Air & Space Magazine

What Air & Space Magazine does

Air & Space Magazine is a content section within Smithsonian Magazine, the flagship publication of the Smithsonian Institution — a federally-chartered trust instrumentality established in 1846. The publication covers aviation and spaceflight history, military and commercial aviation, space exploration, and aerospace museum developments, and is editorially tied to the Space History Division of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. It was founded as part of the Smithsonian Magazine platform (firmographics date the publication to 1986; the parent magazine launched in 1970) and is operated out of Washington, D.C.

The core product is an editorial web destination and email newsletter housed on the Smithsonian Magazine digital infrastructure, with content freely accessible at airspacemag.com. Distribution is powered by Salesforce Marketing Cloud for daily and weekday email newsletters, with archival photography and exclusive museum imagery supplied through the National Air and Space Museum tie-in. Underlying technology is a standard CMS publication stack on SmithsonianMag.com; no proprietary product, app, or AI capability is disclosed.

The business model is direct-to-consumer subscription-based, bundled into Smithsonian Magazine subscriptions sold via subscribe.smithsonianmag.com (with annual billing, gift options, and member benefits). Revenue mechanics include recurring subscription fees, ancillary income from the Smithsonian member ecosystem (Store, Journeys travel program), and potential advertising — though no subscriber counts, churn, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed. The firmographics report 1-10 employees directly attributable to the publication, and the target readers are aviation and space enthusiasts followed by educators, students, and researchers. The publication is not a separate legal entity, is not venture-backed, and is not publicly traded; it operates as a content vertical within the Smithsonian Institution's nonprofit publishing operation.

Name

Air & Space Magazine

Legal name

Smithsonian Magazine

Website

https://airspacemag.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Air & Space Magazine is a Smithsonian-published editorial section covering aviation and spaceflight history, distributed via Smithsonian Magazine subscriptions, its website, and Salesforce Marketing Cloud-powered email newsletters to aviation enthusiasts and educators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Journalism and Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Gaming Magazines (MPAJAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

Keywords

• Aerospace journalism
• Aviation history
• Spaceflight reporting
• Museum publishing
• Digital magazine

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: The magazine generates revenue through paid subscriptions to Smithsonian Magazine, which includes access to Air & Space Magazine content. Subscriptions are available in print and digital formats.
2. Digital Content and Newsletter Services: The publication leverages digital content delivery through email newsletters powered by Salesforce Marketing Cloud, serving as both a value-add for subscribers and a potential engagement driver.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Air & Space Magazine is a publication section within Smithsonian Magazine that produces editorial content covering aviation history, spaceflight, military aviation, commercial airlines, aerospace technology, and museum news. It delivers this content through the SmithsonianMag.com website, daily email newsletters powered by Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and is bundled with Smithsonian Magazine print and digital subscriptions.

Product overview

Air & Space Magazine is a single publication offering under Smithsonian Magazine focused on aviation and aerospace content. The magazine features articles covering topics including NASA photography, aircraft carrier operations, commercial aviation, military aircraft, space exploration, and aviation history. Content is organized under the Smithsonian Magazine umbrella alongside other sections such as Smart News, History, Science, Innovation, Arts & Culture, and Travel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Air & Space Magazine Editorial publication section within Smithsonian Magazine that produces articles on aviation history, spaceflight, military aviation, commercial airlines, aerospace technology, NASA photography, aircraft carriers, and pioneering pilots, targeting individual aviation and space enthusiasts.
• Smithsonian Magazine Subscription (includes Air & Space Magazine access) Print and digital subscription product sold through subscribe.smithsonianmag.com that bundles Smithsonian Magazine content with Air & Space Magazine editorial coverage. Includes gift subscriptions, renewals, and Smithsonian Institution membership tiers.
• Daily and Weekday Email Newsletters Email newsletter product that delivers the latest Air & Space Magazine stories to subscribers' inboxes, distributed via Salesforce Marketing Cloud infrastructure.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and support.

• Smithsonian MagazinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAir & Space Magazine operates as a content section within Smithsonian Magazine, the flagship publication of the Smithsonian Institution. The partnership provides editorial infrastructure, distribution channels, and marketing platforms. The magazine is closely aligned with the Space History Division of the National Air and Space Museum.
• National Air and Space MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe magazine maintains editorial ties with the Space History Division of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, providing exclusive access to museum exhibitions, conservation efforts, and institutional content. Museum staff contribute expertise and content.
• Smithsonian StoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCross-promotional partnership offering merchandise and products related to aviation and space themes. The Smithsonian Store link appears alongside magazine content.
• Smithsonian JourneysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSister travel program offering aerospace-themed tours that complement magazine content. Featured on the magazine website's 'Our Partners' section.
• Salesforce Marketing CloudsupportTechnology or IntegrationEmail newsletter infrastructure provider used for delivering daily and weekday email newsletters to subscribers. Noted in the website footer as the email platform powering the newsletter service.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Flying Magazine: Consumer aviation magazine covering pilot topics, aircraft reviews, and aviation culture; directly comparable subscription model and enthusiast target audience with aviation-specific focus.
• Smithsonian Magazine: Air & Space operates as a content section within Smithsonian Magazine itself; both share infrastructure, distribution, and subscription bundling, making Smithsonian Magazine the closest analog by every dimension except topical focus.
• Aerospace America: AIAA's flagship publication covering aerospace engineering, policy, and research; comparable niche focus on aerospace topics with institutional sponsorship and subscription revenue model.
• Aviation Week & Space Technology: Long-established trade publication covering aviation, aerospace, and defense industries; directly comparable topical focus on aerospace news and analysis, though oriented toward industry professionals rather than enthusiasts.
• Air & Space Forces Magazine: Published by the Air & Space Forces Association, this magazine covers military aviation and space operations with institutional backing, making it a direct peer in both topical focus and institutional publishing model.
• BBC Sky at Night Magazine: British monthly magazine covering astronomy and space exploration with strong institutional brand backing (BBC); comparable subscription model, enthusiast audience, and space-expertise focus.

Broad incumbents

• National Geographic Magazine: A flagship science, history, and exploration magazine from a globally recognized institution (National Geographic Society), operating a similar subscription-based model covering science and exploration topics with premium photography and brand authority.
• Popular Mechanics: Mainstream science and technology magazine covering aviation, space, and engineering topics for a general enthusiast audience; overlaps in content categories but with a broader technology focus.
• Scientific American: Long-running science magazine covering technology, space, and engineering with subscription-based revenue and authoritative editorial voice; comparable institutional credibility and audience overlap.

Emerging players

• Space.com: Digital-first space news and exploration site covering astronomy, spaceflight, and space industry developments; directly comparable topical focus but operates in digital-only format without Smithsonian's institutional backing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/airspacemag
• Facebookfacebook.com/AirSpaceMag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Air & Space Magazine