Film Lens
Space Race is a BBC docudrama series that chronicles the events and key figures in the American and Soviet space race leading up to the first Moon landing. It focuses on the contributions of Sergei Korolev, the chief rocket designer for the Soviet Union, and Wernher von Braun, his American counterpart. The series was produced by a collaboration of British, German, American, and Russian teams, showcasing the intense competition between the two superpowers during the Cold War.
The series is structured into three episodes, each covering different phases of the space race. Episode 1 details the aftermath of World War II, highlighting von Braun's capture by the Americans and Korolev's release from the Gulag to advance Soviet rocket technology. Episode 2 covers the launch of the first satellites, including Sputnik 1 and Explorer 1, while Episode 3 focuses on the preparations for crewed space flights, detailing the Vostok program in the USSR and Project Mercury in the USA.
Why Watch
- •See Wernher von Braun's role in Nazi rocket technology.
- •Follow the launch of Sputnik 1 and Explorer 1.
- •Meet the engineers behind the Vostok and Mercury programs.
Did You Know
•The series aired on BBC2 from 14 September to 5 October 2005.
•Sergei Korolev was released from the Gulag to work on rocketry in 1945.
•The R-7 Semyorka, designed by Korolev, was the first ICBM.
•The series won the Sir Arthur Clarke Award for Best Presentation in 2006.
Perfect For
Space exploration enthusiastsCold War history buffsRocket science fans