Not all documentaries about space are difficult to watch or require deep knowledge of space exploration. Some of the best space documentaries are shot for a wide audience and may even have exciting plots describing what alien worlds could be like or how different scientific technology functions. Below, we will discuss some of the best space documentaries of all time, according to critics and viewers.
Apollo 11
One of the most scientifically accurate space documentaries, Apollo 11 has mesmerised many people because it presents historical footage and discusses the first manned mission to our satellite. If you watch it, you can see actual NASA control room features, the Apollo 11 rocket, and the lunar lander. Apollo 11 offers you an opportunity to understand what inspired its astronauts to explore space.
Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo
A different space documentary that pays tribute to the Apollo program’s Mission Control in Houston. This film talks about ground crews who toiled to send the first men to the moon. Mission Control is a 100-minute documentary that brings light into the Apollo 1 accident, digs deeper into Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 missions and explains the most notable missions from the ground crew perspective.
The Planets
This is one of the best space documentaries BBC ever made. It takes you on the most exciting journey through our solar system. Hosted by famous British physicist Brian Cox, this documentary explains how planets in our solar system have formed and developed, using language anyone can understand. It discusses the scorched lands of Mercury and the icy surfaces of Neptune and Uranus, presenting scientific theories on planetary evolution.
The Farthest: Voyager in Space
One of NASA’s most important achievements, the two Voyagers have given humankind a lot of information about our Universe. These probes, launched in 1977, are still floating through space – in other words, defying all expectations about tech longevity. And while it’s hard to tell – which Cosmos documentary is best? This award-winning show is definitely top of the list.
The Mars Generation
The Mars Generation is a documentary that discusses our potential future on the Red Planet. It shows a group of young teenagers who train to become the space engineers of tomorrow. Some of them are pilots and crewmen who want to dedicate their lives to reaching Mars and colonising it once and for all. In the meantime, documentary protagonists raise serious subjects, such as the Columbia and Challenger space shuttle disasters. So far, this is one of the best, high-ranked space documentaries on Netflix.
Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight
This show is one of the latest space documentaries 2024 can spoil us with. This documentary series consists of four episodes and even though it aired very recently, this show already caught the public’s attention and earned a high 9/10 rating on IMDb. If you want to learn more about this shuttle tragedy, this documentary is definitely for you.
For All Mankind
Even though For All Mankind is not a documentary, but a fiction show, many trusted space resources, including Orbital Today, praise its scientific value and close attention to detail. This show is an alternative history, with the USSR winning the space race by landing first on the Moon. And while the plot is fiction, many technologies shown in these series, i.e., moon mining, may soon become a reality – so you can watch this great show to get ready for what may soon be described in other space documentaries!
Aliens World
Aliens World is a deep space documentary that talks about stars, nebulae, and space in general. It also theorises what life on other planets could be like and describes our Universe’s vastness. In this show, exoplanets Atlas, Eden, and Janus have a biosphere, whereas Terra is a dying planet. To make the documentary plot more engaging, scientists made suggestions on how these planet’s inhabitants would live and behave by using CGI. So, if you’ve been wondering what is universe documentary? Or, if you were looking for a show that could take you farther than our solar system, Alien Worlds is a good hit.
Secrets of the Universe with Tim Peake
Tim Peake, an Air Force officer, an author, and the first British ESA astronaut to visit the ISS, is the narrator of this show, which is already reason enough to watch this documentary. But Secrets of the Universe documentary is more than an account of Peake’s ISS mission— it is a journey that starts in our solar system and goes deep into unknown space, teaching us about planets, stars, black holes, and other celestial bodies. If you’ve been wondering, what is the documentary about space-time? You probably would not think about this one – but it touches upon these subjects, too.
You can watch these and many other amazing space documentaries on major streaming platforms, and some of them are even available for free on YouTube. So, take your pick and happy watching!
Author: Emma Thorpe
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