The development of the reusable Space Shuttle and the Challenger disaster. Home in Space Repairing the Hubble Space Telescope and building the ISS. Critical Reception
: The series is noted for featuring remastered footage from NASA’s archives. Producers reviewed over 500 hours of film—some of which had actually been to the Moon—and converted more than 100 hours into HD for the first time.
Later Apollo missions (13-17) and the launch of the Skylab space station. The Shuttle When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions
The Apollo program’s race to the Moon and the success of Apollo 11. The Explorers
is a six-part documentary miniseries that originally aired on the Discovery Channel in 2008 to commemorate NASA's 50th anniversary. Narrated by actor Gary Sinise, it provides an immersive, high-definition look at the United States' journey into space, from the earliest Mercury flights to the assembly of the International Space Station. Key Highlights and Production The development of the reusable Space Shuttle and
: It uses a "first-person" storytelling approach, relying on newly recorded interviews with the astronauts and engineers who lived through the missions rather than heavy outside commentary.
The series is structured chronologically, covering five decades of crewed spaceflight: Key Missions Covered Ordinary Supermen The Mercury program and the first Americans in space. 2 Friends and Rivals Producers reviewed over 500 hours of film—some of
The series received praise for its visuals and emotional depth. Some sources noted that the dramatic tone occasionally prioritized risks and "near-death" exploits over technical milestones. Reviewers from DVD Talk and Space.com highlighted its value as both a historical record and an educational tool.