Liftoff Videos

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71 videos

  1. Challenger STS-51-L: The O-Ring Warning and the 73-Second Flight

    Mission: 1986Published: 2 Nov 2026

    Space Shuttle Challenger, on mission 51-L, lifted off at 11:38 a.m. on January 28, 1986 and broke apart 73 seconds later, killing all seven crew.

    View mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)
    Outcome
    Failure

  2. Apollo 13: The Tank Flaw and Crew’s Lifeboat Return

    Mission: 1970Published: 2 Nov 2026

    Apollo 13 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, meant to be the third Moon landing at Fra Mauro.

    View mission: Apollo 13 (1970)
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center
    Outcome
    Partial success

  3. Apollo 13: The Dropped Tank and Switches Behind the Explosion

    Mission: 1970Published: 1 Nov 2026

    Apollo 13 was meant to be the third Moon landing, but an oxygen tank exploded about 55 hours 54 minutes into the mission, and the crew used the lunar module Aquarius as a lifeboat.

    View mission: Apollo 13 (1970)
    Outcome
    Partial success

  4. Challenger STS-51-L: O-Rings, Cold and the Overruled Warning

    Mission: 1986Published: 1 Nov 2026

    On January 28, 1986, Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff on mission 51-L, and all seven crew members died.

    View mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)
    Outcome
    Failure

  5. Apollo 13: The Oxygen Tank Failure and the Lunar Module Lifeboat

    Mission: 1970Published: 1 Nov 2026

    Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970, meant to be the third crewed Moon landing.

    View mission: Apollo 13 (1970)
    Launch site
    Launch pad 39A, Florida
    Outcome
    Partial success

  6. Apollo 13: How an Oxygen Tank Failure Nearly Stranded Three Men

    Mission: 1970Published: 1 Nov 2026

    Apollo 13 was meant to be the third Moon landing, targeting the Fra Mauro region, but an oxygen tank burst about 55 hours into the flight, around 200,000 miles from Earth.

    View mission: Apollo 13 (1970)
    Launch site
    Florida
    Outcome
    Partial success

  7. Challenger STS-51-L: O-Ring Failure, Cold Launch and Return to Flight

    Mission: 1986Published: 1 Nov 2026

    A documentary on the Challenger accident of January 28, 1986, when the shuttle disintegrated 73 seconds into flight with the loss of all seven astronauts.

    View mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center
    Outcome
    Failure

  8. Apollo 13: How Aquarius and a Makeshift CO2 Adapter Saved the Crew

    Mission: 1970Published: 1 Nov 2026

    Apollo 13 lifted off on April 11, 1970 for the lunar highlands of Fra Mauro, but an oxygen tank in the service module ruptured roughly 320,000 km from Earth.

    View mission: Apollo 13 (1970)
    Launch site
    Florida
    Outcome
    Partial success

  9. Challenger STS-51-L: The Seals, the Cold and 73 Seconds

    Mission: 1986Published: 1 Nov 2026

    A documentary on the Challenger mission 51-L, which lifted off at 11:38 on 28 January 1986 and broke apart 73 seconds later.

    View mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center
    Outcome
    Failure

  10. Challenger STS-51-L: The Night Engineers Said Don’t Launch

    Mission: 1986Published: 1 Nov 2026

    Built from the Rogers Commission report and sworn hearing testimony, this film follows the roughly 21 hours from the cold forecast reaching Morton Thiokol on Monday 27 January 1986 to 73 seconds…

    View mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center
    Outcome
    Failure

  11. Apollo 13: How a Thermostat Error Led to the Oxygen Tank Blast

    Mission: 1970Published: 1 Nov 2026

    Apollo 13 lifted off on April 11, 1970, and 55 hours and 53 minutes into the flight an oxygen tank exploded after Houston asked the crew to stir the tanks.

    View mission: Apollo 13 (1970)
    Outcome
    Partial success

  12. Challenger STS-51-L: O-Ring Warnings, Cabin Evidence, Rogers Findings

    Mission: 1986Published: 1 Nov 2026

    Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff on January 28, 1986, killing all seven astronauts on board.

