To launch like a rocket and land like a plane. The space shuttle: A sci-fi dream that became reality and changed spaceflight forever. Told by the Nasa astronauts, engineers, scientists and support staff who made it happen. Our multi award-winning podcast returns on 14 July 2025 with: 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle. Presented by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. She tells the story of triumph and tragedy, and the human story behind the technology and scientific endeavour. A BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Season 3 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.Archive: Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office.
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3:29
Apollo 13: 7. Resurrection
“I still have nightmares about this.” Can the crew survive the dangers of re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere? An error could see them either incinerated or becoming lost forever in deep space. #13MinutestotheMoon
For more Apollo films and photos: www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes
Presented by Kevin Fong.
Archive: Nasa
Starring
Jim Lovell
John Aaron
Dave Reed
Hal Loden
Jerry Bostick
Jim Kelly
Fred Haise
Charlie Duke
Joe Kerwin
Gene Kranz, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project
Chuck Dietrich
Marilyn Lovell
Gerry Griffin
Written by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-Baker
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music
BBC Radio Science Unit for the BBC World Service
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1:00:31
Apollo 13: Bonus 2. John Aaron
Special episode with Nasa legend, flight controller John Aaron.
This extended interview ranges from John first learning about the explosion, to
his doubts and fears during Apollo 13¹s descent through the Earth¹s
atmosphere. #13MinutestotheMoon
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers
Music
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39:47
Apollo 13: Bonus 1. Jim Lovell
Special episode with Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell. An extended interview.
The true space pioneer talks to Kevin Fong about everything from the shocking moment of the explosion to the enormous relief of the splashdown.
#13MinutestotheMoon
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music
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41:13
Apollo 13: 6. Earth in view
The crew are off course, 200,000 miles from home and without a guidance computer. Their lives now depend on their flying skills - and Jim Lovell’s wristwatch. #13MinutestotheMoon
For more Apollo films and photos: www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes
Presented by Kevin Fong.
Archive: Nasa
Starring
Chuck Deiterich
Jim Lovell
Poppy Northcutt
Fred Haise
Jim Kelly
John Aaron
Joe Kerwin
Written by Kevin Fong and Chris Browning
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music
BBC Radio Science Unit for the 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.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 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.
Listen to 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle, Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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