When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions

When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions

2008, Science  -    -  Playlist 55 Comments
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Ratings: 9.13/10 from 184 users.

Prepare for lift-off with this stunning, high-definition six-part series chronicling the inside story of NASA's most epic endeavors. Commemorating the space agency's 50th anniversary, follow John Glenn's Mercury mission to orbit the earth, Neil Armstrong's first historic steps on the moon, unprecedented spacewalks to repair the Hubble stories, and more!

Celebrate mankind's greatest missions with stories that are literally out of this world, shown in stunning clarity and told by the astronauts and engineers who were there, including exclusive interviews with celebrated astronauts such as John Glenn, Buzz Aldrin and Charlie Duke, plus newly-digitized, original mission footage from NASA's secret film vaults.

Ordinary Supermen - NASA selects seven men to become the first astronauts, all test pilots who are prepared to risk their lives. No one has ever survived a vertical launch on top of a rocket, but it's believed to be the only way to put an astronaut into earth orbit. NASA and America's first astronauts, the Mercury Seven, are on a journey into the unknown. Six of the men ride into space, each launch taking NASA further forward in their quest to conquer the cosmos.

Friends and Rivals - Nine new astronauts arrive at NASA. Their mission? Test all of the procedures required to land men on the moon and bring them safely back to earth. Each Gemini mission launches two men into space, leading to some of NASA's greatest moments: Ed White's spacewalk, the first orbital rendezvous of Gemini 6 and 7, and Neil Armstrong's first space docking.

Landing the Eagle - The Apollo program is set to achieve the ultimate prize of the Space Race, landing men on the moon. But a fire breaks out in the pressurized capsule of Apollo 1, resulting in the deaths of three beloved astronauts. However, NASA rebounds, launching men into deep space and landing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon.

The Explorers - Apollo 13 puts the astronauts to the ultimate test, returning a damaged spacecraft back safely to earth. Apollo 17 sends man for the longest mission yet to the surface of the moon, but it's the last lunar mission for generations. Now, it's time for a new phase in the program: converting an unused Saturn V rocket, NASA launches Skylab, America's first space-station.

The Shuttle - For its first 20 years, NASA launches capsules carrying a maximum of three people. But new requirements for a bigger cargo bay prompt a breakthrough in spacecraft design. The development of the re-usable shuttle leads to a revolutionary approach to space travel. Meanwhile, the pioneers of NASA's manned programs are leading the way into the modern era of the space-age.

A Home In Space - One of the most complex instruments ever built, the Hubble Space Telescope is expected to transform our understanding of the Universe. But once it is in orbit NASA discovers a serious problem, a defective main mirror. NASA sends a team of astronauts to fix the problem in its greatest and highest profile mission since the Apollo era. It gives NASA the confidence to begin construction on the International Space Station.

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Solatle
Solatle
6 months ago

Man on the Moon is like mooning the mankind.

fatarse
fatarse
1 year ago

The people watching to rockets takeoff get fatter and fatter

Ghost of Christmas Past
Ghost of Christmas Past
2 years ago

Putting men on the moon was a political stunt but also one of mankind's greatest technical achievements. Why do so many of he citizens of the US want to deny it ever happened?
We gained much knowledge from the journey, which has spawned many thousands of technologies we all take for granted today as well as many engineering and scientific discoveries made by those who were enthralled by the space program. If very little from the destination (as with all things in life).
Poverty and unfairness was not caused by the space program and neither could it be solved by it. You need to look in other directions if you want to understand why poverty is still the stain on humanity that it is and why people do not value intelligence.
This was one time the US really harnessed what it could do with its intellectual might (the other being the Manhattan Project) and you think the space program was a waste of time and money? Imagine what could be achieved by the US if it could get itself together and work toward a common goal again in modern times? You would be so far advanced beyond the rest of the world you would have nothing to fear and even perhaps deal with those old intractable issues of poverty and hunger.
How great would it be if the people of the US were united again? Those who foster division within your society are the those who belittle your nation and exploit your people. Save your vitriol for them not for the achievements that made you great. Education is the key, otherwise you are doomed to be lambs to the slaughter for evil people who treat humans as animals to be farmed for the money they can generate like Zuckerberg and Bezos. Feed your mind and free your nation or forever be a tool to make the few rich while many suffer and go hungry in a land of plenty.
Now China is chasing you and taking many of the technologies the US created and proved in concept back in the days of the space race when the feeling was the US could achieve anything. But it was squandered through greed and myopic desperation for internal power.
Look at every dynasty or empire in history, they all go through the same stages. They all rise through being united and fall through being divided. You are now falling and it's a long way down from the moon.

