Kevin Fong

Émissions

Épisodes

  1. The Space Shuttle: 1. The spaceplane

    14/07/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 1. The spaceplane

    Can Nasa build the most complex flying machine in space history? The plan is to create a permanent human presence in space. It’s Spring 1969 - two months before the launch of Apollo 11 – the first US mission to land humans on the moon. But meanwhile, hidden away from public view, Nasa is thinking the unthinkable. Maverick engineer Dr Max Faget is already a legend within Nasa. He’s fascinated by what could be next for human spaceflight. In a backroom, of Building 36 at Johnson Space Center, he invites a handful of engineers to a meeting. One of them is Ivy Hooks, a mathematician and engineer. And one of the first female engineers at Nasa. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Richard Nixon launches Nasa’s space shuttle programme, CBS News, 1972 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    44 min
  2. 13 Minutes to the Moon: 1. ‘We choose to go’, Apollo 11

    12/05/2019

    13 Minutes to the Moon: 1. ‘We choose to go’, Apollo 11

    President John F. Kennedy boldly vows that America will land the first astronaut on the Moon by the end of the 1960s. It’s the height of the Cold War. But with superpower rival the Soviet Union leading the space race, after launching the first human spaceflight, the odds seem stacked against them. The Apollo programme, the USA’s daring answer to the race to the Moon, is an epic journey of innovation and exploration. Can Nasa change the course of space history? Hosted by Kevin Fong. Starring: Michael Collins Steve Bales Margaret Hamilton Jim Lovell Charlie Duke Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music #13MinutestotheMoon www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes This episode was updated on 14 May 2019.

    45 min
  3. The Space Shuttle: 2. The greatest test flight

    21/07/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 2. The greatest test flight

    The astronauts count down to flying a brand-new spacecraft for the very first time. If they pull it off, they will earn a place in space history. The rocket is built. The astronauts are trained. Mission control is ready. Space Shuttle Columbia is about to attempt the unheard of. A crewed test flight. It's 12 April 1981. The morning of launch for the very first space shuttle mission. The shuttle is sitting on the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. And strapped into their seats on the flight deck of orbiter Columbia are commander John Young and pilot Bob Crippen. Everyone at Nasa has been waiting almost a decade for this day. It’s taken an army of designers, engineers, ground crew, flight controllers, and backroom staff to get to this point. To bring this vehicle to life. Will this new machine fly? This episode contains scenes some listeners may find upsetting. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Launch of STS-1, BBC, ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, 1981 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    43 min
  4. The Space Shuttle: 5. Space truck

    11/08/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 5. Space truck

    President Ronald Reagan declares the space shuttle open for business. It’s Independence Day 1982. And we’re in the sweltering Mojave desert of California. Carrying commercial satellites into orbit is one of the shuttle’s jobs. But things start to go wrong for the astronauts when a $75-million satellite is lost in space. And that’s just the start of a series of unfortunate events. Can they fix it and prove the space shuttle’s worth? Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Ronald Reagan declares Space Shuttle open for business, Reagan Library, 1982 The story of satellite WESTAR 6 and Palapa, CBS News, 1986 STS 41-B coverage, CBS News and KTRH News, 1984 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    44 min
  5. The Space Shuttle: 3. Glass rocket

    28/07/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 3. Glass rocket

    Columbia reaches orbit. But astronaut Bob Crippen discovers that the shuttle has been damaged – can he and John Young make it home safely? Parts of the heatshield to protect the shuttle from searing temperatures on re-entry to Earth have fallen off during the journey into space. This new heatshield has never been tested before in orbit. Could more tiles be missing? Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Nichelle Nichols NASA advertisement, Nasa Archives, 1977 STS-1 Columbia landing sequence, ABC News, CBS News, 1981 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    46 min
  6. The Space Shuttle: 8. A major malfunction

    01/09/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 8. A major malfunction

    The Challenger tragedy shocks a nation, as millions watch on TV screens across the USA. Something has gone catastrophically wrong with the launch of space shuttle mission STS-51L. As they watch a fireball engulf the spacecraft, nobody in mission control has any idea what went wrong. Could it have been prevented? We turn back the clock to a meeting the day before the launch which might have changed everything. This episode contains scenes some listeners may find upsetting. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Ronald Reagan announces Roger Commission inquiry, Reagan Library, 1986 Roger Boisjoly, Larry Mulloy and Dr James Fletcher, statements to the Rogers Commission, 1986 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    51 min
  7. The Space Shuttle: 4. The 35 new guys

    04/08/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 4. The 35 new guys

    Nasa recruits women and ethnic minorities for the first time to its astronaut class. In the beginning of American spaceflight, all astronauts selected for the programme came from the same background. They were all male, all white – all test pilots. But now, with a revolutionary new spacecraft, and changing views in society, Nasa needs to change. They’re not just looking for people to pilot the shuttle, but engineers, scientists, and medical doctors. Can Nasa change its culture? This episode contains strong language. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Mercury seven press conference, Nasa Archives, 1959 Nichelle Nichols Nasa advertisement, Nasa Archives, 1977 Where dreams come true, Nasa Archives, 1979 First female and African-American astronauts train at Nasa, ABC News, 1978 Ronald Reagan declares Space Shuttle open for business, Reagan Library, 1982 Sally Ride interview, ITN, 1983 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    43 min
  8. The Space Shuttle: 9. What is it all for?

    08/09/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 9. What is it all for?

    Is human spaceflight worth the risk? It’s a time of soul searching for the whole shuttle crew. The space shuttle programme is put on hold for two years, as Nasa and the team come to terms with what happened. Some leave but others stay on board to help. The shuttle team work to rebuild Nasa and the programme. But some ask the question: what is it all for? Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Birth of the space shuttle, Nasa Archives, 1972 Ronald Reagan addresses nation after STS-51-L accident, Reagan Library, 1986 Richard Nixon launches Nasa's space shuttle program, CBS News, 1972 STS-26 launch coverage, BBC, 1988 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    38 min
  9. The Space Shuttle: 6. Satellite for sale

    18/08/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 6. Satellite for sale

    Can the crew rescue the million-dollar space satellite lost in orbit? Two car-sized satellites, worth $75 million each, are stranded in space. Five astronauts have been selected to bring them back. It’s something that has never been attempted before. In outer space, even the simplest of tasks can be a challenge, let alone trying to snatch a satellite from orbit. And right when the crew think they’ve got it all under control, they discover a problem they’re not prepared for. It’s time to improvise. This episode contains strong language. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: STS 41-B coverage, CBS News and KTRH News, 1984 STS-51-A coverage, CBS News, 1984 Lost in space, BBC, 1985. Ronald Reagan announces teacher in space programme, Reagan Library, 1984 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    45 min
  10. The Space Shuttle: 7. Teacher in space

    25/08/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 7. Teacher in space

    Nasa needs to kick-start new interest in the space shuttle. After multiple missions, public attention is waning and funding could suffer. Nasa want to do something about it. And come up with an innovative plan. How about recruiting an astronaut from the classroom? The first teacher on a space mission. Nasa runs a competition, and the winner is Christa McAuliffe, a 36-year-old social studies teacher from New Hampshire. But has she got what it takes for the challenges of space? This episode contains scenes some listeners may find upsetting. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Ronald Reagan announces teacher in space programme, Reagan Library, 1984 George Bush announces Christa McAuliffe as teacher in space, Reagan Archive, 1984 Teacher training KC-135 flight, Nasa Archives, 1985 Teachers watch launch, Nasa Archives, 1985 Pre-flight press conference STS-51-L, 1986 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    43 min
  11. 13 Minutes to the Moon: 4. Fire to the Phoenix

    02/06/2019

    13 Minutes to the Moon: 4. Fire to the Phoenix

    Nasa’s ambitions for a historic Moon landing by the end of the 1960s are threatened by a deadly launchpad inferno. Three astronauts are killed, and it is one of the Apollo programme’s darkest moments. After making safety changes, Nasa turns tragedy into triumph. It sends a crew into space, tests the Apollo spacecraft, and paves the way for Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s legendary first steps on the lunar surface. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Starring: George Abbey Walt Cunningham Glynn Lunney Gerry Griffin John Aaron Jerry Bostick Courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project: Chris Kraft Gene Kranz Wally Schirra George Jeffs Courtesy of CBS News: Gus Grissom Ed White Roger Chaffee Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music #13MinutestotheMoon www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes

    46 min
  12. The Space Shuttle: 10. Return to flight

    15/09/2025

    The Space Shuttle: 10. Return to flight

    The space shuttle is back. Discovery stands waiting on launchpad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. It has taken more than two years to get here. Nasa has listened and changed. After all these months of work, this should be one of the safest missions ever flown. But as Discovery finally rises skyward, the Challenger disaster is on everyone’s mind. There are unspoken questions about the very future of spaceflight. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects. 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service. Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. Archive: Return to flight, Nasa Archives, 1988 Ronald Reagan speaks at STS-4 launch, Reagan Library, 1982 STS-26 coverage, CNN, CBS News, BBC, 1988 Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

    33 min
  13. 13 Minutes to the Moon: 2. Kids in control

    19/05/2019

    13 Minutes to the Moon: 2. Kids in control

    Crisis strikes Apollo 11. The Moon landing is threatened when an alarm goes off. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are minutes from the lunar surface when the spacecraft computer flashes error code 1202. It’s a major test for Nasa mission control - average age just 26. Flight controller Steve Bales must decide if the Moon landing can proceed. Can he and his team save this epic spaceflight in time? These engineers, scientists, controllers and programmers are the unsung heroes who worked behind the scenes to make one of history’s greatest space missions possible. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Starring: Steve Bales Charlie Duke John Aaron Glynn Lunney Gerry Griffin Jerry Bostick Gene Kranz courtesy of the Johnson Space Center History Office Archive: Johnson Space Center History Office Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music #13MinutestotheMoon www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes

    48 min
  14. 13 Minutes to the Moon: 3. Long Island Eagle

    26/05/2019

    13 Minutes to the Moon: 3. Long Island Eagle

    The extraordinary story of the ‘Eagle’ spacecraft, which landed astronauts on the Moon. Built by Long Island engineers, it was a spacecraft like no other - one designed to land on another world. The result was the spidery lunar module, a spacecraft that was “difficult to fly and easy to crash”. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spent hundreds of hours in the simulator to prepare for every possible manoeuvre required for the daring, final thirteen-minute descent to the lunar surface. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Starring: Charlie Duke Dick Dunne John Devaney Alan Contessa Neil Armstrong courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Tom Kelly courtesy of the MIT Museum Collections Archive: Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Archive: MIT Museum Collections Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music #13MinutestotheMoon www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes

    43 min
  15. 13 Minutes to the Moon: 5. The fourth astronaut

    09/06/2019

    13 Minutes to the Moon: 5. The fourth astronaut

    How a briefcase-sized computer, less powerful than a smartphone, pioneered space tech for the first Moon landing. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin rely on the software to guide their spaceflight to the lunar surface. Developed by a pioneering team of programmers, including trailblazing scientist Margaret Hamilton, the Apollo Guidance Computer helps usher in the digital age. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Starring: Ramon Alonso Elaine Denniston Charlie Duke Don Eyles Eldon Hall Margaret Hamilton Dan Lickly Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music #13MinutestotheMoon www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes

    48 min
  16. 13 Minutes to the Moon: 6. Saving 1968

    16/06/2019

    13 Minutes to the Moon: 6. Saving 1968

    Nasa astronauts circle the Moon for the first time, capturing an iconic photo of Earth. Back home, the country is rocked by war, riots and the assassinations Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy. The crew of the historic spaceflight lift the nation’s spirits with a televised Christmas Eve broadcast from space. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Starring: John Aaron Bill Anders Frank Borman Jerry Bostick Michael Collins Jim Lovell Poppy Northcutt Katherine Johnson courtesy of WHRO Chris Kraft courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music. #13MinutestotheMoon www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes This episode was updated on 19 June 2019.

    47 min
  17. Apollo 13: 1. Time bomb

    09/03/2020

    Apollo 13: 1. Time bomb

    Nasa’s third mission to land astronauts on the Moon almost ends in tragedy. Apollo 13 is doomed from the start - it will never touch down on the lunar surface. Even before launch, a last-minute crew change and superstitions about the number 13 cast a shadow over the spaceflight. When an explosion triggers a catastrophic cascade of events, the space crew’s lives hang in the balance. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa and CBS Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Starring: Jim Lovell Marilyn Lovell Fred Haise John Aaron Gerry Griffin Gene Kranz, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Charlie Duke Jay Lovell Sy Liebergot Jack Lousma Written by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-Baker Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music. Produced by the BBC Radio Science Unit for the BBC World Service. This episode was updated on 16 March 2020.

    44 min
  18. 13 Minutes to the Moon: 8. ‘We’re go for powered descent’

    30/06/2019

    13 Minutes to the Moon: 8. ‘We’re go for powered descent’

    The 13-minute descent to the Moon begins, and it’s all going wrong for Apollo 11. They’re going too fast, alarms are flashing and the crew loses contact with Nasa mission control. The epic moments that almost jeopardised the first Moon landing. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Starring: Charlie Duke Steve Bales Don Eyles Courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project: Neil Armstrong Gene Kranz Jay Greene Jack Garman Bob Carlton Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music. #13MinutestotheMoon www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes

    41 min
  19. Apollo 13: 2. Death of the Odyssey

    16/03/2020

    Apollo 13: 2. Death of the Odyssey

    Nasa mission control scrambles to diagnose the Apollo 13 disaster. Aboard the spacecraft, warning lights flash and oxygen leaks into space, plunging Commander Jim Lovell and his crew into chaos. In Houston, his wife Marilyn receives a call, unaware the astronauts are losing far more than the Moon landing. With power failing in the Odyssey spacecraft and time running out, the crew face desperate action to survive. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Starring: Jim Lovell Jack Lousma Gene Kranz, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Sy Liebergot Bob Heselmeyer, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Fred Haise John Aaron Marilyn Lovell Written by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-Baker Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music. Produced by the BBC Radio Science Unit for the BBC World Service.

    46 min
  20. Apollo 13: 7. Resurrection

    07/06/2020

    Apollo 13: 7. Resurrection

    Can the Apollo 13 crew survive re-entering Earth’s atmosphere aboard the revived Odyssey spacecraft? After four days in a spacecraft with dwindling power and oxygen supplies, the astronauts face a series of critical tests on their journey home. One mistake could see Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise incinerated or lost forever in deep space. In the final moments of radio silence, Nasa mission control begins to fear the worst. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa Starring Jim Lovell John Aaron Dave Reed Hal Loden Jerry Bostick Jim Kelly Fred Haise Charlie Duke Joe Kerwin Gene Kranz, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Chuck Dietrich Marilyn Lovell Gerry Griffin Written by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-Baker Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music A BBC Radio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service.

    1 h 1 min
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