

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II
BBC World Service
NEW: Artemis and the return to the Moon. The BBC’s space podcast is following Artemis II, with an episode every day during the mission. Nasa plans to return to the Moon for the first time in more than half a century and the next step is Artemis II. The mission aims to send four astronauts – on a spacecraft called Orion - to loop around the Moon. They plan to go further from Earth than any human in history. The story of Artemis II is being told by space scientist, Maggie Aderin, and British astronaut, Tim Peake. They are joined by expert contributors, US space journalist Kristin Fisher and the BBC News Science Editor, Rebecca Morelle.
Orion’s crew is Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. The last crewed mission to The Moon was Apollo 17 in 1972.13 Minutes is the BBC’s space podcast, telling epic space stories. It’s produced by the BBC Audio Science Unit for the BBC World Service.
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.Previous seasons:Season 1: 13 Minutes to the Moon.
The first Moon landing. In the final dramatic 13-minute descent to the Moon, the Apollo 11 mission came close to going badly wrong. Communication was breaking down, technology was failing and fuel was running out. This is the story of how the first Moon landing was saved. Presented by Kevin Fong.Season 2: Apollo 13.
Apollo 13 should have been the third Moon landing, but after an explosion, it almost ended in tragedy. Told by the people who flew it and saved it. Presented and co-written by Kevin Fong.Season 3: The Space Shuttle.
A sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever. From the boldest test flight in history to one of Nasa’s darkest days – the Challenger disaster. Space scientist Maggie Aderin tells the awe-inspiring story of the programme that brought triumph and tragedy. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects.
Orion’s crew is Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. The last crewed mission to The Moon was Apollo 17 in 1972.13 Minutes is the BBC’s space podcast, telling epic space stories. It’s produced by the BBC Audio Science Unit for the BBC World Service.
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.Previous seasons:Season 1: 13 Minutes to the Moon.
The first Moon landing. In the final dramatic 13-minute descent to the Moon, the Apollo 11 mission came close to going badly wrong. Communication was breaking down, technology was failing and fuel was running out. This is the story of how the first Moon landing was saved. Presented by Kevin Fong.Season 2: Apollo 13.
Apollo 13 should have been the third Moon landing, but after an explosion, it almost ended in tragedy. Told by the people who flew it and saved it. Presented and co-written by Kevin Fong.Season 3: The Space Shuttle.
A sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever. From the boldest test flight in history to one of Nasa’s darkest days – the Challenger disaster. Space scientist Maggie Aderin tells the awe-inspiring story of the programme that brought triumph and tragedy. Some scenes in this series use recreated sound effects.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 23, 2020 • 45min
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 Fong.Archive:
Nasa
Johnson Space Center Oral History ProjectStarring:
Glynn Lunney
Ken Mattingly (courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project)
Merlin Merritt
Jim Lovell
John Aaron
Fred Haise
John Devaney
Jerry Bostick
Poppy Northcutt
George Kalan
Dave Reed
Chuck Deiterich
Marilyn Lovell
Susan Lovell
Jay LovellWritten by Kevin Fong and Mark Rickards Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music.
Produced by the BBC Radio Science Unit for the BBC World Service.

Mar 16, 2020 • 46min
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 action to survive.Hosted by Kevin Fong.Archive:
Nasa
Johnson Space Center Oral History ProjectStarring:
Jim Lovell
Jack Lousma
Gene Kranz, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project
Sy Liebergot
Bob Heselmeyer, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project
Fred Haise
John Aaron
Marilyn LovellWritten by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-BakerTheme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music.
Produced by the BBC Radio Science Unit for the BBC World Service.

Mar 9, 2020 • 44min
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 Fong.Archive:
Nasa and CBS
Johnson Space Center Oral History ProjectStarring:
Jim Lovell
Marilyn Lovell
Fred Haise
John Aaron
Gerry Griffin
Gene Kranz, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project
Charlie Duke
Jay Lovell
Sy Liebergot
Jack Lousma Written by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-BakerTheme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music.Produced by the BBC Radio Science Unit for the BBC World Service.
This episode was updated on 16 March 2020.

Feb 19, 2020 • 4min
Apollo 13: Trailer: The countdown
Explore the tense moments of the Apollo 13 mission as astronauts face a life-threatening crisis in space. Witness their bravery and problem-solving skills in the cold depths of space, battling failing systems and uncertainty in a race against time.

Dec 23, 2019 • 22min
13 Minutes to the Moon: Bonus: The making of the music
Hans Zimmer discusses creating the theme music for a space-themed podcast. He explores the impact of music on imagination and the importance of coffee. The episode delves into the collaboration process and emotional connections in music creation, aiming to evoke deep connections with listeners. It also reflects on the wonder, drama, and emotions of the moon landing mission.

Jul 19, 2019 • 59min
13 Minutes to the Moon: 12. Live from Houston
Reflecting on President Kennedy's Moon speech at Rice University in Houston, Apollo astronauts discuss challenges faced during the Apollo program, evolution of technology in space exploration, hurdles for NASA's future exploration, intense moments of Apollo 11 moon landing, and psychological impact of space travel.

Jul 14, 2019 • 19min
13 Minutes to the Moon: 11. The 13 minutes
Explore the historical significance of the audio recordings from Apollo 11's mission control. Hear the tension and triumph of the last 13 minutes of the lunar descent. Discover the technical details and challenges faced during the flight. Experience the intense final minutes of the Apollo 11 mission as the Lunar Module lands on the moon's surface.

Jul 14, 2019 • 46min
13 Minutes to the Moon: 10. ‘For all mankind’
Guests on this episode include Apollo 11 astronaut Charlie Duke, pioneer of mission control Poppy Northcutt, former director of NASA's Johnson Space Center George Abbey, and more. They discuss topics such as radio static issues during the descent, communication challenges faced by mission control, the significance of the computer in the success of the mission, the tense final descent to the lunar surface, and Capcom Charlie Duke's desk on July 20th, 1969.

Jul 7, 2019 • 39min
13 Minutes to the Moon: 9. Tranquility Base
Experience the nail-biting final moments of Apollo 11's mission as Neil Armstrong faces communication issues and dwindling fuel. Armstrong takes manual control to ensure a safe landing, showcasing the crucial partnership between human decision-making and computer assistance. Reflect on Armstrong's iconic moonwalk and stay tuned for future episodes delving deeper into this historic moment.

Jun 30, 2019 • 41min
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 Greene
Jack Garman
Bob CarltonTheme music by Hans Zimmer for Bleeding Fingers Music.#13MinutestotheMoon
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