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13 Minutes to the Moon: 2. Kids in control

The Moon landing is threatened when an alarm goes off. Can Nasa’s mission control - average age just 26 - save the astronauts’ historic spaceflight in time?

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? These engineers, scientists, controllers and programmers are the unsung heroes who worked behind the scenes to make one of history’s greatest space missions possible.

Hosted by Kevin Fong.

Starring:
Steve Bales
Charlie Duke
John Aaron
Glynn Lunney
Gerry Griffin
Jerry Bostick
Gene Kranz courtesy of the Johnson Space Center History Office

Archive: Johnson Space Center History Office

Theme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music

#13MinutestotheMoon
www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes

Available now

48 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Wed 22 May 2019 10:32GMT
  • Wed 22 May 2019 17:32GMT
  • Wed 22 May 2019 21:32GMT
  • Wed 22 May 2019 22:32GMT
  • Thu 23 May 2019 01:32GMT
  • Sun 26 May 2019 17:32GMT

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