NOVA - To the Moon
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DVD Cover Information
Artist: NovaBrand: AEC One Stop Group, Inc.
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 120 minutes
Published: 2000-08-01
DVD Release Date: 2000-08-08
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: PBS
Movie Reviews of NOVA - To the Moon
Movie Review: From Sputnik Through the End of the Apollo Program
Summary: 5 Stars
This documentary, intended for the 30th anniversary (1999) of the first lunar landing, covers the period from 1957 through 1972. The viewer soon learns that the mission to the moon had less to do with adventure and scientific curiosity, and more to do with Cold War realities--specifically the humiliations of Sputnik and Gagarin.
How to reach the moon? Earlier proposals involved landing a huge craft directly on the moon, and then lifting off again. This made for a difficult--if not impossible--weight problem. A lone scientist kept arguing for the LOR (lunar-orbit rendezvous). This would solve the weight problem, but the prospect of two spacecraft meeting in lunar orbit seemed daunting at the time. By mid-1962, however, LOR was accepted.
The much-neglected Gemini program is included. The challenges of long-duration flight, and of rendezvous and docking, were mastered. EVAs (spacewalks) proved very exhausting for the participants, until it was realized that these astronauts needed firm footholds and handholds to overcome Newton's third law of motion.
The tragic Apollo 1 fire is seen as one that made the eventual lunar-landing possible by uncovering design flaws that otherwise would've been neglected. Constructing the Saturn 5 rocket was a painstaking process, and the lunar module design encountered constant problems with creeping excessive weight.
The Christmas lunar orbit of Apollo 8 occurred because the lunar module wasn't ready yet, and because intelligence indicated an impending Soviet manned circumlunar flight. Reading from the Book of Genesis was entirely the astronauts' idea.
The huge Soviet N-1 rocket kept exploding soon after launch, firmly dooming the Soviets to second place in the moon race. The historic Apollo 11 landing wasn't straightforward. The desired aiming point had been overshot by 4 miles, and the crew almost ran out of fuel before finding a suitable landing spot.
The documentary is full of good visual aids. One of them, for instance, shows how staging in rockets is used to save weight. One minor error involves the assertion that use of the lunar module engine to propel the entire Apollo "stack", during the Apollo 13 abort, had never been tried before. Actually, it had--experimentally on Apollo 9.
The later Apollo missions had the debate on whether the moon is better explored by the traditional pilot-astronaut, or by the newer breed of scientist-astronaut. This became moot. The public lost interest and funding for more Apollo missions was denied. 37 years have now passed since man last walked on the moon...
Summary of NOVA - To the Moon
The mission was impossible. The odds were astronomical. The results were spectacular. NOVA presents the fascinating story behind the Apollo space program, including the most remarkable feat in human history?the historic walk on the moon in 1969. Meet the unsung heroes, experience the dangers and discover a broader range of Apollo perspectives than any space documentary ever produced.In this expanded two-hour special, you'll see rare footage, explore little-known facts and enjoy rare insightful interviews with the NASA scientists, engineers, geologists and astronauts who made the dream of walking on the moon a reality. Share the vivid recollections of Apollo astronauts Gene Cernan and Frank Borman, plus legendary Flight Director Gene Kranz. Hear courageous tales from the pioneering Gemini space program. And explore how past lunar discoveries continue to produce exciting revelations.
Special DVD features include: scene selections; access to the To The Moon Web site, featuring panorama views from six moon landings, interactive lunar puzzles, interviews with top Apollo astronauts, and more; access to the NASA and NOVA web sites; and English subtitles.
On one DVD5 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: 4 x 3 full frame.
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