Author Topic: Any Space/Atmosphere/Gagarin/Moon programmes you recommend?  (Read 3764 times)

Offline buel

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Hi,
Im a newbie on this wonderful forum and, from what i've read so far, it seems to be full of pleasant like-minded people.
 With this in mind, i thought it would be a good idea for anyone to recommend any related TV programmes/DVDs/Radio programmes to each other on the above subjects that we are all interested in!

What gave me this idea was reading the posts on the James May 'Edge of Space' thread+how people helped 'spread the word', so to speak.

For instance, i have a 3 part Radio programme/documentary from a year ago called 'Atmosphere' (i will check that!) that runs for 3 x 30 minutes+is extremely interesting.
I can provide more details if neccessary.
Many thanks- B













Offline simonbp

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Science Channel's "Moon Machines" is an excellent overview of Apollo, with each episode focusing on a particular part of hardware and the engineers who built it. I highly recommend it.

http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Machines-Robert-Seamans/dp/B0026IQTR2

Discovery's "When We Left Earth" is a less detailed, more comprehensive history of NASA. If you are new spaceflight, it's great introduction.

http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Left-Earth-Missions/dp/B001BEK8CY/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1302642500&sr=1-1
« Last Edit: 04/12/2011 09:09 pm by simonbp »

Offline racshot65

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Agree with Simons recommendations there both fantastic shows

If your in the UK the Hugens probe documentary shown a few days ago is worth a watch ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0109ccd/Destination_Titan/



Offline buel

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Thank you for that Simonbp and Racshot65, i appreciate it!
I have bought the DVD set of 'When We Left Earth' and have watched 2 of the DVDs so far+i find it superb!

I will soon be buying 'Moon Machines' as that looks excellent, thank you for the recommendation!

As for the Hugens Probe documentary, i recorded that on Sunday night+look forward to watching it this weekend! Thank you for that recommendation too.

Just going back to the 'Atmosphere' programme that was on Radio 4 +i have on CD, it has an interview with Col Joe Kittenger, who im sure you're all aware of. I was shocked to hear that he got to 102,800ft before jumping out, 30,000ft higher than a U2 plane!!
I have since ordered the documentary about it called 'The Highest Step in the World' so i look forward to viewing that too.
Ps- if anyone wants a copy of the CD just let me know!



















Offline racshot65

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I like "In the shadow of the moon" as well, have it on Blu Ray.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000X9VU5W/ref=asc_df_B000X9VU5W2566190?smid=A1439D0W87EED3&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22242&creativeASIN=B000X9VU5W

James May on the moon and James May at the edge of space are also worth a watch

They repeat on BBC 4 occasionally
« Last Edit: 04/13/2011 12:12 pm by racshot65 »

Offline buel

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Thank you again!
I have seen 'In the Shadow of the Moon'+i thought it was excellent and even a bit moving! I will have to watch it in Blu-Ray as im sure it will be even better.

I notice that Radio 4 broadcast a documentary on Monday afternoon called 'Random Edition1961' which, apparently, is a 'Special edition programme hosted by Peter Snow marking the 50th anniversary of the first manned Space flight' and features an interview with Gagarin's daughter.
Should be available on iplayer!

Offline Skylab

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Buel,

The BBC had the short series 'Space Race', which was a decent (though dramatised) portrayal.
Link to part 1 here:

(Moderators: if this link is unacceptable, feel free to remove just the link.)

Offline buel

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Thank you for that Skylab, i did come across that a few weeks ago but unfortunately i HATE dramatisations, i really do!!
Yesterday i bought 'For All Mankind' on DVD, any opinions on it?

Offline starbase1

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Thank you for that Skylab, i did come across that a few weeks ago but unfortunately i HATE dramatisations, i really do!!
Yesterday i bought 'For All Mankind' on DVD, any opinions on it?

I thought the video was OK, (though God knows why they had to try and make the leading characters look Hollywood glamourous!), but the book was awfully written.

On a more positive note there are two films which can be unreservedly recommended for accuracy and drama (In my opinion!).

"Apollo 13" had the cast go through some training that the real people went through, Jim Lovell heavily involved, and they even recorded loads of the footage in simulated zero G about the 'vomit comet'! Now that's attention to authenticity for you.

I also really liked "The Right Stuff" centred on the early days of the Mercury program. A rather different take from the excellent book, if you liked one, try the other.

Both are, I suspect, available at bargain prices!

Offline Crispy

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Agree with Simons recommendations there both fantastic shows

If your in the UK the Hugens probe documentary shown a few days ago is worth a watch ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0109ccd/Destination_Titan/


This is excellent - no bombastic narrator. some well chosen background music. scientists talking to camera in their own words. it's tightly focused on the surface science package and the team that put it together. Tells a nice story :) My kind of science TV!

For all Mankind is great - again it's all in their own words and has really nice music by Brian Eno (re-used in the Titan prog actually). It's more of a mood piece though, and won't teach you anything you don't already know about Apollo.

As for "The Right Stuff" - apart from the test flight scenes, it's unbearably corny. Like some sort of government propaganda film about our brave (square jawed, straight teethed, apple pie) boys.
« Last Edit: 04/14/2011 04:24 pm by Crispy »

Offline Skylab

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Re: Any Space/Atmosphere/Gagarin/Moon programmes you recommend?
« Reply #10 on: 04/14/2011 07:17 pm »
Buel, for a somewhat balanced view of both the US and USSR space programmes, perhaps the (now old) 'Red Star in Orbit' tv series is an option. I can't give you a (legal) link to that, though. All others mentioned above have a serious slant towards the US side of things, apart from the Titan one.
Just something to keep in mind.

Offline buel

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Re: Any Space/Atmosphere/Gagarin/Moon programmes you recommend?
« Reply #11 on: 04/15/2011 08:27 pm »
Hi again!
Skylab, thank you for the advice, much appreciated. I dont think i'll bother with the BBC 'Space Race' as dramatisations make me feel sick  :-\
However, 'Red Star in Orbit' sounds intriguing, i really would appreciate a balanced view as opposed to the pro-American stuff i see. May i ask, do you mean the Horizon Three-episode series, as in:
http://www.mytvblog.org/?p=3909

Crispy, thank you to you too, the Hugens Probe documentary is on my DVD recorder waiting to be watched...should be good!! I will try to get hold of 'The Right Stuff' too, thank you!!

Starbase 1, Thank you aswell, you know i have never seen 'Apollo 13' because i hate dramatisations/actors playing the real people...however, i will now give this a go due to your recommendation!! Thank you!!

Offline Skylab

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Re: Any Space/Atmosphere/Gagarin/Moon programmes you recommend?
« Reply #12 on: 04/15/2011 08:33 pm »
However, 'Red Star in Orbit' sounds intriguing, i really would appreciate a balanced view as opposed to the pro-American stuff i see. May i ask, do you mean the Horizon Three-episode series, as in: [snip]
Yes, that'd be the one, based on the book by James Oberg, who's on this forum too.
I forgot to mention another one, 'The Red Stuff', which is from 2000. Short reviews here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230688/

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