posted 02-13-2024 11:25 AM               

This documentary combines first-hand testimony with previously unseen archive to chart the in-depth story of the Columbia space shuttle tragedy in 2003, when the shuttle disintegrated during re-entry to Earth.

posted 03-07-2024 12:25 PM               

CNN Surveys "Space Shuttle Columbia: the Final Flight" in New CNN Original Series

Premiering Sunday, April 7 at 9pm ET/PT

CNN Original Series, "Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight" examines the 2003 Space Shuttle disaster across four immersive episodes featuring exclusive interviews and revealing never-before-broadcast footage. Co-produced by BBC and Mindhouse Productions, the four-part series will premiere with two episodes on Sunday, April 7 at 9pm ET/PT on CNN. The final two episodes will air the following Sunday, April 14 at 9pm ET/PT.

Columbia was the first Space Shuttle to launch and redefined space travel – it took off like a rocket, landed like a plane, and was reusable – making the dream of routine space flight a tangible reality. Across four episodes, the story of the ticking-clock of Columbia's final mission is told in dramatic detail, beginning months before the troubled launch, unfolding across the sixteen days in orbit, and concluding with the investigation into the tragic loss of the seven astronauts' lives. Weaving together intimate footage shot by the astronauts themselves inside the orbiter, exclusive first-hand testimony from family members of the Shuttle's crew, key players at NASA – some of whom have never spoken before – and journalists who covered the story on the ground, the series paints an intimate portrait of the women and men onboard and uncovers in forensic detail the trail of events and missed opportunities that ultimately led to disaster.

"This chapter in the Space Shuttle Program captured the nation's attention and is equally as captivating in the retelling, with storytelling fueled by those who lived it firsthand and newly revealed footage from the NASA archive," said Amy Entelis, Executive Vice President of Talent, CNN Originals, and Creative Development for CNN Worldwide. "Our viewers have long been fascinated by stories of space exploration and this series is a strong example of the CNN Original Series team's distinctive talent for providing a fresh perspective on historical moments."

With wide-ranging access to NASA's archives, including previously unseen footage and findings from the official investigation, "Space Shuttle Columbia" is the definitive telling of this national tragedy and the inside story of one America's most iconic institutions, uncovering how financial pressures and a culture of complacency may have contributed to the events of February 1, 2003. The series also reflects on the legacy of the Space Shuttle era, serving as a timely exploration of the challenges and inherent dangers that remain relevant to space travel today.

"Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight" is executive produced by Emma Tutty and Emma Whitehead for Mindhouse, and Amy Entelis and Lyle Gamm for CNN Original Series.

"Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight" will stream live for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps on Sunday, April 7. It will also be available on demand beginning Monday, April 8 to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps, and Cable Operator Platforms.

posted 04-12-2024 01:00 AM               

'Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight' documentary set to conclude on CNN

Forty-three years to the day after the space shuttle Columbia landed from its first mission, CNN is set to conclude airing a four-part series on the orbiter's ill-fated last return to Earth.

"Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight," a new documentary co-produced by BBC and Mindhouse Productions, looks back at the winged spacecraft's 28th mission, STS-107, which ended in tragedy on Feb. 1, 2003. The program features new interviews with members of the fallen astronauts' families and some of the NASA managers and engineers who supported the flight and later contributed to learning why Columbia and its crew were lost.