13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle
BBC World Service
Epic space stories. From the first Moon landing, to Apollo 13, to the Space Shuttle. Told by the people who made them happen.NEW: Season 3: The Space Shuttle. A sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever. From the boldest test flight in history to one of Nasa’s darkest days – the Challenger disaster. Space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock tells the awe-inspiring story of the programme that brought triumph and tragedy. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. Season 2: Apollo 13. Apollo 13 should have been the third Moon landing, but after an explosion, it almost ended in tragedy. Told by the people who flew it and saved it. Presented and co-written by Kevin Fong.Season 1: 13 Minutes to the Moon. The first Moon landing. In the final dramatic 13-minute descent to the Moon, the Apollo 11 mission came close to going badly wrong. Communication was breaking down, technology was failing and fuel was running out. This is the story of how the first Moon landing was saved. Presented by Kevin Fong.13 Minutes is produced by the BBC Audio Science Unit for the BBC World Service. Season 3 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 2, 2019 • 46min
13 Minutes to the Moon: 4. Fire to the Phoenix
Former NASA astronauts, flight directors, and engineers discuss the Apollo program, focusing on the tragic fire of Apollo 1 and the successful test mission of Apollo 7. They delve into the challenges faced, lack of leadership, and the emotional impact of the fire. The chapter also explores the vital role of the Apollo guidance computer in the moon landing.
14 snips
May 26, 2019 • 43min
13 Minutes to the Moon: 3. Long Island Eagle
Exploring the unique design and history of the Apollo Lunar Module, the challenges faced during the design process, the engineering decisions that defined its appearance, and the dedication of the Long Island engineers who built it under pressure. Delving into the weight reduction challenges, training of astronauts for piloting the module, and the protective insulation installed to safeguard the spacecraft and crew.
30 snips
May 19, 2019 • 48min
13 Minutes to the Moon: 2. Kids in control
Crisis strikes Apollo 11. The Moon landing is threatened when an alarm goes off. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are minutes from the lunar surface when the spacecraft computer flashes error code 1202. It’s a major test for Nasa mission control - average age just 26. Flight controller Steve Bales must decide if the Moon landing can proceed. Can he and his team save this epic spaceflight in time? These engineers, scientists, controllers and programmers are the unsung heroes who worked behind the scenes to make one of history’s greatest space missions possible.Hosted by Kevin Fong.Starring:
Steve Bales
Charlie Duke
John Aaron
Glynn Lunney
Gerry Griffin
Jerry Bostick
Gene Kranz courtesy of the Johnson Space Center History Office Archive: Johnson Space Center History OfficeTheme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music#13MinutestotheMoon
www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes
46 snips
May 12, 2019 • 45min
13 Minutes to the Moon: 1. ‘We choose to go’, Apollo 11
President John F. Kennedy boldly vows that America will land the first astronaut on the Moon by the end of the 1960s. It’s the height of the Cold War. But with superpower rival the Soviet Union leading the space race, after launching the first human spaceflight, the odds seem stacked against them. The Apollo programme, the USA’s daring answer to the race to the Moon, is an epic journey of innovation and exploration. Can Nasa change the course of space history?Hosted by Kevin Fong.Starring:
Michael Collins
Steve Bales
Margaret Hamilton
Jim Lovell
Charlie DukeTheme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music#13MinutestotheMoon
www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutesThis episode was updated on 14 May 2019.
Apr 29, 2019 • 5min
13 Minutes to the Moon: Trailer, T-minus 1
The final part of our audio countdown to the launch of 13 Minutes to the Moon, with Kevin Fong. Lift off is on 13 May 2019.
Apr 26, 2019 • 39sec
13 Minutes to the Moon: Trailer, T-minus 2
Hans Zimmer has composed the 13 Minutes to the Moon theme music. It is the first time the Grammy and Academy Award winner has created music for a podcast.
Apr 22, 2019 • 3min
13 Minutes to the Moon: Trailer, T-minus 3
Introducing 13 Minutes to the Moon, with Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham and former Apollo engineer Poppy Northcutt - the first woman to work as an engineer in an operational support role in NASA's Mission Control.
Apr 12, 2019 • 22sec
13 Minutes to the Moon: Trailer, T-minus 4
The countdown begins. The story of Apollo 11 – coming soon.