    View mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center Pad 39B
    Outcome
    Failure

  13. Columbia STS-107: Five Failures Behind the Foam Strike on the Wing

    Mission: 2003Published: 1 Nov 2026

    Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart over Texas on 1 February 2003 and all seven astronauts were killed.

    View mission: Columbia STS-107 (2003)
    Outcome
    Failure

  14. US Spacewalk 100: Installing the Seventh ISS Roll-Out Solar Array

    Published: 29 Oct 2026

    NASA's coverage follows Anil Menon and CSA astronaut Joshua Kutryk through US Spacewalk 100, the 285th ISS spacewalk for assembly, maintenance and upgrades.

    View mission: US Spacewalk 100
    Outcome
    In progress

  15. Apollo 11: Landing With 17 Seconds of Fuel and the Moonwalk

    Mission: 1969Published: 11 Aug 2026

    Part three of the PBS American Experience film Chasing the Moon follows Apollo 11 from the crew announcement through launch on July 16, 1969, the landing at Tranquility Base, the moonwalk and the…

    View mission: Apollo 11 (1969)
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center LC-39A
    Outcome
    Success

  16. Columbia STS-107: How a Foam Strike and Missed Imagery Led to Loss

    Mission: 2003Published: 31 Jul 2026

    An animated documentary on the STS-107 mission of Space Shuttle Columbia, launched on January 16, 2003 for a planned 16-day science flight.

    View mission: Columbia STS-107 (2003)
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center
    Outcome
    Failure

  17. Starship HLS: Why Landing on the Moon Needs 15+ Refueling Launches

    Published: 16 May 2026

    Tim Dodd of Everyday Astronaut examines whether Starship HLS is viable for Artemis.

  18. Columbia’s Last Mission: Foam Strike to Breakup Over Texas

    Mission: 2003Published: 14 May 2026

    Space Shuttle Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center on January 16, 2003.

    View mission: Columbia STS-107 (2003)
    Launch site
    Launch Complex 39-A, Kennedy Space Center
    Outcome
    Failure

  19. Artemis II Re-entry and Splashdown: Orion Integrity Returns

    Published: 11 Apr 2026

    Live coverage of Artemis II's return: Orion Integrity separated from its service module, entered the atmosphere at about 25,000 mph and splashed down in the Pacific off San Diego at 7:07 p.m.

    View mission: Artemis II
    Vehicle
    Orion, SLS
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center
    Outcome
    Success

  20. Artemis II Passes Apollo 13’s Distance Record on Lunar Approach

    Published: 7 Apr 2026

    Tim Dodd of Everyday Astronaut hosts a live watch of Artemis II's lunar approach, with commentary over NASA's broadcast.

    View mission: Artemis II
    Vehicle
    Orion, SLS
    Outcome
    In progress

  21. Artemis II Liftoff: Booster Ignition and the Crew Bound for the Moon

    Published: 4 Apr 2026

    NASA's official clip shows the liftoff of Artemis II, with the countdown from 4 to 1 and booster ignition.

    View mission: Artemis II

  22. Artemis II Explained: Crew, SLS, Orion and Flight Timeline

    Published: 30 Mar 2026

    A pre-launch guide to Artemis II, the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.

    View mission: Artemis II
    Vehicle
    Orion, SLS
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center LC-39B

  23. Columbia STS-107: How a Foam Strike Led to Breakup on Re-entry

    Mission: 2003Published: 28 Mar 2026

    Space Shuttle Columbia launched on January 16, 2003 from Kennedy Space Center on the 17-day STS-107 science mission.

    View mission: Columbia STS-107 (2003)
    Launch site
    Kennedy Space Center
    Outcome
    Failure

  24. Skylab: The Launch Damage, Rescue and Three Crews’ Record Stays

    Published: 6 Feb 2026

    A documentary on Skylab, NASA's first space station, built from Apollo hardware.

    View mission: Skylab
    Outcome
    Success