One Small Step: A BBC Moon Landing Collection

Summary

A collection of BBC radio documentaries celebrating the lunar landings and their legacy

On July 20th 1969, for the first time in history, man walked on the moon. Over 50 years later, this 'giant leap for mankind' still captures our imagination, and in this 4-part collection, we bring together some of the most fascinating and insightful BBC documentaries about our ever-changing relationship with our only natural satellite.

In Part 1: The Moon Landings, we hear personal accounts of what it was like to be part of some of the defining moments of the 20th Century. Walking on the Moon sees Buzz Aldrin reliving the perilous final moments before touchdown, while in Last Word, Matthew Bannister hears the story of that historic voyage, with contributions from friends, colleagues and old classmates of Neil Armstrong. The History Hour: Exploring Space features recollections of five landmarks in space travel, and in Seriously: Apollo 8, Helen Sharman hears about the first mission which took human beings beyond the earth's orbit.

Part 2: Legacy ranges from 1969 to the present day, and analyses the enduring significance of the moon landings. In James Burke: Our Man on the Moon, the key voice for the BBC coverage of the event revisits that dramatic time in front of a live audience. A Moon Landing Special assesses Apollo 11's impact on politics and culture and ponders the future of space exploration. Give Me the MoonLITE finds Richard Hollingham examining British plans to return to space, and two episodes of The Infinite Monkey Cage - The Infinite Moonkey Cage and Astronaut Special - feature an extraordinary gathering of space explorers.

Part 3: Why the Moon? considers how the moon has long been an object of fascination for humanity. The Why Factor investigates the moon in culture, and how it affects life on Earth. In Discovery: The Making of the Moon, Lucie Green asks 'Where does the Moon come from - and are we going back'? Meanwhile, in The Forum: The Moon from Earth, Rajan Datar and guests contemplate how our understanding of what the moon is and what it means has changed over time.

Part 4: The Future probes the current state of space exploration. In Brainwaves: The Moon, Pennie Latin looks at the race to return to the moon, and in Tulips on the Moon, Richard Hollingham finds out whether it's really possible to grow plants in space. Finally, In The Real Story: The Future of Space Exploration, Celia Hatton and guests discuss where we go next in our quest to understand our place in the universe.

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