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Space Shuttle: The Final Mission, BBC Two
(Author: Matthew Evans)
Recounting the history of the Space Shuttle Program, Dr. Kevin Fong’s documentary Space Shuttle: The Final Mission, gave NASA’s most technologically advanced vehicle the send off it truly deserved.
Featuring exclusive footage of the last shuttle launch, Fong’s documentary offered an insight into the immense manpower and extraordinary technologies that were required to construct the space shuttle Atlantis and prepare it for launch. However, as majestic and beautiful as the documentary’s footage was, its most compelling content came in the form of personal interviews with the NASA personnel who dedicated their lives to the 30 year shuttle program.
“This, being Atlantis’s last flight, was really special for me,” says an emotional head of NASA and former astronaut, Charlie Bolden. “This is the first space shuttle I ever commanded,” he continues, his voice breaking. Such emotions were evident in all those who were interviewed; their admiration for the space shuttle and appreciation of its beauty quite evident.
During those moments in which they recounted the loss of two space shuttle crews, we saw the true extent of their dedication to the program. Despite their loss (the shock clearly evident in a collection of clips, depicting the reactions of those in Mission Control, upon realising they had lost the crew), those working on the space shuttle remained resilient. They may have lost friends, but that loss offered an opportunity to learn from their mistakes and prevent a future tragedy.
Of course, Dr. Fong’s guided tour around restricted areas of the launch site were the icing on the cake, for what was a wonderful and moving documentary; a documentary that captured the technological complexity of a truly beautiful machine.
As we watch the countdown clock strike zero, and the space shuttle rumble from its launch pad, we can’t help but be inspired as it soars toward space. The space shuttle is, quite clearly, one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
Finally, Space Shuttle: The Final Mission is a shining example of what the BBC does best. It’s science documentaries are invaluable and content, such as this, will surely captivate the minds of future generations. No other broadcaster could have given Atlantis a better sendoff.
Space Shuttle: The Final Mission aired Sunday, 24th July and is now available on the BBC iPlayer.
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The Final Launch, by Martina Mercer
I felt truly privileged, as I’m sure did all the viewers of this documentary, that Kevin Fong had let us hop onto his shoulders for an unprecedented tour around NASA.
As Atlantis prepared for its last flight on the 8th of July 2011 NASA’s old employee, Kevin gave us a rare insight into the preparations.
There was a hue of grief around the show as after thirty years; the space shuttle would be no more.
We joined him on his journey first to the Johnson’s Space centre in Houston, Texas, which was probably made the most famous by Tom Hanks in Apollo 13. We had a sneaky peak at the nerve centre, mission control, as the astronauts endured a 4 hour full dress rehearsal in a simulated machine. Countless emergency scenarios were thrown at them as they had to decide whether to fly or abort.
Just seconds into the practice they lost an engine; mission control informed them there was no coming back. In real life this would have meant a crash landing over France. (The journey of which would have taken 35 minutes compared to a Jumbo Jet at 9 hours).
This certainly brought home the danger of the situation and of course the demise of two shuttles before them. The Challenger in 1986 when seven lives were lost as the shuttle exploded 76 seconds after take-off, and Columbia in 2003 which overheated as it re-entered the earth’s atmosphere, the astronauts could almost touch their families again as it broke into little pieces in the skies above Texas.
The operating telephone on level 195 at the entrance of the flight deck must hold some painful memories as astronauts made final calls to their loved ones.
The danger will never be taken out of space travel, the memorial wall at NASA proves this, there are plenty of spaces left to fill, yet without risk, Kevin tells us, there is no progression, and NASA has achieved so much. These astronauts are so dedicated to their job that most claim that they would do it for free, considering the life and death element, it really must be amazing to be an astronaut.
This information all leads to an amazing climax, of course I knew Atlantis was going to be absolutely fine, but I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous as the closing off crew laboured over every detail whilst settling the astronauts in, and the 39 million pound camera zoomed in on the panels to make sure nothing was loose before take-off.
As thunder and lightning crackled it seemed the weather was going to put a stop to proceedings. Billions of dollars and thousands of people, yet Mother Nature had other ideas. Fuelling a 4.5 million lb space shuttle with lightening sparking across the air would not be the greatest idea. However the weather subsided to give Atlantis the ten minute slot it needed for its last ever flight.
As the shuttle blasted off from Launchpad 39A, the same spot that took Armstrong and co in 1969, I couldn’t help but think it’s an end of an era, a tearful goodbye, but at the same time we must look to the future and feel excited for what’s coming next!
A truly spectacular program, and I don’t say that very often!
10:12 pm
I was there at the end with Atlantis. I was there for Discovery’s last flight. I was there a year before but missed the flight then. I have spoken to quite a few people from Nasa and around Kennedy Space Centre. Everything that I experienced around those events was in this programme. The feelings, the memories (and mine were so compared to others) the history. I met one of the thermal protection engeneers and he shared with me some of his moments at the centre and played a song which he had writen about Endevour. He recieved praise from almost all in Nasa for the song. It said it all about how the people who made this bird fly felt about the programme. I felt someone needed to document this and the last mission. I wrote to the BBC because I couldn’t think of ANY other broadcaster that could truly portrait this unique historical time in Nasa and world history. I was right because although the song written by this engineer wasn’t featured, this programme truely got to the heart of this event. I have tried to find this programme again on the iplayer but can’t find it. I’m hoping this unique footage and programme will at some time be available on DVD. I hope it gets decent air time in the USA and that maybe it will be shown at Kennedy’s Imax cinemas. The song which you should listen to and watch is ‘We all Do what we do’ and has with co-operation from hundreds of Nasa staff some great visual clips. It even has the double sonic boom. That is the one thing that I realy think is missing from this great documentary. The double sonic boom is such a part of the shuttle story and Florida. Everyone knows it and it’s like the ‘We are home safe and well’ call everyone wants to hear.
Watching the last shuttle go for real was a truely moving event. It was very emotional and your programme brought it all back. It was spot on and one of the best programmes I’ve seen in ages. Well done.