Chasing the Moon

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The story of the race to the Moon, from Sputnik 1 to Apollo 11.

The story of the race to the Moon, from the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957 to Apollo 11, and the first man to set foot on the Moon, in 1969.

Series 1

BBC Four

Robert Stone

Chasing the Moon: Series 1: A Place Beyond the Sky - Part 2

A Place Beyond the Sky (Part Two)

A Place Beyond the Sky - Part 2

BBC Four - Chasing the Moon, Series 1, A Place Beyond the Sky - Part 2

How America's space exploration technology caught up with the Soviet Union's.

In little more than six months, America's John Glenn had matched Yuri Gagarin's feat of orbiting the Earth. But it was an event back on Earth that spurred America's ambition to win the Space Race.

Under von Braun’s leadership, America’s technology finally seemed to be catching up with the Soviet Union’s. On 5 May 1961, von Braun’s Redstone rocket successfully launched American navy test pilot Alan Shepard 116 vertical miles up into space. The American space programme grew rapidly. 

On 20 February 1962, a marine colonel named John Glenn successfully orbited the Earth. Nasa and Wernher von Braun were at last delivering real results. Sputnik’s challenge and Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s groundbreaking feat had been equalled. But the young president would never live to see man walk on the moon. On 22 November 1963 in Dallas, Texas, Kennedy was assassinated and Cape Canaveral, home to US space exploration, was quickly renamed Cape Kennedy, in honour of the fallen visionary.

A film By Robert Stone.

A Robert Stone Production for American Experience WGBH/PBS in association with Arte France.

Chasing the Moon: Series 1

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Chasing the Moon

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A Place Beyond the Sky - Part 2

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