JSMITH
JSMITH
2 years ago

''stunning high definition video''? at 240P? !

swift foetus
swift foetus
7 years ago

it's not rocket science

Michel Polnicky
Michel Polnicky
7 years ago

I'm against all space mission's, the common man doesn't benefit from them at all, what have you got out of the moon rock's...nothing some have seen them...so what ? It wasn't a life changing experience was it, all the money's that are spent for those mission's is a total waste of money and we have a space srapyard, if the money's of one single mission was spent on feeding the hungry, cleaning up the banks of rivers, planting trees where logging company's clean cut forest's etc etc...the world were living in would be a much better place. apparently they found water on mars who the hell cares....water means life do we actually want critters from there as small as they might be ? I sure as hell don't.
We should take care of our blue planet and the people on it and not by raging wars. the fact is we already hate what earth can produce in one year so now were eating on credit seem's to me that we should address that before anything else.
Think it's not illegal yet !

George
George
7 years ago

Nobody has gone back in 45 years, despite great technological advances since the 1970's. Not China. Not Russia. Not India. Not USA. Nobody even considers going back.

We have no pictures of the vehicles, etc left on the moon. Nothing but distant & blurry "tracks". In 2016? Time to be skeptical, folks. We should see images that prove beyond doubt the landings. Where are they?

anthony
anthony
8 years ago

Of course the moon landing was a hoax, didn't you know that the nazi's found the fountain of youth and we had to fly the lot of them out there, now go see chariots of the gods so you will believe that alien's came to earth to help us brain dead earth folk's put up the pyramids. Psss by the was did you know hulk hogan was really Anna nicole Smith !! have you ever seen a photo of the too of them together? nooo

soffig
soffig
9 years ago

Half way through and all that endless overblown in your face music is getting really tiring! Just quiet down and tell me what happened, it should be exciting enough without trying to hack into my emotions!

Richard Neva
Richard Neva
9 years ago

The Hoax of the Moon Landing. How could they include that travesty in this Documentary? I don't believe any of it because of that flaw!

Dan Hill
Dan Hill
12 years ago

The Hubble can't see that far...? Then what is it there for. The moon is the closest planetary object to earth... When you look at the moon through a good pair of binoculars, or a powerful store bought telescope, you can see clearly the craters on the moon of all sizes, it gives you goose bumps...But Hubble can't zero in on 6 landing sites. It sounds like an excuse. It would make sense that NASA wouldn't point it's telescopes at the moon "In search of history" if that history never existed. The only proof we have of manned moon landings are media from 40 years ago, all of which has been scrutinized and found to be suspicious. You would think that NASA would send robot cameras to the moon to revisit these historical sites not only to prove the conspiracy theorists wrong but to allow "Great Americans" a rekindling of pride. Just think how powerful that doc. would be!

Daryl Walters
Daryl Walters
12 years ago

Great doc!

Matt Kukowski
Matt Kukowski
12 years ago

The GREATEST real story of modern times. Watch it and be on the edge of your seat the WHOLE FREAKIN TIME. It is like watching a block buster hollywood movie...only it was all REAL. Talk about REALITY TV!

