Space Exploration: Then & Now
15 Clips
From Apollo 13 to Space Shuttle Columbia, explore the wonders of space exploration and the unsung heroes who dedicated their lives to such extraordinary feats.
Playlist
Scientists Reveal First-Ever Photograph of a Black Hole
From: Black Hole Hunters
- 2m 55s
- HD
After years of planning by over 200 international scientists, the data purported to show the first ever image of a black hole is ready. The team gathers for the big reveal - it's a seismic moment in astrophysics.
Stephen Hawking's Stark Warning for Humans to Leave Earth
From: Leaving Earth: Or How to Colonize a Planet
- 2m 59s
- HD
In one of his final on-camera appearances, iconic physicist Stephen Hawking issued a warning to humanity about the existential threats we face and how our survival depends on colonizing another planet.
Why Russian Domination in Space Was a Worry for the U.S.
From: The Day We Walked on the Moon
- 3m 14s
- HD
Sputnik I was a landmark event in the space race – but for the U.S., it was also a wake-up call. If the Russians could launch a rocket into space, they could just as easily launch missiles.
How One Picture Would Prove Black Holes Actually Exist
From: Black Hole Hunters
- 3m 3s
- HD
Many scientists believe that black holes make sense in the realm of theoretical physics, but couldn't really exist in real life. Capturing an image of a black hole would change all that.
This Molecule Could Explain the Origin of Life
From: Finding Life in Outer Space
- 3m 22s
- HD
Hydrogen cyanide is a molecule that appears to be at the heart of the creation of life. To create it, scientists need a burst of energy the equivalent of an endless lightning storm.
The World Was Gripped by the Apollo 11 Launch
From: The Day We Walked on the Moon
- 3m 7s
- HD
It was the morning of July 16, 1969; the culmination of a decade-long American quest, first articulated by President John F. Kennedy, to put a man on the moon.
The Colossal Impact of NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery
From: Shuttle Discovery's Last Mission
- 2m 54s
- HD
Space Shuttle Discovery clocked more time in space than any other shuttle and was the catalyst for many historic space firsts - including the mission to deploy the Hubble Space Telescope.
Rovers Give Hope to Mars Colonization Success
From: Smithsonian Spotlight: Space: Bots or Bodies
- 1m 26s
- HD
Space rovers can see more detailed information and travel further than humans. With all the work they're doing on the planet Mars, it's hard not to become attached to the little guys
This Science Experiment Could Help Us Live on Another Planet
From: Leaving Earth: Or How to Colonize a Planet
- 2m 51s
- HD
In 1991, eight people spent two years living in giant, sealed-off glass domes, deep in the Arizona desert. This project, known as Biosphere 2, could be an important case study that helps us survive on an inhospitable alien planet.
We're All Made of Stardust. Here's How.
From: Finding Life in Outer Space
- 3m 23s
- HD
13.8 billion years ago, the universe began with a big bang and the atoms it created would find their way into everything: from celestial stars to the human body.
Remembering Space Shuttle Columbia
From: Space Voyages: Open For Business
- 3m 51s
- HD
In January 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia launched with a crew of seven on a two-week mission. On the return flight, damaged heat shields allowed gas to penetrate the wing, and the spacecraft was destroyed.
Burning $350,000 Worth of Fuel in 500 Seconds
From: Space Voyages: The Moon and Beyond
- 2m 26s
- HD
NASA tests their powerful J-2X rocket engines; burning an Olympic-sized swimming pool worth of fuel every second, this test comes with a hefty price tag of 350,000 dollars.
Three Types of Food You Can Take to Space
From: Space Voyages: Surviving the Void
- 2m 45s
- HD
At the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Skylab 4 commander Gerald Carr visits the duplicate of the spacecraft he once called home.
The Moon Landing Was a Disaster...Almost
From: Space Voyages: The Moon and Beyond
- 4m 20s
- HD
When the lunar module starts guiding Apollo 11 in the wrong direction, experienced astronaut Neil Armstrong has to take manual control and fly the module down to the surface of the Moon.
Ride into Space with This Record-Breaking Amateur Rocket
From: Incredible Flying Jet Packs
- 4m 15s
- HD
In 2004, the GoFast Rocket set a world record by breaking the space barrier and rising to an altitude of 72 miles. A new team of enthusiasts is trying to beat it, and they've attached a camera for launch.
Related Shows
Smithsonian Spotlight
- 28 Episodes
- HD
From Lincoln's hat to a bug named for Liv Tyler, Smithsonian Spotlight examines the gems of the Smithsonian Institution.
Leaving Earth: Or How to Colonize a Planet
- 44m
- HD
From Stephen Hawking's vision to reality, scientists are exploring the process of colonizing an alien world.
Finding Life in Outer Space
- 44m
- HD
Take a journey across space and time as we explore the greatest mystery of the universe: why life exists.
Black Hole Hunters
- 44m
- HD
Span the globe as we track the monumental technological undertaking of capturing the first-ever picture of a black hole.
Incredible Flying Jet Packs
- 51m
- HD
The up-and-down history of the jet pack, why it hasn't taken off, and what engineers are doing to change that.
Space Voyages
- 4 Episodes
- HD
Blast off on a four-part journey through time and space as we explore our history in the cosmos and the voyages to come.
The Day We Walked on the Moon
- 44m
- HD
Revisit the first lunar landing in gripping real-time as we highlight its most perilous and triumphant moments.
Shuttle Discovery's Last Mission
- 46m
- HD
Celebrate the Space Shuttle Discovery's remarkable past and her final flight to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.