collectSPACE: Messages - Reply to Topic

Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

Forum:	Publications & Multimedia
Topic:	Secret Space Escapes (Science Channel series)

Want to register?

Who Can Post?	Any registered users may post a reply.
About Registration	You must be registered in order to post a topic or reply in this forum.
Your UserName:
Your Password:	Forget your password?
Your Reply: HTML is ON UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend	[QUOTE]Originally posted by mikej: [B]Overall I think the series is fairly well done, but while watching the segment on the Gemini 9 spacewalk I nearly let some "secret words escape." The series would have you believe that the EVA was conducted from a Mercury spacecraft (equipped with two Mercury-style couches), that the crew work Mercury-style suits, and that the AMU was located in or by the spacecraft's antenna canister.[/B][/QUOTE]
Options	Disable Smilies in This Post. Show Signature: include your profile signature. Only registered users may have signatures.
*If HTML and/or UBB Code are enabled, this means you can use HTML and/or UBB Code in your message.

If you have previously registered, but forgotten your password, click here.

<table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="600"><TR><td bgcolor="#000000"><TABLE BORDER=0 cellpadding=4 border=0 cellspacing=1 WIDTH="100%"><TR bgcolor="#660000"><TD COLSPAN=2><CENTER>T O P I C     R E V I E W</CENTER></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>Science Channel release <BLOCKQUOTE>Science Channel to Premiere New Series 'Secret Space Escapes'<div align="justify">What's it like to leave earth to explore the unknown? How does it feel to be in space? What happens when you're in space and something goes terribly wrong? Science Channel's "Secret Space Escapes" reveals terrifying accidents, fights for survival, and stories of close calls and near misses by the astronauts who survived them. This all-new series offers chilling accounts of the challenges of space exploration as told only by the explorers who lived them and the men and women in mission control who helped each team avert disaster. "Secret Space Escapes" premieres on Science Channel Nov. 10 at 10 PM.Recounting missions as recent as 2013, "Secret Space Escapes" will draw viewers into the emotional experience of space exploration. Through first-hand accounts by the astronauts who relied upon science, training, colleagues on earth and, most importantly, their wits, in order to survive launches, space walks, landings, collisions, outages and other dangerous situations that occurred during their missions. This is the first time that these near-disasters-turned-triumphs have been told solely from the point of view of the men and women who problem-solved each event - there is no narration in the series, and the stories unfold solely in the words of the people who were there."The personal stories of the astronauts in 'Secret Space Escapes' have never been seen like this before on television," said Rita Mullin, General Manager of Science Channel. "These men and women have pushed space exploration forward with each mission, and their stories will haunt, entertain, educate and inspire."Featuring rare and never before seen footage, the astronauts and stories featured in "Secret Space Escapes" will include: <UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Robert Curbeam and Thomas Jones trained for years to install a new American module on the International Space Station (ISS). During their long-anticipated spacewalk, a valve malfunctions and toxic ammonia flakes from the cooling system pour all over Curbeam. He struggles desperately to stop the leak before the vital cooling system fails. Covered like a snowman with ammonia flakes, Curbeam cannot risk re-entering the spacecraft, where the toxic ammonia could sicken or blind the crew. His only option is to stay outside, zooming at 17,000 miles per hour, 225 miles above the earth, and wait for the sun to melt away the contaminants.<LI>When a new solar panel on the ISS tears, Scott Parazynski ventures out on a 90-foot arm to make improvised repairs. The solar panels carry enough voltage to fry Dr. Parazynski in his oxygen-filled suit — but if he fails in his task, the ISS is doomed.<LI>In 1997, Mike Foale is on an extended mission aboard the Russian Mir space station when it is struck by a resupply vessel. The station springs a leak, losing power rapidly and launching into an out of control spin. Under extreme pressure, Foale makes an ad hoc calculation using the position of the stars to determine the speed and direction of the spin. He and his Russian colleagues Vasily Tsibliyev and Aleksandr "Sasha" Lazutkin are able to use the rockets inside the attached Soyuz capsule to stop the roll, save the ship — and their lives.<LI>Hoot Gibson and Mike Mullane are on the second shuttle to launch after the Challenger disaster. It's 1986 and STS-27 is a classified mission to launch a spy satellite. During liftoff, a video of the launch reveals a fragment of the booster rocket's insulation breaking off and striking the underbelly of the space shuttle, Atlantis, damaging many of the protective heat shield tiles that leave parts of the shuttle exposed to 5,000 degree heat upon re-entry. Gibson thinks he's going to die and Mullane suspects they may be facing certain disaster. They have no alternatives — there are no stations to dock to, there is no time to send another Shuttle to aid them and no way to conduct a spacewalk to fix the issue. Miraculously, even with vulnerable unshielded spots on her, Atlantis withstands the heat of reentry because a steel plate just happens to protect the aluminum hull where it is most exposed.<LI>In 1969, the Soyuz 5 capsule tumbles to earth in a fireball because a malfunction does not jettison an extra equipment module. It's like a car dragging a U-Haul trailer. When the capsule finally rights itself and the extra modules are jettisoned, its parachutes only partially deploy and the rockets that aid a soft landing barely function. Cosmonaut Boris Volynov lands way off target. Covered in blood from his broken teeth sustained in the crash landing, he manages to climb out of the wreckage and find his way to the door of a very surprised peasant.</UL> "Secret Space Escapes" is produced for Science Channel by ITV Studios America where Vincent Kralyevich and Patrice Andrews serve as executive producers. For Science Channel Neil Laird and Rocky Collins serve as executive producers and Lindsey Foster Blumberg is producer. Bernadette McDaid is vice president of production for Science Channel.</div></BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>onesmallstep</TD><TD>Will be anticipating seeing this new series. I knew about all these incidents, but will be interested in seeing footage and interviews from the Soviet/Russian accounts. I read Mike Mullane's description of STS -27 and the damaged tiles in his book, and a chill went down my spine thinking of the future loss of Columbia. The year of the STS-27 mission was 1988, not 1986 of course.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>A reminder, Secret Space Escapes premieres tonight (Nov. 10) on the Science Channel. The first episode is titled "Fire on Mir." <BLOCKQUOTE>Astronauts and cosmonauts battle a life-threatening fire and tackle an out-of-control cargo ship on the Russian space station, MIR. Astronaut Chris Hadfield's rookie spacewalk takes a terrifying turn.</BLOCKQUOTE> Here is the series' teaser:<center><iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l2VQrDyRrgg?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

