When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions backdrop
Documentary

The Best Episodes of When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions

Every episode of When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions!

Binge this in 4h 54m•Peaking at 8.6/10

A miniseries documenting American human spaceflight, spanning from the first Mercury flights through the Gemini program to the Apollo moon landings, the Space Shuttle, and the construction of the International Space Station. It was created

Airs on
Discovery
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons1

All1

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions Season 1 Episode 3 - Landing the Eagle
    8.6/10(68 votes)

    #1 - Landing the Eagle

    S1:E3

    The Apollo program is set to achieve the ultimate prize of the Space Race, landing men on the moon. But a fire breaks out in the pressurized capsule of Apollo 1, resulting in the deaths of three beloved astronauts. However, NASA rebounds, launching men into deep space and landing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions Season 1 Episode 1 - Ordinary Supermen
    8.4/10(86 votes)

    #2 - Ordinary Supermen

    S1:E1

    NASA selects seven men to become the first astronauts. They're all test pilots, prepared to risk their lives. No one has ever survived a vertical launch on top of a rocket, but it's the only way they know to put an astronaut into earth orbit. NASA and America's first astronauts, the Mercury Seven, are on a journey into the unknown. Six of the men ride into space, each launch taking NASA further forward in their quest to conquer space.

    Directors:Grace Chapman, Mary Crisp
    Writer:Ed Fields

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions Season 1 Episode 2 - Friends and Rivals
    8.3/10(79 votes)

    #3 - Friends and Rivals

    S1:E2

    Nine new astronauts arrive at NASA - their mission, to test all the procedures required to land men on the moon and bring them safely back to earth. Each Gemini mission launches two men into space, leading to some of NASA's greatest moments - Ed White's spacewalk, the first orbital rendezvous of Gemini 6 and 7, and Neil Armstrong's first space docking.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions Season 1 Episode 6 - Home In Space
    8.3/10(62 votes)

    #4 - Home In Space

    S1:E6

    One of the most complex instruments ever built, the Hubble Space Telescope is expected to transform our understanding of the Universe. But once it is in orbit NASA discovers a serious problem, a defective main mirror. NASA sends a team of astronauts to fix the problem in its greatest and highest profile mission since the Apollo era. It gives NASA the confidence to begin construction on the International Space Station.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions Season 1 Episode 4 - The Explorers
    8.2/10(65 votes)

    #5 - The Explorers

    S1:E4

    Apollo 13 puts the astronauts to the ultimate test, returning a damaged spacecraft back safely to earth. Apollo 17 sends man for the longest mission yet to the surface of the moon, but it's the last lunar mission for generations. Now, it's time for a new phase in the program. Converting an unused Saturn V rocket, NASA launches Skylab, America's first space-station.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions Season 1 Episode 5 - The Shuttle
    8.1/10(65 votes)

    #6 - The Shuttle

    S1:E5

    For its first 20 years, NASA launches capsules carrying a maximum of three people. But new requirements for a bigger cargo bay prompt a breakthrough in spacecraft design. The development of the re-usable shuttle leads to a revolutionary approach to space travel. Meanwhile, the pioneers of NASA's manned programs are leading the way into the modern era of the space-age.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions

    READ

Best Episodes Summary

"Landing the Eagle" is the best rated episode of "When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions". It scored 8.6/10 based on 68 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 6/15/2008. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Ordinary Supermen".