Xploration Outer Space - Season 4

NASA has been remarkably successful sending robot to Mars’ surface. Host Emily Calandrelli looks at the varied and ingenious methods used to land spacecraft on the red planet, starting with Pathfinder in 1997.

The year 2011 was remarkable as NASA visited several planets, asteroids and comets. Host Emily Calandrelli explores the amazing journeys of spacecraft that gathered spectacular images of Mercury, Jupiter and Mars.

Emily Calandrelli looks at how surviving in deep space can become a reality. Lockheed Martin is designing a spacecraft, similar to a smaller International Space Station, where astronauts can comfortably make a three-year trip to Mars and back.

The Hubble Space Telescope provides amazing insights into our universe, capturing stars forming and distant galaxies. Host Emily Calandrelli looks at the incredible phenomena of our universe, and our own planet’s turbulent atmosphere.

When Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon, it put an emphatic end to the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Host Emily Calandrelli looks at the accomplishments of Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the two astronauts who first landed on the moon.

Is Mercury the hottest planet in our solar system? No, it’s not. There’s a lot of misinformation about our solar system. Host Emily Calandrelli speaks to experts who debunk many of the myths about outer space.

There have been a few occasions when spacecraft have been lost in space. Host Emily Calandrelli looks at several of these adventures. In some cases, the spacecraft that were lost, were remarkable found again.

Canada has made significant contributions to the space effort, despite having a much smaller budget than NASA. Host Emily Calandrelli visits the Canadian Space Center in Quebec, and examines their exceptional expertise in robotics, which includes the famous Canadarm.

Host Emily Calandrelli looks at NASA’s next mission to send a spacecraft that will “touch” the sun. She also witnesses a total solar eclipse, and visits a man who races homing pigeons, a bird that uses the sun to navigate its way home from hundreds of miles away.

A look at the first African-American woman in space and the first spacecraft to reach interstellar space. Host Emily Calandrelli interviews several pioneers of space and discovers the determination and courage required to become the “first.”

Many private companies are working with NASA to make space exploration more efficient. Host Emily Calandrelli visits the Sierra Nevada Corporation, which is building a spacecraft that can deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station.

A boy scout troop sends an experiment to the International Space Station. A 14-year old girl has aspirations of becoming the first astronaut to set foot on Mars. Host Emily Calandrelli looks at students who are becoming involved with space exploration.

One incredible student wins the prize of going to Hawaii and experience the HI-SEAS habitat, which simulates life on Mars. Host Emily Calandrelli joins the contest winner in this special episode.