Smithsonian Channel Announces Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing

Half a century after humanity’s historic first step on the Moon, Smithsonian Channel will launch a six-week celebration of this historic accomplishment. Six-part series APOLLO’S MOON SHOT explores the Moon program through unique and rare access to Apollo artifacts from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, while a companion augmented reality app enables users to participate in the mission. One-hour documentary THE DAY WE WALKED ON THE MOON relives those iconic 24 hours through the surprising revelations of the men and women who were there and those impacted across the globe. APOLLO’S MOON SHOT premieres Sunday, June 16 at 8 PM ET/PT, and the APOLLO’S MOON SHOT app will be available for download free of charge on iOS and Android platforms this June. THE DAY WE WALKED ON THE MOON premieres Sunday, July 7 at 9 PM ET/PT and will be available to stream on the Smithsonian Channel app and at SmithsonianChannel.com beginning Sunday, June 30.

“Smithsonian Channel is uniquely placed to relive and examine these momentous historic events” said David Royle, Chief Programming Officer, Smithsonian Networks. “We have drawn on the expertise of Smithsonian Institution and our unique resources to relive and reexamine events that were the result of scientific brilliance, as well as human endeavor, and forever changed our perception of our place in the universe.”

APOLLO’S MOON SHOT tells the entire story of America’s Moon program through rare, newly restored archival film and unique access to the artifacts of Apollo. From John Glenn’s camera, to Apollo 11’s command module, to the last space boots on the Moon -still covered in lunar dust – the series reveals the stories of the men and women who made the mission possible. Stunning footage of each mission – some of it rarely seen – is combined with NASA’s oral histories taken directly from the astronauts’ debriefings upon their return to the Earth. In-depth explorations of astronaut artifacts from the Museum’s vaults form an intimate connection between the viewer and the men on the face of the Moon.

“The scale of Project Apollo was unprecedented, costing $25 billion at the time – more than either the Manhattan Project or the Panama Canal,” said Teasel Muir-Harmony, curator at the National Air and Space Museum. “Through the use of key artifacts, this series demonstrates the breadth of a venture which drew on the combined effort of over 400,000 people.”

The APOLLO’S MOON SHOT AR app, created in partnership with AR/VR studio Immersion, allows viewers to trace the full timeline of the Moon program through key moments from the series. Augmented reality features enable anyone with an AR-compatible smartphone or tablet to shoot off a Saturn V rocket, take a selfie under extreme G-forces, step through a portal onto the Moon and experience authentic challenges from the Apollo mission, such as piloting the Apollo Lander on its treacherous descent to the Moon’s surface. Several AR features will be optimized for sharing on social media.

THE DAY WE WALKED ON THE MOON unfolds with a minute-by-minute description of those 24 hours when humanity first stepped on to the Moon – told by the people who witnessed it. Astronauts (including Michael Collins, the third member of the Apollo 11 mission), members of Mission Control (including Flight Director Gene Kranz, Capsule Communicator Charles Duke and Guidance Officer Steve Bales) and the children of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin reveal their personal stories behind the scenes of the iconic day. Pop culture notables like Queen guitarist and doctor of astrophysics Brian May and television personality and professor of physics Brian Cox describe where they were and what they felt during that “One Small Step.” It’s a story that ranges from the deeply personal to the grand and historic, an in-depth look at one of the most important 24-hour periods in history.

APOLLO’S MOON SHOT is produced by Smithsonian Channel. Executive producers are Tim Evans, Charles Poe and David Royle. The APOLLO’S MOON SHOT AR app is produced by Immersion.

THE DAY WE WALKED ON THE MOON is produced by Finestripe Productions for Smithsonian Channel and ITV. Sue Summers is executive producer for Finestripe. Charles Poe and David Royle are executive producers for Smithsonian Channel.