91Èȱ¬

James May On The Moon (1 x 60 minutes)
91Èȱ¬ Two

The season kicks off with James May, as he takes a "giant leap" into space history to discover the stories of the heroes behind this auspicious historical event.

In James May On The Moon, the 91Èȱ¬'s Top Gear presenter fulfils the childhood dream he has fantasised about experiencing since watching the Apollo landings from his family sitting room, when he flies to the edge of space.

To gets a taste of how it felt to be an Apollo astronaut, James experiences zero gravity on the infamous "Vomit Comet". He also endures the bone-crushing gravitational forces of a simulated launch in the massive Saturn V rocket, from an Air Force centrifuge chamber.

James's most memorable experience is a rare and privileged flight 70,000 feet above the Earth in a U-2 spy plane.

Wearing a full space suit, James looks down on to the curvature of the Earth and up into the blackness of space from the comfort his cockpit. It is an experience which finally helps him to understand how the Apollo astronauts felt as they looked back at the Earth from the surface of the Moon.

To add to his experience, James also visits some of the veterans of the space race. He meets Apollo 16's Charlie Duke, who gives James his verdict on the road-handling of the Lunar Rover; and Alan Bean – who takes him for a spin in his 1969 Corvette, which also happens to be one of three matching cars driven by the Apollo 12 crew. And Apollo 17's Harrison Schmitt – one of the last men to visit the Moon – gives James a guided tour of a Saturn V rocket.

James May At The Edge Of Space (1 x 30 minutes)
91Èȱ¬ Four

Viewers can switch straight over from 91Èȱ¬ Two's James May On The Moon to 91Èȱ¬ Four to join James May on his rare and privileged flight 70,000 feet above the Earth.

The destination is a place known in the Air Force as the "space equivalent zone" or the "Edge of Space".

James's mode of transport is none other than the U-2 spy plane - a relic from the Cold War which is still capable of flying higher than any other aeroplane.

In order for James to take this flight, he must first prove that he is physically capable of surviving the journey.

For three days he endures gruelling training as he learns how to eject from his cockpit in case of emergency and how to survive the 13-mile fall back to Earth. Most importantly, he must learn how to wear a $250,000 spacesuit and use it to stay alive in air so thin it can kill in an instant.

The US Air Force Base in California is the training ground and Major "Cabi" Cabigas – one of the Air Force's most experienced U-2 pilots – is James's mentor and pilot for the trip. On completion, James stands to experience the flight of a lifetime – flying as high as anyone can, short of becoming an astronaut.

Fully trained and cocooned in his spacesuit, James takes this momentous flight high enough to look down on the curvature of the Earth.

NASA – Triumph And Tragedy (2 x 60 minutes)
91Èȱ¬ Two

As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first Moon landing, NASA – Triumph And Tragedy takes a look behind the scenes and examines the agency's achievements and humankind's race to understand the universe.

This is the epic story of heroes, their triumphs and their tragedies as they harness breathtaking technology to conquer new worlds.

In two 60-minute films, award-winning archivists uncover forgotten material as well as original first-generation negatives of more familiar footage, digitally restored to its original glory.

The restored footage reveals space walks, moonwalks, exaltation and despair through the eyes and ears of a special band of brothers. Blended within the footage are revealing and insightful interviews with those who were there: the astronauts, family members, staff and journalists.

These personal stories add depth to the science of space exploration and present an intimate glimpse into life in space.

Also on 91Èȱ¬ Four…

Being Neil Armstrong (working title) (1 x 60 minutes)

Forty years ago, on 20 July 1969, an extraordinary man made one small step into history, in the first truly global televised event. It has been said that 10,000 years from now only one name will still be remembered – that of Neil Armstrong.

In the four decades since he first set foot on the Moon, Armstrong has become increasingly reclusive. Andrew Smith, author of the best-selling book Moondust, sets out across America to find out who the true Neil Armstrong is, and why he won't speak to anyone about his historic journey.

Along the way, Andrew meets the people who knew Armstrong, from his best friend to the barber who sold his hair, and finds the places where he lived and worked to discover the true nature of this most elusive and enigmatic man.

In Being Neil Armstrong, a road movie with some truly iconic archive, Andrew takes a wry, sideways look at the greatest event of the 20th century, in search of its reluctant hero.

Apollo Wives (working title) (1 x 60 minutes)

Ten extraordinary women, all in their seventies, come to Arizona for a very special reunion. They are very different from one another, but all have one amazing thing in common – each was married to an Apollo astronaut.

As America shot for the Moon, these women were the focus of the world's media and were right at the heart of the most ambitious journey ever made.

In a series of exclusive interviews, they reveal their remarkable stories and tell viewers how it felt to watch their husbands blast off into space – and about the death, danger and divorce they faced as many of their spacemen struggled to come back to Earth.

Space Dogs (1 x 60 minutes)

The secret history of dog cosmonautics in Russia is revealed, featuring unique archival footage, including the first "dog flight" into space, taken inside the space capsule.

All the characteristics of weightlessness were tested on these animals given up for the conquest of space, costing 23 dogs' lives. To this day, some Russian scientists keep photographs of their departed "furry-tailed" friends.

The Moon (1 x 60 minutes)

1972 was the year a great love affair ended and the human race fell out of love with the Moon – just three years after the world was gripped by Neil Armstrong's giant leap for mankind, the last man left the moon. We've never been back.

This film tells the epic story of our love affair with the Moon – what inspired it, how it faded away and how we're now falling in love all over again.

Sky At Night – Mapping The Moon (1 x 30 minutes)

Look at the moon – you can easily pick out craters, mountains and lava seas. In this special Sky At Night Sir Patrick Moore guides us through the most familiar celestial object in the night sky while Dr Chris Lintott gives tips on how to observe the moon.

Sky At Night – Moon Special (1 x 30 minutes)

A new and exciting era of lunar exploration is dawning, with more and more probes being launched to try to unlock the Moon's darkest secrets.

Sir Patrick Moore finds out about British ambitions to go to the Moon, while Dr Chris Lintott travels to NASA. He investigates plans to blast a crater in the lunar surface and meets the astronauts who may be the next men on the Moon.

Sky At Night – A Night To Remember (1 x 120 minutes)

July 1969 saw what is possibly humankind's greatest achievement, the first landing on the Moon. Using archive sound, satellite footage and rare film taken by the Apollo astronauts, Sir Patrick Moore presents the story of our first journey to another world.

Days That Shook The World – First Man On The Moon

It is 20 July 1969 and in Houston, Texas, man is about to take his first steps on the Moon. In a gripping anatomy of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing – one of the most important days in human history – viewers can see the events hour by hour as they unfold.