Discover what makes re-entry into our atmosphere so challenging and relive some of the most perilous returns to Earth
Get the inside story of NASA’s early victories and failures, through firsthand accounts and rarely seen mission footage
2020 • Astronomy
Discover what makes re-entry into our atmosphere so challenging and relive some of the most perilous returns to Earth
2020 • Astronomy
Relive some of the most unexpected accidents in spaceflight and meet the astronauts who had to fix them on the fly
2020 • Astronomy
See how little things like a stripped screw or a faulty toilet can become big emergencies when they happen in space.
2020 • Astronomy
Flying through bad weather can be a harrowing experience, and for NASA, it can be doubly unnerving, as violent storms can strike from below the atmosphere or above it. Witness the true power of nature in space and on Earth as astronauts and ground crews battle to overcome the elements, including a severe lightning strike that crippled Apollo 12's computer system, the freezing temps that compromised the Space Shuttle Challenger, and the tempest of space debris that sent a dead satellite on a collision course with the International Space Station.
2020 • Astronomy
There’s a reason rocket science is used as a benchmark for difficulty. See why as we examine great liftoff disasters.
2020 • Astronomy
Astronaut Mike Massimino reveals the mysterious secrets of the moon, a world permanently tied to Earth; using new research, he uncovers the mysterious origin of the moon and how it kick-started life on Earth.
S1E8 • The Planets (US) • 2017 • Astronomy
Planets that orbit two suns instead of one might be deadly hell worlds, but new discoveries reveal that sci-fi star systems with binary stars might be optimal places for alien life.
S6E2 • How the Universe Works • 2018 • Astronomy
A look at the continuing evolution of the cosmos. What our existence tells us about the universe and how complicated it is. Why are things the way that they are? The spacecraft Artemis initiates launch sequence and begins its 4.7 light year journey to Minerva B - an Earth-like exoplanet.
2/4 • Living Universe • 2018 • Astronomy
Dark matter and dark energy are locked in an epic battle for control of the cosmos, and the winner will determine the fate of the universe. New discoveries might reveal which force will emerge victorious.
S7E7 • How the Universe Works • 2019 • Astronomy
In just one generation, our ability to search for planets beyond our solar system has transformed. With modern techniques and telescopes, planetary scientists have found thousands of exoplanets in our universe, and many of them have the perfect conditions for life. Are we about to find Earth’s twin?
Recent discoveries could explain how supermassive black holes grow so big, one of the universe's most mysterious questions. Neither dark matter nor cannibalism can fully explain these monsters, but the latest science might finally provide an answer.
S5E3 • How the Universe Works • 2016 • Astronomy