13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble

A devastating discovery is turning the crown jewel of astronomy into an embarrassing failure. Hubble isn’t seeing the universe as it should. Why are the pictures blurry? Nasa’s revolutionary telescope is in orbit and the space agency should be celebrating. Instead, it launches an investigation.

Nasa’s Director of Astrophysics, Charlie Pellerin, has been on holiday in Japan. He returns to hear the devastating news. Meanwhile, it’s chief Nasa scientist, Ed Weiler’s job to face the press, and tell the world the truth.

What’s gone wrong? How are they going to fix it? Three hundred and eighty miles above Earth, Hubble floats alone in the darkness, with the problem hopelessly out of reach.

Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

Archive: Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

Episode image: The Hubble Space Telescope's primary mirror being ground at the Perkin-Elmer Corporation's large optics fabrication facility in 1979, more than a decade before its very small but very significant flaw was discovered. Credit: Nasa

13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service.

Presenter: Dame Dr Maggie Aderin

Series producer: Harrison Lewis

Sound design: Tony Churnside

Series editor: Ilan Goodman

Senior commissioning producer: Katy Davis

Commissioning editor: Jon Manel

High above the Earth, the crew of Space Shuttle Discovery race against the clock to lift the Hubble Space Telescope from its storage bay and give it a new home in orbit. They have just eight hours to release the telescope and deploy its solar panels, giving Hubble the power it needs to begin its mission.

If they fail, Hubble will be left drifting in space, a useless, $1.6 billion telescope, another devastating new setback for Nasa.

Featuring interviews with astronauts Kathy Sullivan and Steve Hawley.

Episode image: The Hubble Space Telescope being deployed on April 25, 1990. Credit: Nasa

Archive: Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service.

Presenter: Dame Dr Maggie Aderin

Series producer: Harrison Lewis

Sound design: Tony Churnside

Series editor: Ilan Goodman

Senior commissioning producer: Katy Davis

Commissioning editor: Jon Manel

Our view of the universe could be transformed by one of the most ambitious scientific instruments ever built but a terrible disaster strikes Nasa. After decades of meticulous planning, will the Hubble Space Telescope make it into space?

Nasa is in a state of emergency. The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986 means the space agency is under intense scrutiny. Its reputation is wounded, and public interest in spaceflight is beginning to fade. It is betting on a feat of engineering genius: the successful launch and deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Nasa believes the telescope is capable of doing the impossible: peering deeper into the universe than ever before and unlocking some of its greatest secrets.

But Hubble is delicate and extraordinarily complex and it will be Astronaut Kathy Sullivan’s responsibility to help get it into space, no matter what.

Archive: Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

Episode image: The Hubble Space Telescope ready for transportation to the Kennedy Space Centre in 1989. Credit: Nasa

Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service.

Presenter: Dame Dr Maggie Aderin

Series producer: Harrison Lewis

Sound design: Tony Churnside

Series editor: Ilan Goodman

Senior commissioning producer: Katy Davis

Commissioning editor: Jon Manel

Buckle up for the latest epic story from the BBC’s space podcast. The Hubble Space Telescope was revolutionary but a flaw almost ruined the dream. It was hoped it would answer the most fundamental questions ever asked: How did it all begin? Where are we going? Are we alone? Maggie Aderin tells the story of how the telescope that transformed our understanding of the universe, almost ended in disaster.

Launches on 5 October.

13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service.

Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin.

Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

Archive: Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office

Some big news: We’ve been making a new season. It’s about Nasa’s Hubble Space Telescope. If you haven’t already, follow or subscribe, so you will get the full trailer automatically. That will be published next week.

Maggie Aderin will tell the story of how the telescope that transformed our understanding of the universe, almost ended in disaster.

13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble launches on 5 October 2026.

In the meantime, please keep sending us your questions: [email protected]

We’ll be back to answer those in a few months – more details to follow.

