Disasters in Space
Behind-the-scenes stories of NASA catastrophes and near misses. Space exploration is imperfect - sometimes NASA must learn the hard way: Incorrect metric conversions, reverse installations, deadly chemical spills, and close calls with fuel explosions.
Return to Disaster
Relive the harrowing moments in Launch Control during NASA's second "Return to Flight" test flight after the tragic loss of Space Shuttle Columbia. Watch as NASA engineers discover the frightening truth about the incident and the mistakes that caused it.
Mars or Bust
Following a bad Mars Exploration Rover test failure, NASA races against time to fix the flaw. Any delay would impact the timeline of Mars exploration.
Space Shuttle Shuffle
Catastrophe beckons when gears in a Space Shuttle landing system are installed backward. The awful discovery causes NASA to cancel a historic launch.
The End of Genesis
A spacecraft plunges from orbit, crashing into Earth after its parachute system fails. Engineers analyze the big failure to understand what went awry.
Trains, Rockets, and Pains
A spacecraft's solid rocket boosters are dangling, held only by compromised attachments. Experts tirelessly work to resolve this critical situation.
Columbia
In the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia, a piece of foam insulation broke off, and as Columbia returned, hot gases led to its ultimate disintegration.
