Professor Brian Cox fulfils a childhood dream by going behind the scenes at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), mission control for Mars 2020 – one of the most ambitious missions ever launched that may finally reveal if life ever existed on the red planet. In 1980, a young Brian Cox wrote to JPL asking for photos from some of their missions to the planets. The pictures they sent him from Voyager and the Viking mission to Mars were a source of inspiration that set him on the path to becoming a physicist. Now, over 40 years later, he has been granted privileged access to JPL, including key mission areas that are usually off-limits to film crews. Brian spends a week following the team who guide the Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter - the first powered aircraft ever sent to another planet - across the surface of Mars during a critical stage of the mission. Perseverance's goal is to search for signs of long extinct life on the surface of Mars in an area called Jezero Crater, which, 3.8 billion years ago, was filled by a vast lake. If it finds evidence of that life, it could change everything we know about life in the universe - and even transform our understanding of our own origins.
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Born of the Cold War, NASA moves stridently from disastrous rocket tests to the glorious conclusion of the Gemini Program. We experience the massive challenges of sending a man into space and how, despite many setbacks, the astronauts proved that the key element to exploration would be human resourcefulness, in space as well as on the ground. NASA veterans describe these early missions as the hardest of all - the first, uncertain steps towards a new frontier. Building on the success of the pioneering Mercury program, Project Gemini gives NASA the experience and confidence to take the next giant leap - to land men on the Moon.
S1E1 • The Space Age: NASA's Story • 2009 • Astronomy
From the raging inferno of the Sun to the icy beauty of Pluto, experts investigate the secrets that have lingered in the Solar System for billions of years in cutting-edge missions to infinity and beyond.
S2E4 • Mysteries of our Universe: Our Solar System • 2021 • Astronomy
A Beautiful Planet is a breathtaking cinematic journey that offers a rare perspective of our planet as seen from space. Narrated by Jennifer Lawrence and filmed in stunning IMAX 3D, the documentary takes audiences aboard the International Space Station alongside NASA astronauts. Through awe-inspiring visuals, it showcases Earth’s vibrant landscapes, diverse ecosystems, and the delicate balance that sustains life. The film not only highlights the planet’s natural beauty but also draws attention to the environmental challenges we face, including deforestation, pollution, and climate change. By juxtaposing scenes of Earth’s splendor with the visible impacts of human activity, the film delivers a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to protect our home. More than just a space documentary, it is a moving call for global unity and stewardship of the planet.
2016 • Astronomy
The most amazing images of the universe captured by the space telescope, and a look at plans to launch a new and more advanced satellite in 2018. In this updated version of "Hubble's Amazing Journey” we reveal some of Hubble's latest observations: It has produced some of the most awe-inspiring images ever taken of the universe. But what is often forgotten about the Hubble Space Telescope is that after its launch 25 years ago it was originally labelled an embarrassing and expensive flop.
2016 • Astronomy
NASA has taken us to the outer reaches of our Solar System, but there are still many mysteries to explore. New probes are being designed to look at our sun, the deep oceans of icy moons, and perhaps even our closest neighboring system - Alpha Centauri.
S1E6 • Space Probes • 2016 • Astronomy
Space scientist Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock continues her search for alien life with a grand tour of our solar system. Could any other planets or moons out there be habitable?
S1E2 • Royal Institution Christmas Lectures: Is There Life Beyond Earth? • 2025 • Astronomy