Author Topic: Soviet space documentaries (UK Only) (Read 2950 times)

qprmeteor · « **on:** 10/12/2014 10:16 am »

For those in the UK (or with a good VPN), BBC Four are showing two new (not come across them before, so apologies if they are actually repeats) documentaries on the Soviet space programme tomorrow evening (UK time).

Cosmonauts: How Russia Won The Space Race http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04lcxms (Monday, 9pm)

The Spaceman of Afghanistan http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ltcgk (Monday, 10:30pm)

They'll be on iPlayer for 30 days after transmission, if you don't catch them tomorrow.

Star One · « **Reply #1 on:** 10/12/2014 02:35 pm »

I noticed that but I have only seen previews for the first one, they have generally been favourable.

Phillip Clark · « **Reply #2 on:** 10/12/2014 02:42 pm »

I was interviewed for the second one (following on from my 1988 BBC News interview on the subject), but I have not seen the programme.

Star One · « **Reply #3 on:** 10/12/2014 08:43 pm »

By coincidence spaceflight magazine ran a short article not that long ago covering what has happened to the various interkosmos cosmonauts since their flights.

mtakala24 · « **Reply #4 on:** 10/12/2014 09:36 pm »

Thanks for the heads up!

qprmeteor · « **Reply #5 on:** 10/13/2014 07:15 am »

BBC News have put together a multimedia story on Voskhod 2 and Leonov's spacewalk to tie in with tonight's programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2014/newsspec_9035/index.html

gwiz · « **Reply #6 on:** 10/15/2014 03:02 pm »

Just got around to watching these. The first is a great overview of the Soviet/Russian manned programme, stories generally familiar but a lot of photos and video I'd never seen before and extended commentary from several major participants including Leonov and Grechko.

The second follows Mohmand on a journey back to Russia and Afghanistan, with a reunion with Lyakhov. Again, a lot of material that was new to me.

Both recommended.

Paper Kosmonaut · « **Reply #7 on:** 10/16/2014 07:51 pm »

Saw them both. I was not really actually amazed by the "cosmonauts" documentary, although the personal accounts were very interesting and gave the film some depth. I knew most of itreally to more detail than what was given in the film. But all in all it was a good and accurate account for those who only know their stuff about the U.S. part of the story. Things that really got me and stood out were the Soyuz 1 and 11 footage. I knew the photos but never saw the film footage. Very impressive material. And indeed recommendable as it lacks the sensational narrative ways of Discovery Channel.

The Ahad Momand film was absolutely interesting. I hoped for more insight into whether those Interkosmos participants actually were trained to fly the Soyuz (because if i recall correctly, they weren't allowed to touch any button or switch in the Soyuz capsule during flight). In my eyes, the whole "stranded in space" part of the story, one of the more hair raising affairs in spaceflight up to this day, was a little bit of a disappointment as it was done away with as if it was nothing dangerous at all and solved in the blink of an eye. (the re-entry part of the story showed classic Gemini return footage shot through the commander's porthole, and that was a bit of a bummer)

But both very intelligent and well-researched films.