “Rocket’s Red Glare” emblem to celebrate America’s 250th birthday evokes “The Star-Spangled Banner’s” powerful imagery of rockets illuminating the night sky. America was forged by fearless explorers, and NASA boldly carries that legacy forward by leading mankind into the stars. Here, the first airplanes soared, transforming the world forever. Here, we launched Americans into the final frontier and were the first to plant our beloved flag on the Moon. As we mark this milestone, we’re charging back to the Moon, pioneering cutting-edge aircraft, and expanding the frontiers of science and exploration.

Honoring a Legacy of Exploration

The patch honors America’s 250th anniversary of declaring independence, establishing a sovereign nation. The theme of NASA’s celebration is “Rocket’s Red Glare” which references the iconic lyric within “The Star-Spangled Banner,” our national anthem. NASA/Joel Kowsky

NASA’s Artemis II Patch Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday

NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, left, Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, pose for a picture showing the Freedom 250 Commemorative Patch on their flight suits, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Joel Kowsky

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