13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle podcast

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

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.

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.

 

#38

The Space Shuttle: 10. Return to flight

The space shuttle is back. Discovery stands waiting on launchpad 39B at Kennedy Space Cent... more

15 Sep 2025

32 MINS

32:58

15 Sep 2025


#37

The Space Shuttle: 9. What is it all for?

Is human spaceflight worth the risk? It’s a time of soul searching for the whole shuttle c... more

08 Sep 2025

38 MINS

38:29

08 Sep 2025


#36

The Space Shuttle: 8. A major malfunction

The Challenger tragedy shocks a nation, as millions watch on TV screens across the USA. S... more

01 Sep 2025

51 MINS

51:12

01 Sep 2025


#35

The Space Shuttle: 7. Teacher in space

Nasa needs to kick-start new interest in the space shuttle. After multiple missions, publi... more

25 Aug 2025

43 MINS

43:28

25 Aug 2025


#34

The Space Shuttle: 6. Satellite for sale

Can the crew rescue the million-dollar space satellite lost in orbit? Two car-sized satell... more

18 Aug 2025

45 MINS

45:11

18 Aug 2025


#33

The Space Shuttle: 5. Space truck

President Ronald Reagan declares the space shuttle open for business. It’s Independence Da... more

11 Aug 2025

43 MINS

43:52

11 Aug 2025


#32

The Space Shuttle: 4. The 35 new guys

Nasa recruits women and ethnic minorities for the first time to its astronaut class. In th... more

04 Aug 2025

43 MINS

43:09

04 Aug 2025


#31

The Space Shuttle: 3. Glass rocket

Columbia reaches orbit. But astronaut Bob Crippen discovers that the shuttle has been dama... more

28 Jul 2025

45 MINS

45:55

28 Jul 2025


#30

The Space Shuttle: 2. The greatest test flight

The astronauts count down to flying a brand-new spacecraft for the very first time. If the... more

21 Jul 2025

43 MINS

43:15

21 Jul 2025


#29

The Space Shuttle: 1. The spaceplane

Can Nasa build the most complex flying machine in space history? The plan is to create a p... more

14 Jul 2025

43 MINS

43:55

14 Jul 2025


#28

Introducing: The Space Shuttle

To launch like a rocket and land like a plane. The space shuttle: A sci-fi dream that beca... more

25 Jun 2025

03 MINS

03:29

25 Jun 2025


#27

Apollo 13: 7. Resurrection

Can the Apollo 13 crew survive re-entering Earth’s atmosphere aboard the revived Odyssey s... more

07 Jun 2020

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:31

07 Jun 2020


#26

Apollo 13: Bonus 2. John Aaron

Nasa flight controller John Aaron talks to Kevin Fong about the ill-fated Apollo mission, ... more

16 Apr 2020

39 MINS

39:47

16 Apr 2020


#25

Apollo 13: Bonus 1. Jim Lovell

Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell talks to Kevin Fong about the doomed Nasa mission, from the... more

14 Apr 2020

41 MINS

41:13

14 Apr 2020


#24

Apollo 13: 6. Earth in view

The Apollo 13 spacecraft goes off course. With no computer to guide them, the astronauts m... more

12 Apr 2020

31 MINS

31:05

12 Apr 2020


#23

Apollo 13: 5. Life support

Nasa mission control helps Apollo 13’s cold, exhausted astronauts survive deadly carbon di... more

05 Apr 2020

34 MINS

34:36

05 Apr 2020


#22

Apollo 13: 4. Power brokers

Apollo astronauts freeze in darkness, struggling to save power. If the battery dies, so do... more

29 Mar 2020

45 MINS

45:05

29 Mar 2020


#21

Apollo 13: 3. Lifeboat

The Apollo 13 astronauts escape to the lunar module, but their problems are far from over.... more

23 Mar 2020

44 MINS

44:49

23 Mar 2020