You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

13 Minutes is the BBC World Service’s space podcast.

The team are back together. Astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher and Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen, after his historic journey. Jeremy reflects on the mission, adapting to life back on Earth after journeying to the far side of the Moon, and looks ahead to future Artemis missions. The Canadian astronaut, who first spoke to 13 Minutes from quarantine before launch, answers the burning questions from the team. He describes the moment a hull breach alarm sounded 20 minutes before the Trans Lunar Injection was due to fire. Then we get to the big one – what’s next for the Artemis programme? Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service. Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith Commissioning team: Jon Manel, Anne Dixey and Katy Davis

After 9 days, 1 hour, 32 minutes and 15 seconds and 1.1 million kilometres of travel, the Orion “Integrity” probe splashed down successfully on April 11th at 00:07:32 UTC (GMT).

Tim Peake, Maggie Aderin, Kristin Fisher, Rebecca Morelle and the 13 Minutes podcast touches down with this episode. We are also joined by Nasa legend and former shuttle astronaut, Dr Anna Fisher to reflect on the mission.

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II will return...

But before then, watch Maggie and Tim in BBC Horizon ‘s “Artemis: To the Moon and Back", to see and learn more about the years leading up to this mission.

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith Commissioning team: Jon Manel, Anne Dixey and Katy Davis

The Artemis II mission hurtles towards re-entry and splashdown. The 13 Minutes crew run through the schedule that includes 28,864 mph, searing heat, 11 parachutes, and 3.9g forces.

Long-time Nasa scientist Dr Phil Metzger talks about the issue of AVCOAT – the ablative coating that will shield the capsule’s flat underside. And we also talk about his work at Nasa’s “Swamp Works” where much was studied about building structures on the moon for a moonbase.

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing [email protected].

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

The Artemis II crew are getting ever closer to home and preparing for re-entry.

Hosts astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher, who shares the latest updates from the mission. Plus, we answer more of your burning questions.

And Dr Kelsey Young, lead science officer and lunar science lead for Artemis II, shares her excitement about the crew’s lunar observations so far. She tells us what she’s been surprised by, what new science we’ve already learnt, and how they trained the astronauts to become geologists.

You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing [email protected].

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

After all the excitement of the lunar fly-by, the Artemis II crew are taking a breather, and have a long-distance call with the astronauts on board the International Space Station. Besides the Artemis II and ISS crews, there are other humans up in space too. China’s Tiangong space station is currently home to three taikonauts. Hosts astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher to discuss China’s progress in their lunar program so far. And Artemis II chief training officer Jacki Mahaffey tells Tim, Maggie and Kristin how the crew were trained to expect the unexpected, how astronaut preparation has changed since the Apollo days, and how she feels about the upcoming splashdown. You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing [email protected].

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

It’s been a busy 24 hours for the Artemis II crew. They have completed a lunar fly-by, surpassed the furthest distance humans have ever travelled from planet Earth, gone through a communications black out period, and witnessed a lunar eclipse.

Host space scientist Maggie Aderin is joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher who, like many of us, stayed up to watch the fly-by. And BBC News science editor Rebecca Morelle calls in from Houston to give us the latest from mission control. The first pictures back were published by Nasa just as this episode began recording.

And former BBC space correspondent Jonathan Amos joins the “13 minutes community”, giving his perspective on the historic mission and the events of the last 24 hrs.

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing [email protected].

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

Now thoroughly within the lunar gravitational sphere of influence, Artemis II’s crew perform final preparations for the flyby and nearest approach. Very shortly they will break the human distance record from earth.

But listeners ask, why will they go further than Apollo 13 went?

They will shortly be the only people to see a unique solar eclipse, survey parts of the lunar far side never gazed upon with human eyes, and enter a communication blackout for around 45 minutes, with only themselves for company.

Astronaut psychology is one of the most important areas of space science. Before working on Nasa's Twins study, Dr Mathias Basner developed a test for astronauts’ cognition testing. Why? Because astronauts are such over-performers that ordinary tests that the rest of us would be subjected to barely register. So… how did Tim score when he had to do them?

But tonight, all eyes are on the moon.

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing [email protected].

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

With the toilet venting problem endangering the spacecraft Integrity’s Michelin rating, BBC science editor Rebecca Morelle drops by to update us on the unmentionables. The team answer more listeners questions; what do we mean by zero-g, and will there ever be permanent relay satellites around the moon to prevent the forthcoming communications blackout?

