13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II
The BBC’s space podcast. The story of Artemis II: Nasa’s mission to loop around the Moon. Nasa returned to the Moon for the first time in more than half a century. The Artemis II mission sent astronauts – on a spacecraft called Orion - around the Moon and to go further from Earth than any human in history. We followed Artemis II, with an episode every day during the mission. The story of Artemis II is told by space scientist, Maggie Aderin, and British astronaut, Tim Peake.
Episodes
13 Minutes to the Moon: Trailer, T-minus 3
Introducing 13 Minutes to the Moon, with Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham and former Apollo engineer Poppy Northcutt - the first woman to work as an engineer in an operational support role in NASA's Mission Control.
13 Minutes to the Moon: Trailer, T-minus 2
Hans Zimmer has composed the 13 Minutes to the Moon theme music. It is the first time the Grammy and Academy Award winner has created music for a podcast.
13 Minutes to the Moon: 1. ‘We choose to go’, Apollo 11
President John F. Kennedy boldly vows that America will land the first astronaut on the Moon by the end of the 1960s. It’s the height of the Cold War. But with superpower rival the Soviet Union leading the space race, after launching the first human spaceflight, the odds seem stacked against them. The Apollo programme, the USA’s daring answer to the race to the Moon, is an epic journey of innovat
13 Minutes to the Moon: 2. Kids in control
Crisis strikes Apollo 11. The Moon landing is threatened when an alarm goes off. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are minutes from the lunar surface when the spacecraft computer flashes error code 1202. It’s a major test for Nasa mission control - average age just 26. Flight controller Steve Bales must decide if the Moon landing can proceed. Can he and his team save this epic spaceflight in time? Th
13 Minutes to the Moon: 3. Long Island Eagle
The extraordinary story of the ‘Eagle’ spacecraft, which landed astronauts on the Moon. Built by Long Island engineers, it was a spacecraft like no other - one designed to land on another world. The result was the spidery lunar module, a spacecraft that was “difficult to fly and easy to crash”. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spent hundreds of hours in the simulator to prepare for every
13 Minutes to the Moon: 4. Fire to the Phoenix
Nasa’s ambitions for a historic Moon landing by the end of the 1960s are threatened by a deadly launchpad inferno. Three astronauts are killed, and it is one of the Apollo programme’s darkest moments. After making safety changes, Nasa turns tragedy into triumph. It sends a crew into space, tests the Apollo spacecraft, and paves the way for Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s legendary first steps on
13 Minutes to the Moon: 5. The fourth astronaut
How a briefcase-sized computer, less powerful than a smartphone, pioneered space tech for the first Moon landing. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin rely on the software to guide their spaceflight to the lunar surface. Developed by a pioneering team of programmers, including trailblazing scientist Margaret Hamilton, the Apollo Guidance Computer helps usher in the digital age.Hosted by Kevi
13 Minutes to the Moon: 6. Saving 1968
Nasa astronauts circle the Moon for the first time, capturing an iconic photo of Earth. Back home, the country is rocked by war, riots and the assassinations Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy. The crew of the historic spaceflight lift the nation’s spirits with a televised Christmas Eve broadcast from space.Hosted by Kevin Fong.Starring:
John Aaron
Bill Anders
Frank Borman
Jerry Bostick
Mic
13 Minutes to the Moon: 7. Michael Collins: The third man
The story of Michael Collins, Apollo 11’s third astronaut, in Nasa’s historic spaceflight. He played a crucial role as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon. During those final 13 minutes to the lunar surface, his presence in space allows Nasa mission control to communicate with the ‘Eagle’ when it all starts to go wrong. Hosted by Kevin Fong.Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fin
13 Minutes to the Moon: 8. ‘We’re go for powered descent’
The 13-minute descent to the Moon begins, and it’s all going wrong for Apollo 11. They’re going too fast, alarms are flashing and the crew loses contact with Nasa mission control. The epic moments that almost jeopardised the first Moon landing.Hosted by Kevin Fong.Starring:
Charlie Duke
Steve Bales
Don EylesCourtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project:
Neil Armstrong
Gene Kranz
Jay G
13 Minutes to the Moon: 9. Tranquility Base
Apollo 11 mission is on the edge of failure, minutes away from the Moon landing. Fuel is low, the tech is stretched and astronaut Neil Armstrong is struggling with the rocky lunar surface. He’s flying Eagle like it’s never flown before as he searches for a safe place to land.Hosted by Kevin Fong.Starring:
Steve Bales
Charlie Duke
Gerry GriffinCourtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Proje
13 Minutes to the Moon: 10. ‘For all mankind’
The epic story of the final 13 minutes of the Apollo Moon landing, including Nasa archive tape of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s historic space mission. The men and women behind this pioneering space mission share their memories and reflections on Apollo 11.Hosted by Kevin Fong.We hear memories and reflections on Apollo 11 from:Charlie Duke
Poppy Northcutt
John Aaron
Jim Lovell
Margaret Ham
13 Minutes to the Moon: 11. The 13 minutes
Nasa archive audio of the astronauts’ dramatic 13 minutes to the Moon, as heard by mission control. All of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s tense moments as they make space history. The recording captures the intense pressure and technical challenges during the landing, including low fuel and communication dropouts.This is Nasa’s archive recording of Capcom Charlie Duke’s communications loop from
13 Minutes to the Moon: 12. Live from Houston
Fifty years after the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing, we’re at Houston’s Rice University, where President John F. Kennedy delivered his iconic “We choose to go to the Moon” speech to reflect on one of humanity’s greatest achievements. In this season finale, a panel of leading space experts discuss the success of the Apollo programme, how it transformed science and technology and what it means for
13 Minutes to the Moon: Bonus: The making of the music
Oscar and Grammy-winning composer Hans Zimmer reveals how he crafted the iconic 13 Minutes to the Moon theme. In this special episode, Zimmer reflects on the art of storytelling, his creative process, and the power of music to capture the wonder of space, sharing why this marks his first-ever score for a podcast.Hosted by Kevin Fong.Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music.#13Minutes
Apollo 13: 1. Time bomb
Nasa’s third mission to land astronauts on the Moon almost ends in tragedy. Apollo 13 is doomed from the start - it will never touch down on the lunar surface. Even before launch, a last-minute crew change and superstitions about the number 13 cast a shadow over the spaceflight. When an explosion triggers a catastrophic cascade of events, the space crew’s lives hang in the balance.Hosted by Kevin
Apollo 13: 2. Death of the Odyssey
Nasa mission control scrambles to diagnose the Apollo 13 disaster. Aboard the spacecraft, warning lights flash and oxygen leaks into space, plunging Commander Jim Lovell and his crew into chaos. In Houston, his wife Marilyn receives a call, unaware the astronauts are losing far more than the Moon landing. With power failing in the Odyssey spacecraft and time running out, the crew face desperate ac
Apollo 13: 3. Lifeboat
The Apollo 13 astronauts escape to the lunar module, but their problems are far from over. The crew must now survive in a spacecraft never meant for such a journey. Will this fragile refuge be enough? Meanwhile, Nasa mission control faces a critical test of leadership and ingenuity to keep the space crew alive. At home, Marilyn Lovell waits anxiously, unsure what to tell her kids.Hosted by Kevin F
Apollo 13: 4. Power brokers
Apollo astronauts freeze in darkness, struggling to save power. If the battery dies, so do the space crew. And as the damaged spacecraft loses its navigation systems, they must rely on the Sun for guidance. The astronauts' plight becomes a national crisis. Millions across the world tune in to the television coverage. Meanwhile, Nasa mission control faces a race against time to devise a plan, launc
Apollo 13: 5. Life support
Nasa mission control helps Apollo 13’s cold, exhausted astronauts survive deadly carbon dioxide levels in the spacecraft. The constant troubleshooting to stay alive has taken its toll, and the crew of Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise are at the limits of human endurance. Back home in Houston, the Nasa flight surgeon is so worried about the astronauts’ lack of sleep that he turns to Marilyn
Apollo 13: Bonus 1. Jim Lovell
Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell talks to Kevin Fong about the doomed Nasa mission, from the shocking moment of the explosion to the enormous relief of splashdown. Lovell reflects on survival, the global impact of Apollo 13, and what it meant to finally come back to Earth. He also shares the story of the lunar landmark he named in honour of his wife.Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg
Apollo 13: 6. Earth in view
The Apollo 13 spacecraft goes off course. With no computer to guide them, the astronauts must rely on their flying skills to perform a high-stakes manoeuvre, timed with Commander Jim Lovell’s wristwatch, to get them back on target. If they fail, they risk being marooned in space. Their spaceflight home hangs in the balance.Hosted by Kevin Fong.Archive: Nasa
Starring
Chuck Deiterich
Jim Lovell
P
Apollo 13: Bonus 2. John Aaron
Nasa flight controller John Aaron talks to Kevin Fong about the ill-fated Apollo mission, from the moment of learning about the explosion to his fears during the spacecraft’s final descent through the Earth’s atmosphere.Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music.
Apollo 13: 7. Resurrection
Can the Apollo 13 crew survive re-entering Earth’s atmosphere aboard the revived Odyssey spacecraft? After four days in a spacecraft with dwindling power and oxygen supplies, the astronauts face a series of critical tests on their journey home. One mistake could see Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise incinerated or lost forever in deep space. In the final moments of radio silence, Nasa missi
The Space Shuttle: 1. The spaceplane
Can Nasa build the most complex flying machine in space history? The plan is to create a permanent human presence in space. It’s Spring 1969 - two months before the launch of Apollo 11 – the first US mission to land humans on the moon. But meanwhile, hidden away from public view, Nasa is thinking the unthinkable. Maverick engineer Dr Max Faget is already a legend within Nasa. He’s fascinated by wh
The Space Shuttle: 2. The greatest test flight
The astronauts count down to flying a brand-new spacecraft for the very first time. If they pull it off, they will earn a place in space history.The rocket is built. The astronauts are trained. Mission control is ready. Space Shuttle Columbia is about to attempt the unheard of. A crewed test flight.
It's 12 April 1981. The morning of launch for the very first space shuttle mission. The shuttle is
The Space Shuttle: 3. Glass rocket
Columbia reaches orbit. But astronaut Bob Crippen discovers that the shuttle has been damaged – can he and John Young make it home safely? Parts of the heatshield to protect the shuttle from searing temperatures on re-entry to Earth have fallen off during the journey into space. This new heatshield has never been tested before in orbit. Could more tiles be missing?Some scenes in this series use re
The Space Shuttle: 4. The 35 new guys
Nasa recruits women and ethnic minorities for the first time to its astronaut class. In the beginning of American spaceflight, all astronauts selected for the programme came from the same background. They were all male, all white – all test pilots. But now, with a revolutionary new spacecraft, and changing views in society, Nasa needs to change. They’re not just looking for people to pilot the shu
The Space Shuttle: 5. Space truck
President Ronald Reagan declares the space shuttle open for business. It’s Independence Day 1982. And we’re in the sweltering Mojave desert of California. Carrying commercial satellites into orbit is one of the shuttle’s jobs. But things start to go wrong for the astronauts when a $75-million satellite is lost in space. And that’s just the start of a series of unfortunate events. Can they fix it a
The Space Shuttle: 6. Satellite for sale
Can the crew rescue the million-dollar space satellite lost in orbit? Two car-sized satellites, worth $75 million each, are stranded in space. Five astronauts have been selected to bring them back. It’s something that has never been attempted before.In outer space, even the simplest of tasks can be a challenge, let alone trying to snatch a satellite from orbit. And right when the crew think they’v
The Space Shuttle: 7. Teacher in space
Nasa needs to kick-start new interest in the space shuttle. After multiple missions, public attention is waning and funding could suffer. Nasa want to do something about it. And come up with an innovative plan.How about recruiting an astronaut from the classroom? The first teacher on a space mission. Nasa runs a competition, and the winner is Christa McAuliffe, a 36-year-old social studies teacher
The Space Shuttle: 8. A major malfunction
The Challenger tragedy shocks a nation, as millions watch on TV screens across the USA. Something has gone catastrophically wrong with the launch of space shuttle mission STS-51L. As they watch a fireball engulf the spacecraft, nobody in mission control has any idea what went wrong. Could it have been prevented? We turn back the clock to a meeting the day before the launch which might have chang
The Space Shuttle: 9. What is it all for?
Is human spaceflight worth the risk? It’s a time of soul searching for the whole shuttle crew. The space shuttle programme is put on hold for two years, as Nasa and the team come to terms with what happened. Some leave but others stay on board to help. The shuttle team work to rebuild Nasa and the programme. But some ask the question: what is it all for? Some scenes in this series use recreated so
The Space Shuttle: 10. Return to flight
The space shuttle is back. Discovery stands waiting on launchpad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. It has taken more than two years to get here. Nasa has listened and changed. After all these months of work, this should be one of the safest missions ever flown. But as Discovery finally rises skyward, the Challenger disaster is on everyone’s mind. There are unspoken questions about the very future of sp
Artemis II: 1. Why humans are returning to the Moon
Nasa’s Artemis II mission looks set to launch towards the Moon on April 1st, after months of delays.
Presenters Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher and BBC News Science Editor Rebecca Morelle for the latest updates from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.And more than 50 years on from the last lunar crewed mission, why is Nasa returning to the Moon now? And
Artemis II: 2. Rocket Man
Nasa’s Artemis II mission looks set to launch towards the Moon on April 1st, after months of delays.Presenters Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher, who has just touched down in Florida. Kristin fills us in on the latest from the Kennedy Space Center and how the countdown to launch is looking.And we take a more detailed look at the machine standing ready on lau
Artemis II: 3. Man around the Moon
Astronaut Jeremy Hansen talks to the BBC before his first space launch on Artemis II. What will lift-off be like and how will he feel? He joins BBC Science Editor Rebecca Morelle and our host, astronaut Tim Peake, as we move ever closer to the historic mission around the Moon.
Space scientist and host Maggie Aderin will also give her insight, with just hours to go before the expected launch. The t
Artemis II: 4. Launch after-party
The moment we’ve all been waiting for… Nasa’s Artemis II mission has launched.Next up is the big decision whether to commit to the lunar flyby and the big engine burn that will need. Testing systems and life-support continues, with engine burns slowly lifting the height of the earth orbit, raising the speed at which the Trans Lunar Injection (TLI) leap into history can begin.Season 4 theme music b
Artemis II: 5. No going back
The loop round the Moon target is confirmed by the last major engine burn of the mission. It’s the first time the European Service Module engine has been used this way.Sian Cleaver of Airbus Defence and Space, who has been central to the construction of the service module joins Tim, Maggie and Kristin to talk about flapping solar panels and future, even more ambitious, Artemis missions.Season 4 th
Artemis II: 6. Halfway there
Nasa’s Artemis II crew are now closer to the Moon than they are to Earth. Hosts astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher, who gives us the latest on the crew’s momentous journey, as the Integrity spacecraft begins its gentle deceleration before the point when the moon’s gravity starts pulling it more strongly than the earth’s.And the team
Artemis II: 7. A Family Photo
With the toilet venting problem endangering the spacecraft Integrity’s Michelin rating, BBC Science Editor Rebecca Morelle drops by to update us on the unmentionables. The team answer more listeners questions; what do we mean by zero-g, and will there ever be permanent relay satellites around the moon to prevent the forthcoming communications blackout?Tim Peake, Kristin Fisher and Maggie Aderin d
Artemis II: 8. Final Approach
Now thoroughly within the lunar gravitational sphere of influence, Artemis II’s crew perform final preparations for the flyby and nearest approach. Very shortly they will break the human distance record from earth.But listeners ask, why will they go further than Apollo 13 went?They will shortly be the only people to see a unique solar eclipse, survey parts of the lunar far side never gazed upon wi
Artemis II: 9. Bye bye, fly-by
It’s been a busy 24 hours for the Artemis II crew. They have completed a lunar fly-by, surpassed the furthest distance humans have ever travelled from planet Earth, gone through a communications black out period, and witnessed a lunar eclipse. Host space scientist Maggie Aderin is joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher who, like many of us, stayed up to watch the fly-by. And BBC News science ed
Artemis II: 10. How to train your astronaut
After all the excitement of the lunar fly-by, the Artemis II crew are taking a breather, and have a long-distance call with the astronauts on board the International Space Station.
Besides the Artemis II and ISS crews, there are other humans up in space too. China’s Tiangong space station is currently home to three taikonauts. Hosts astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined
Artemis II: 11. Science surprises
The Artemis II crew are getting ever closer to home and preparing for re-entry. Hosts astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher, who shares the latest updates from the mission. Plus, we answer more of your burning questions. And Dr Kelsey Young, lead science officer and lunar science lead for Artemis II, shares her excitement about the crew
Artemis II: 12. Please return to your seats
The Artemis II mission hurtles towards re-entry and splashdown. The 13 Minutes crew run through the schedule that includes 28,864 mph, searing heat, 11 parachutes, and 3.9g forces.Long-time Nasa scientist Dr Phil Metzger talks about the issue of AVCOAT – the ablative coating that will shield the capsule’s flat underside. And we also talk about his work at Nasa’s “Swamp Works” where much was studie
Artemis II: 13. Splashdown
After 9 days, 1 hour, 32 minutes and 15 seconds and 1.1 million kilometres of travel, the Orion “Integrity” probe splashed down successfully on April 11th at 00:07:32 UTC (GMT). Tim Peake, Maggie Aderin, Kristin Fisher, Rebecca Morelle and the 13 Minutes podcast touches down with this episode. We are also joined by Nasa legend and former shuttle astronaut, Dr Anna Fisher to reflect on the mission.
Artemis II: 14. The Learnings
The team are back together. Astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher and Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen, after his historic journey.
Jeremy reflects on the mission, adapting to life back on Earth after journeying to the far side of the Moon, and looks ahead to future Artemis missions.
The Canadian astronaut, who first spoke to 13 Mi
13 Minutes to the Moon: Trailer, T-minus 4
The countdown begins. The story of Apollo 11 – coming soon.
13 Minutes to the Moon: Trailer, T-minus 1
The final part of our audio countdown to the launch of 13 Minutes to the Moon, with Kevin Fong. Lift off is on 13 May 2019.
Apollo 13: Trailer: The countdown
Jump on board a doomed mission to the Moon. Apollo 13: the extraordinary story, told by the people who flew it and saved it. Lift off is on 9 March.
#13MinutestotheMoon
Presenter: Kevin Fong
Written by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-Baker
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music
The Space Shuttle: Introducing: The Space Shuttle
To launch like a rocket and land like a plane. The space shuttle: A sci-fi dream that became reality and changed spaceflight forever. Told by the Nasa astronauts, engineers, scientists and support staff who made it happen. Our multi award-winning podcast returns on 14 July 2025 with: 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle. Presented by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. She tells the story of t
Artemis II: Trailer: The new mission to the Moon
The countdown is on to 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II, following Nasa’s mission to loop around the Moon. We’ll have an Artemis II episode every day. Nasa is hoping to return to the Moon for the first time in more than half a century. The story of Artemis II will be told by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock, British astronaut Tim Peake, and US space journalist Kristin Fisher. Strap yourself in
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