After 30 years and 134 flights, America’s space shuttle program draws to a close. And it feels pitch perfect to wind things down with a documentary narrated by William Shatner. Of course, you know him as Captain Kirk from Star Trek, the iconic sci-fi TV show that ran from 1966 to 1969, smack in the middle of NASA’s heyday. (Note: Star Trek has just been added to Netflix’s streaming catalogue.)
The 80 minute documentary takes you through the history of the Space Shuttle program, which first got underway during the Nixon administration. The film spends ample time looking at the design challenges NASA engineers faced in trying to create a reusable shuttle, while also showing early prototypes. Once the design phase was complete, construction began on the first orbiter in June, 1974 and wrapped up two years later. NASA called its first craft Space Shuttle Enterprise, paying homage to the fictional Starship Enterprise. Next, it was time to boldly go where no one had gone before.
The doc is now added to our collection of Free Movies Online.
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How can I get this on DVD. I will pay for it.
Call the NASA Channel. They will send you one on DVD with nice artwork. They sent me one. (202) 358-0000. Good luck.
Kubrick on the moon landings would be amusing. Google it for illumination.
I really enjoy the video and remember the test landings on the dry lake bed. I went to a few launches, I live more than 1000 miles from the space center, but I made many trips to see launches. I will miss the program and I fear we’ll never reach that level of acheivement again. I, too, would love a DVD of this video. Where can I find it?
MERVEILLEUX!!!
My husband dearly loved the Shuttle program, and brought me to feeling the same way about it. I was almost happy that he didn’t live to see its end.
Thank-you for this…
A fitting tribute to the Shuttle program with William Shatner narrating.
2 parts coming together like this, EPIC!!!