Dream Is Alive

35minute IMAX produced film about shuttle processing & Kennedy Space Centre

October Sky

Fantastic feature length film based on the true story of Homer Hickham & the Rocket Boys. Inspiring and motivational. Its the story of the boys efforts to acheive the impossible - win the science fair with thier home made rockets and get out their, apparently inevitable, mining town destiny. I love this film and every class I've used it with has too, especially if you follow it up with the Air Powered Rockets activity.

You can also get the book 'Rocket Boys' (or they may have renamed it 'October Sky'), written by Homer Hickham, that the film based on.

Apollo 13

The story of Jim Lovell & NASA's 'successful failure'. The DVD features commentaries by the real Jim Lovell & wife Marilyn. You'll remember that we wore the gloves that actually went round the Moon on this trip, ooooh!

You can also get the book 'Apollo 13', written by Jim Lovell, that the film based on.

Armageddon

The Bruce Willis & Liv Tyler comet impact story. Factually inaccurate and more than a touch 'Hollywoody' but well worth watching (especially for people who have visited Kennedy Space Centre).

From the Earth to the Moon

Based on the book 'Man on the Moon' by Andrew Chaikin (also available), this is the hit HBO TV series. Tom Hanks introduces 12 hour-long episodes that chronicle the story of how we reached the moon. Doesn't feature any 'actual footage' but is the best guide to the adventure that there is. Very very recommended.

The Right Stuff

Feature length film about the Mercury Astronauts. Starts off right at the beginning with Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier and goes through until the end of the Mercury flights. The most thorough guide to the Mercury project that there is.

For All Mankind

Lots and lots of 'actual footage'. This is a montage of all the Apollo flights rolled into one to take you to the Moon, explore & back. Narrated by the astronauts themselves, the DVD is especially good because it tells you the names of the astronauts as they commentate.

Solar Max

A film about how the Sun affects the Earth. Lots of great SOHO footage and some nice teaching ideas too.

Space Station

35minute IMAX produced film narrated by Tom Cruise about the, er, space station. Unfortunately, as we don't have 3D TV yet this is just in 2D, but, if you can, go see the 3D version at an IMAX cinema. It sounds silly but you'll want to reach out to touch things as they seem to float around in front of your face. Amazing!

As far as I know this is only available on region 1 DVD but apparently these happen to play on region 2 DVD players anyway.

Space Race

4 hour-long, BBC produced, programmes about 'thier Germans' and 'our Germans' - Sergei Korolov & Werner Von Braun. The series takes you from the beginning of the Cold War to the Moon landings in great detail.

(I've met people at the Space Walk of Fame museum, Titusville, Florida, that actually worked with Von Braun - wow!)

You can also get the book, 'The Race', written by James Schefter, that the series loosely follows. Worth reading.