The BBC’s space podcast. The story of Artemis II: Nasa’s mission to loop around the Moon. Nasa returned to the Moon for the first time in more than half a century. The Artemis II mission sent astronauts – on a spacecraft called Orion - around the Moon and to go further from Earth than any human in history.
We followed Artemis II, with an episode every day during the mission.
The story of Artemis II is told by space scientist, Maggie Aderin, and British astronaut, Tim Peake. They are joined by expert contributors, US space journalist Kristin Fisher and the BBC News Science Editor, Rebecca Morelle.
Special guests include:
John Blevins, chief engineer for Nasa’s Space Launch System (SLS)
Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II astronaut
Jacki Mahaffey, Artemis II chief training officer
Professor Sara Russell, planetary scientist
Dr Kelsey Young, lead science officer and lunar science lead for Artemis II
Dr Anna Fisher, former space shuttle astronaut
13 Minutes is the BBC’s space podcast, telling epic space stories. It’s produced by the BBC Audio Science Unit for the BBC World Service.
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.
Previous seasons:
Season 1: 13 Minutes to the Moon.
The first Moon landing. In the final dramatic 13-minute descent to the Moon, the Apollo 11 mission came close to going badly wrong. Communication was breaking down, technology was failing and fuel was running out. This is the story of how the first Moon landing was saved. Presented by Kevin Fong.
Season 2: Apollo 13.
Apollo 13 should have been the third Moon landing, but after an explosion, it almost ended in tragedy. Told by the people who flew it and saved it. Presented and co-written by Kevin Fong.
Season 3: The Space Shuttle.
A sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever. From the boldest test flight in history to one of Nasa’s darkest days – the Challenger disaster. Space scientist Maggie Aderin tells the awe-inspiring story of the programme that brought triumph and tragedy. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects.
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Nasa mission control helps Apollo 13’s cold, exhausted astronauts survive deadly carbon dioxide levels in the spacecraft. The constant troubleshooting to stay alive has taken its toll, and the crew of Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise are at the limits of human endurance. Back home in Houston, the Nasa flight surgeon is so worried about the astronauts’ lack of sleep that he turns to Marilyn Lovell with an unusual request. For a film about how the crew made the makeshift CO2 adaptors: www.b...
Apollo astronauts freeze in darkness, struggling to save power. If the battery dies, so do the space crew. And as the damaged spacecraft loses its navigation systems, they must rely on the Sun for guidance. The astronauts' plight becomes a national crisis. Millions across the world tune in to the television coverage. Meanwhile, Nasa mission control faces a race against time to devise a plan, launching one of the greatest rescue missions in the history of space exploration. Hosted by Kevin Fong. ...
The Apollo 13 astronauts escape to the lunar module, but their problems are far from over. The crew must now survive in a spacecraft never meant for such a journey. Will this fragile refuge be enough? Meanwhile, Nasa mission control faces a critical test of leadership and ingenuity to keep the space crew alive. At home, Marilyn Lovell waits anxiously, unsure what to tell her kids. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Starring: Glynn Lunney Ken Mattingly (...
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 Starr...
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 ...
Jump on board a doomed mission to the Moon. Apollo 13: the extraordinary story, told by the people who flew it and saved it. Lift off is on 9 March. #13MinutestotheMoon Presenter: Kevin Fong Written by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-Baker Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music
Oscar and Grammy-winning composer Hans Zimmer reveals how he crafted the iconic 13 Minutes to the Moon theme. In this special episode, Zimmer reflects on the art of storytelling, his creative process, and the power of music to capture the wonder of space, sharing why this marks his first-ever score for a podcast. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music. #13MinutestotheMoon www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes
Fifty years after the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing, we’re at Houston’s Rice University, where President John F. Kennedy delivered his iconic “We choose to go to the Moon” speech to reflect on one of humanity’s greatest achievements. In this season finale, a panel of leading space experts discuss the success of the Apollo programme, how it transformed science and technology and what it means for the future of lunar exploration. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Starring: John Aaron Gerry Griffin Walt Cunn...
Nasa archive audio of the astronauts’ dramatic 13 minutes to the Moon, as heard by mission control. All of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s tense moments as they make space history. The recording captures the intense pressure and technical challenges during the landing, including low fuel and communication dropouts. This is Nasa’s archive recording of Capcom Charlie Duke’s communications loop from 20 July 1969. #13MinutestotheMoon
The epic story of the final 13 minutes of the Apollo Moon landing, including Nasa archive tape of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s historic space mission. The men and women behind this pioneering space mission share their memories and reflections on Apollo 11. Hosted by Kevin Fong. We hear memories and reflections on Apollo 11 from: Charlie Duke Poppy Northcutt John Aaron Jim Lovell Margaret Hamilton George Abbey Michael Collins Bill Carpentier Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Mus...
Apollo 11 mission is on the edge of failure, minutes away from the Moon landing. Fuel is low, the tech is stretched and astronaut Neil Armstrong is struggling with the rocky lunar surface. He’s flying Eagle like it’s never flown before as he searches for a safe place to land. Hosted by Kevin Fong. Starring: Steve Bales Charlie Duke Gerry Griffin Courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project: Neil Armstrong Gene Kranz Jack Garman Bob Carlton Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fin...
As Apollo 11 begins its final 13-minute descent, the mission faces a cascade of critical issues, from persistent communication failures and an alarming overspeed to computer overload alarms. The episode details the intense pressure on Mission Control and the astronauts, highlighting the ingenuity and quick thinking required to navigate these unprecedented challenges. A team's preparation for 'impossible alarms' and real-time problem-solving are showcased, ultimately revealing an unexpected rocky landing site.
Explore the compelling story of Michael Collins, the often-unsung third astronaut of Apollo 11, who remained in orbit aboard the command module Columbia while Armstrong and Aldrin made history on the lunar surface. The episode details his early life, rigorous test pilot training, and the immense responsibility he carried as the sole means of rescue and return to Earth. Discover his unique perspective on solitude, his mastery of critical maneuvers, and the critical role he played in the success of humanity's greatest exploratory mission.
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 ...
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 ...
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 G...
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. Host...
The episode explores the pivotal role of NASA's Mission Control during Apollo 11, focusing on the young, fearless team of engineers and flight controllers. It details the intense training, the unique communication challenges, and the personal sacrifices made to meet President Kennedy's moon landing goal. The narrative centers on the 1202 program alarm crisis during the lunar descent, showcasing Steve Bales's critical decision-making, supported by a "hive mind" of expertise and Gene Kranz's inspiring leadership, illustrating how this collective effort made the historic mission possible.
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: Mic...
Hans Zimmer has composed the 13 Minutes to the Moon theme music. It is the first time the Grammy and Academy Award winner has created music for a podcast.
Introducing 13 Minutes to the Moon, with Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham and former Apollo engineer Poppy Northcutt - the first woman to work as an engineer in an operational support role in NASA's Mission Control.
