"The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. The major new three-part Columbia documentary makes for uncomfortable viewing at NASA, but you can watch all episodes FREE online from anywhere with a VPN.
• U.K. date: All three episodes of "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" are available now on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Over three hours (and three episodes), "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" tells the tragic story of the seven astronauts who perished when Space Shuttle Colombia, the oldest spacecraft in the shuttle fleet, broke up on re-entry in February 2003. It also explains how and why the tragedy took place.
This exhaustive, moving and shocking documentary brings the crew – David M. Brown, Rick D. Husband, Laurel B. Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael P. Anderson, William C. "Willie" McCool and Ilan Ramon – to life with footage from press interviews, pre-mission training and recordings made whilst they were in space for 16 days.
Interviews with family members bring home and underline the heartbreak that persists but interwoven between this touching commemoration is an examination of why the shuttle broke up – a stark human tragedy that led to major changes at NASA.
This doc has garnered a string of five-star reviews, so read on for where to watch "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" online from anywhere – and potentially for free.
'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' episode guide
- "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" Ep. 1 – Watch now on BBC iPlayer now
- "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" Ep. 2 – Watch now on BBC iPlayer now
- "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" Ep. 3 – Watch now on BBC iPlayer now
Watch 'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' for free
Watch 'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' online FREE in the U.K.
Episode one of "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" aired on BBC Two on Monday (Feb. 12) at at 9 p.m. GMT with episode two a week later on Monday Feb. 19. Episode three follows on Monday Feb. 26.
However, you can watch all three episodes for FREE on BBC iPlayer right now. It's totally free to view, provided you have a TV license of course.
Watch 'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' from anywhere
How to watch 'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' from anywhere in the world
If you're fortunate enough to live in the U.K., you can watch all three episodes of "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" for FREE on BBC iPlayer.
But what if you're usually based in the U.K. but are visiting the U.S. right now? Perhaps, you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on a paid streaming service in a foreign country when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home.
Don't worry — you can watch it via a VPN instead. We'll show you how to do that below. Our favorite VPN service right now is ExpressVPN, but you'll find others in our best VPN services list.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view BBC iPlayer, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer and watch "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" live and on catch-up.
'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' live streams by country
Can I watch 'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' online in the U.S.?
We'd expect BBC America to air "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" at some point in the future, but there's no official confirmation.
If you're a Brit abroad, visiting the U.S., you can watch the three-part documentary about the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster online now by using a VPN such as ExpressVPN.
"The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" was produced by Louis Theroux's London-based Mindhouse pictures, so we'll update you as soon as a U.S. release date is announced.
Can I watch 'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' in Australia?
Unfortunately, "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" is not available in Australia just yet.
Traveling outside the U.K.? Don't worry — you can watch via a VPN instead. Our favorite VPN service right now is ExpressVPN, but you'll find others in our best VPN services list.
How many missions had Columbia been on before February 2003?
The Space Shuttle was the first reusable spacecraft and Columbia was the oldest in the shuttle fleet. Her first mission - STS-1 - was on April 12-14, 1981 and she orbited Earth 37 times before landing. The fateful, final mission - STS-107 - was the 28th.
'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' episiodes
'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' – full episode guide
"The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" season 1 episode 1
As Nasa prepares Space Shuttle Columbia for its 28th mission, excitement and trepidation build amongst the astronauts and their families as they count down to launch. This programme hears from the seven astronauts - a mixture of veterans and rookies - and their families as they train for an awe-inspiring journey of a lifetime.
"The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" season 1 episode 2
Nasa engineers analyse film footage of a piece of debris striking the shuttle Columbia 81 seconds after launch. What no-one yet knows is whether any serious damage has been done to the vehicle or the tiles which protect the vehicle against the intense heat of re-entry. But calls for photographs to be taken of the shuttle using satellites go unheeded. Meanwhile, in space, the crew continue their mission, unaware of any concerns inside Nasa.
"The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth" season 1 episode 3
Sixteen minutes from landing, mission control lose contact with the crew of Columbia. On the shuttle landing strip, families waiting to welcome their loved ones back home are swiftly ushered away. In the skies over Texas, locals hear a loud explosion, and debris strikes the ground in multiple locations.The fears of some Nasa engineers are coming true: Columbia is lost and there are no survivors. Following the disaster, Nasa comes under increasing pressure from the media to provide answers.
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