Mikael Berg
Mikael Berg
12 years ago

watched from episode 1 here on youtube. i cannot describe in words the joy and appreciation i feel towards the uploaders and makers of this doc series. the ending brought a well-deserved tear to my eye!

love, from sweden!

tanzanos
tanzanos
13 years ago

Gagarin went into orbit, Sheppard went into sub orbital.

artpelleyandson
artpelleyandson
13 years ago

One of the most well done docs I have seen. It is up there with miricle planet and others. A must see film

Joseph Carl Ruger
Joseph Carl Ruger
13 years ago

NASA, it would be nice if it wasn't a US government agency. But it is, so this dose of propaganda was scrutinized and edited to sway our allegiance and admiration for the well done work of our heroic patriots. If it highlighted the international space station's other member countries and mentioned what was contributed by each one, I'd feel a little more warm and fuzzy. U.S., it's always about US

Guest
Guest
13 years ago

Agree with @over the edge:
An object 4 meters (4:37yards) across. Would be approx. 0.002 arcsec in size for Hubble. The highest resolution for Hubble is 0.03 arcsec. So the moon landings would only appear as a dot for Hubble.

Arnold Vinette
Arnold Vinette
13 years ago

After I watched the documentary on the possible fictitious moon landing it has kind of ruined the whole space program for me. I was quite happy when I was ignorant of the possible truth. Kinda of like the myth of Santa Claus. Who really wants to hear the truth and ruin all the fun.

This is a great series on the United States and Russian space programs, which lead to some great projects of man exploring space and working in space. Whether or not man actually landed on the moon, since then the United States and Russian space programs have done some great work with the shuttle program, the Hubble Space telescope, and the International Space Station.

If the first United States moon landing was actually faked because of the extreme danger of the mission and lack of technology at that time in history, then future generations look forward to a REAL landing on the moon that will be equally dramatic and exciting. I will not hold this against NASA as many times in history governments will tell their employees to do things and keep their mouths quiet. It happens all the time.

However to put this question to rest the Hubble Space telescope should be pointed at the moon to reveal the landing sites of all the Apollo moon missions. If NASA cannot do this then the US Moon landings really did not occur.

I really liked the music in this series that is very high energy and go go go!

Thanks for adding this documentary series.

Everyday there is something new and great to watch!

Arnold Vinette
Ottawa, Canada

Guest
Guest
13 years ago

They already had 6 manned missions. What is there to accomplish by more Moon missions.

Van Allen belts and all the other Moon conspiracy that the conspiracy Moon nuts spout has all been put to rest by countless comments and evidence on all the Moon docs. here on TDF.

The unbelievers can look them up for themselves!

oddsrhuge
oddsrhuge
13 years ago

To this day, a trip to moon isn't even considered. Why is this? And:

@Ramus73 but the US can STILL afford two wars of aggression.....awesome use of resources.

Allow me to be the the first to chant USA, USA!

oddsrhuge
oddsrhuge
13 years ago

But, why we still go into space, and only go about 300 miles away doesn't explain why we don't have regular shuttle missions to the moon... I mean cmon?

It's all about profit, no?

Ramus73
Ramus73
13 years ago

The reason America doesn't go back to the moon is a) It doesn't want a PR disaster of astronauts dying and b) It can't afford it. All the while the media and currency rule modern society there will be no significant advances.

@Achems I always wondered why "Achems" and not Ockhams?

oddsrhuge
oddsrhuge
13 years ago

wow I have to stay out of another argument... oh what the heck...lets do it...

My only point here, is the Achems, has a point and the US had a mission and a lot of money.

Guest
Guest
13 years ago

Finished the first part, will continue on with this great doc leading up to the 6 manned moon landings, by total of 12 astronauts.

@Pozzimystic: Yes, can say Van Allen radiation belts, so what? And if you have something to add to that, better make it good, its old hat. Already been explained many times. And that is something I ain't going to argue about!

1perspective
1perspective
13 years ago

wow just watched the 4 hrs straight through really inspiring stuff.
humans have so much potential to be great and all that seems to hold us back is when we start to become complacent as this doc shows.

thanks for another top doc vlat.

POZZIMYSTIC
POZZIMYSTIC
13 years ago

in the Movie a funny thing happened on the way to the moon, The astronauts are " exposed faking the whole moon landing! I am not going to argue this with anyone! Watch the movie and try to explain that away. can you say Van allen radiation belt

kiokio23
kiokio23
13 years ago

Just the begining is already f.ing epic.
Grat one