Tim Peake, Kristin Fisher and Maggie Aderin discuss the impact on mission architecture that the plurality of commercial launch providers are having in this new space race.

The Artemis II crew have also been sending down more of their photographs of Earth and the growing Moon from Integrity, the Orion spacecraft. With more and more talk on the mission becoming camera related, photographic restoration specialist and bestseller “Apollo Remastered” author Andy Saunders joins Tim, Maggie and Kristin to discuss what we can learn from these pictures and how photography has changed since Nasa’s early space programs.

You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing [email protected].

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

Nasa’s Artemis II crew are now closer to the Moon than they are to Earth. Hosts astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher, who gives us the latest on the crew’s momentous journey, as the Integrity spacecraft begins its gentle deceleration before the point when the moon’s gravity starts pulling it more strongly than the earth’s.

And the team answer a question from listener Mark. Has Artemis II had to dodge space junk on its way to the Moon, and if so, how is it detected and avoided?

And planetary scientist Professor Sara Russell joins Tim, Maggie and Kristin to explain how the Moon got its water, what resources are drawing private companies to the Moon, and what a future lunar base would have to look like to withstand the Moon’s conditions.

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes Presents Artemis Two is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

The loop round the Moon target is confirmed by the last major engine burn of the mission. It’s the first time the European Service Module engine has been used this way.

Sian Cleaver of Airbus Defence and Space, who has been central to the construction of the service module joins Tim, Maggie and Kristin to talk about flapping solar panels and future, even more ambitious, Artemis missions.

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes Presents Artemis Two is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

The moment we’ve all been waiting for… Nasa’s Artemis II mission has launched.

Next up is the big decision whether to commit to the lunar flyby and the big engine burn that will need. Testing systems and life-support continues, with engine burns slowly lifting the height of the earth orbit, raising the speed at which the Trans Lunar Injection (TLI) leap into history can begin.

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes Presents Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen talks to the BBC before his first space launch on Artemis II. What will lift-off be like and how will he feel? He joins BBC Science Editor Rebecca Morelle and our host, astronaut Tim Peake, as we move ever closer to the historic mission around the Moon. Space scientist and host Maggie Aderin will also give her insight, with just hours to go before the expected launch. The team are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher, with all the latest from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, from where lift-off will happen. Space is in Kristin’s blood as both her parents were astronauts. We give a rundown of immediate post-lift-off plans for the mission, and profile the Artemis II astronauts, before an extended interview with the Canadian crew member Jeremy Hansen. Jeremy talks about Artemis II being his first spaceflight, his hopes for inspiring a watching world, and the international nature of the flight. Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

Nasa’s Artemis II mission looks set to launch towards the Moon on April 1st, after months of delays.

Presenters Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher, who has just touched down in Florida. Kristin fills us in on the latest from the Kennedy Space Center and how the countdown to launch is looking.

And we take a more detailed look at the machine standing ready on launchpad 39B. We’re joined by John Blevins, chief engineer for Nasa’s Space Launch System (SLS) – in other words, the rocket that will blast the four astronauts towards the Moon. John shares how crucial the SLS is to the mission and what we can expect from it on launch day.

Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

13 Minutes Presents Artemis Two is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

Nasa’s Artemis II mission looks set to launch towards the Moon on April 1st, after months of delays. Presenters Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher and BBC News Science Editor Rebecca Morelle for the latest updates from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

And more than 50 years on from the last lunar crewed mission, why is Nasa returning to the Moon now? And what is the international context? Journalist and author Tim Marshall calls in to discuss the new space race.

Join us as we follow the Artemis II mission every day for the next two weeks.

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.

13 Minutes Season 4 theme music is by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Series editor: Martin Smith

The countdown is on to 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II, following Nasa’s mission to loop around the Moon. We’ll have an Artemis II episode every day. Nasa is hoping to return to the Moon for the first time in more than half a century. The story of Artemis II will be told by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock, British astronaut Tim Peake, and US space journalist Kristin Fisher. Strap yourself in for another epic journey from the BBC’s space podcast, 13 Minutes. The Artemis II mission aims to send four astronauts – on a spacecraft called Orion - to loop around the Moon. They plan to go further from Earth than any human in history. Orion’s crew is scheduled to be Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II will begin around two days before the launch.

Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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