Robert Pearlman

Did anyone else watch last night's premiere?

What struck me was that the show has no narrator or secondary voices — the entire stories are told by the astronauts, cosmonauts and flight directors, recounting the history they lived through.

Their own stories are illustrated by well-produced reenactments and computer animations that augment archival footage.

Andy McCulley

I enjoyed it; thought it was well done.

p51

I guess I'll never see it as it's yet another network that Comcast doesn't offer with any plan around here...

Kevmac

I want to remind everyone what a fantastic series this is. I don't think I've ever seen a more informative show, especially, as Robert mentioned, since this is completely hosted and narrated in-person by the astronauts themselves.

They don't hold anything back: I cant think of another show where multiple astronauts related different stories about how "I thought I was going to die." Well done and congrats to the originators of the show for tracking down the actual astronauts who faced high-drama in orbit.

goldbera

Has anyone been watching this series?

Editor's note: Threads merged.

Andy McCulley

I have watched the first three episodes. Looking forward to next week's.

I thought they were well done.

Kite

Any news that we might be able to watch this series in the UK soon?

mikej

Overall I think the series is fairly well done, but while watching the segment on the Gemini 9 spacewalk I nearly let some "secret words escape." The series would have you believe that the EVA was conducted from a Mercury spacecraft (equipped with two Mercury-style couches), that the crew work Mercury-style suits, and that the AMU was located in or by the spacecraft's antenna canister.

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts