AllMovie

This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, explores the history of NASA and the space program in this country. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode examines the early days of space exploration, when astronauts were making groundbreaking flights where the outcome was unsure. After the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, space was never the same. In 1986, the Challenger crash once again changed the space program. That crash, which took the lives of all onboard, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire who was sent up as part of a PR program, forced NASA to reinvent itself. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with some NASA insiders and former astronauts who have detailed knowledge of the space program.