Prepare for takeoff with this stunning high-definition six-part series that tells the story in an epic effort from NASA. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the space agency, to continue the mission of John Glenn Mercury to orbit the earth, the historic first steps on the moon Neil Armstrong, unprecedented spacewalk to repair Hubble stories, and more!
Celebrate the greatest missions of humanity with stories that are literally out of this world, shown in stunning clarity and told the astronauts and engineers who were there, including exclusive interviews with the astronauts known as John Glenn, Buzz Aldrin and Charlie Duke, more recently-digitized images of the original mission of the secret film vaults of NASA.
Ordinary Supermen – NASA selects seven men to become the first astronauts, all test pilots who are willing to risk their lives. No one has ever survived a vertical launch on top of a rocket, but it is believed that the only way to put an astronaut into Earth orbit. NASA and U.S. astronauts, the Mercury seven, are on a journey into the unknown. Six of the men travel into space, each launch taking NASA further forward in their struggle to conquer the cosmos.
Friends and Rivals – Nine new astronauts arrive at NASA. Their mission? Proof of all necessary procedures for land men on the moon and bring them safely to land. Each Gemini mission launches two men in space, leading to some of the best moments of NASA: Ed White’s spacewalk, the first encounter orbital Gemini 6 and 7, and the first space docking of Neil Armstrong.
Eagle’s Landing – The Apollo program is set to achieve the ultimate prize of the Space Race, landing men on the moon. However, there is a fire in the pressurized capsule of Apollo 1, resulting in the deaths of three astronauts loved. However, NASA rebounds, launching men into deep space and landing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon.
Explorers – Apollo 13 astronauts placed the ultimate test, returning a damaged spacecraft back safely to earth. Apollo 17 sends man to the longest mission yet to the surface of the moon, but it’s the last lunar mission for generations. Now it’s time for a new phase in the program: converting an unused Saturn V rocket, NASA launches Skylab, America’s first space station.
The Shuttle – In its first 20 years, NASA launches capsules carrying a maximum of three. But new requirements for a larger cargo hold of the system a breakthrough in spacecraft design. The development of the reusable shuttle leads to a revolutionary approach to space travel. Meanwhile, the pioneers of NASA’s manned programs are leading the way in the modern era of the space age.
A home in space – One of the most complex ever built, the Hubble Space Telescope is expected to transform our understanding of the universe. But once that is in orbit NASA discovers a serious problem, a defective main mirror. NASA sends a team of astronauts to fix the problem in its most high-profile mission and from the Apollo era. NASA the confidence to start building the International Space Station.
