Air & Space Smithsonian: Dreams of Flight - Higher Faster Farther

Air France was an early operator of the Boeing 747 taking delivery of its first 747-100 in 1970. A dozen years later it operated well over 30 "Jumbos" and eventually had one of the world's largest 747 fleets. Until a few years ago it had operated most types of the aircraft including the 100, 200B, 200F, 300, 400, 400ERF and 400BCF. Soon though the type will be leaving the fleet with most aircraft already gone, freighter service is scheduled to end in 2015 and passenger service sometime in 2016 ending nearly 50 years of operation! AirFrance 747s have been seen nearly everyone on earth! We are very lucky to have Captain George Mercovik, a 747 instructor, on this program. He and is 2 copilots will give you a great tour and presentation of this fantastic aircraft!

Built in the United States in the early 1940s by Sikorsky Aircraft, the VS-44 was a large four-engine flying boat designed primarily for the transatlantic passenger market, with a capacity of 40+ passengers. Three units were produced: Excalibur, Exeter - and Excambian, "The Queen of the Sky" to its final owners Charlie Blair and his wife, actress Maureen O'Hara. The film explores aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky and the eleven-year restoration of Excambian by volunteers at Sikorsky's Stratford plant.

The Wonder of it All focuses on the human side of the men behind the Apollo missions through candid interviews with seven of the Apollo astronauts: Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Edgar Mitchell, John Young, Charles Duke, Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt. They all reflect on the training, the tragedies, the camaraderie, and the effect that their space travel has had on their families.

For the first time in 40 years African skies resound to the roar of a flying boat. Alexander Frater boards a wartime Catalina in search of the romance and adventure of Imperial Airways' legendary route from Cairo to the Cape - down the White Nile to the Rift Valley lakes of Kenya and on to the astonishing Ilha de Mocambique - the forgotten jewel of the Indian Ocean.

William Shatner presents a light-hearted look at how the "Star Trek" TV series have influenced and inspired today's technologies, including: cell phones, medical imaging, computers and software, SETI, MP3 players and iPods, virtual reality, and spaceship propulsion.

This 2004 documentary by Werner Herzog diaries the struggle of a passionate English inventor to design and test a unique airship during its maiden flight above the jungle canopy.

An inside look at NASA’s new Artemis program and its mission to return astronauts to the moon for the first time in 50 years.

In 1916, while France was bogged down in trench wars, a young engineer named Marcel Bloch was inventing a revolutionary propeller, the Eclair propeller. It would prove very effective in air combat. Today, Dassault Aviation, named after the moniker its founder took on after the war, is among the jewels of the worldwide aeronautics industry. From astonishing growth to unexpected crises, the Dassault group's destiny is closely linked to the history of France and the saga of modern aviation. As it marks its first century of existence, the company continues to fly in civil and military aviation, still following the path of its founder's visionary spirit, Marcel Dassault.

Discover the UFO phenomenon like never before, with insights from NASA, CNES, Oxford, compelling firsthand witnesses, and even the possible viewpoint of extraterrestrial visitors.

Few aircraft have attracted more attention than the ominous black supersonic jet that for years has ranged the world on reconnaissance missions. This is the definitive tribute to an extraordinary peacekeeper, the SR-71 Blackbird. The History. The Technology. The Missions. The Pilots. And compelling, gripping footage of the Blackbird itself, on its "rocket ride" through the world's airspace.

In the year 1957 the cold war expands to space. The Soviet-Union sends Sputnik as the first manmade object into earth-orbit. 3 years later Yuri Gagarin enters space as the first man in space. The so called "Space Race" seems to be decided. But in 1961 President Kennedy promised to send American Astronauts to the Moon. The Apollo Project was born. A space ship had to be built that is strong enough to escape earth's gravitation, land on the moon and bring the crew safely back to earth. Motion Designer Christian worked with his brother and Composer Wolfgang for 18 months on this shortfilm. The foundation were thousands original NASA photographies, taken from the Astronauts during the Apollo Missions, which were released in September 2015. It is an animated collage using different techniques to bring the stills to life.

"Flight Photographers" is an engaging look at the dynamic world of aviation photography, showcasing the passion and skill of both enthusiasts and professionals. Exciting stories and breathtaking images, highlight the art and adventure of capturing the beauty of flight.

Documentary describing events leading up to the February 1996 shoot down by Cuban Air Force Migs of 2 U.S. registered Cessna 337 aircraft operated by the Cuban exile organization Brothers To The Rescue based in Miami, USA.

Comets pose one of the greatest threats to life on Earth - a threat that can only be countered if we find out more about them. In 2005, in an audacious bid to do just that, NASA scientists launched a space probe to collide with a comet in the emptiness of deep space. This film follows the amazing story of mission Deep Impact, from its inception through to the final nail-biting moments when the probe and comet Tempel 1 met head-on.

Today, hundreds of kilometers above our heads, millions of pieces of trash are orbiting randomly at breakneck speed. Scientists are now warning that, if nothing is done, the exploration outside our planet, and communications systems within, will be almost impossible within 30 years. How can we collect the space trash and avoid future disasters?

Explores the $10 billion JWST's engineering and construction process, historic Dec. 25, 2021 launch, and the release of its first full-color, galaxy-sprinkled images on July 12, 2022 witnessed by the entire planet.

Can Homo sapiens evolve into Homo spatius? For over 50 years now, we have been testing our human nature in our effort to conquer outer space, and still 30 years away from a possible human exploration of Mars, a question remains: Can our body take such travels? Will it ever adapt? Combining human adventure and the exploration of the human body, this film offers unique insights into the physical and psychological effects of space travel on the Astronauts and measures the impact on medical sciences.

Join the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity for an awe-inspiring journey to the surface of the mysterious red planet.

Some 220 miles above Earth lies the International Space Station, a one-of-a-kind outer space laboratory that 16 nations came together to build. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this extraordinary structure in this spectacular IMAX film. Viewers will blast off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center and the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Russia for this incredible journey -- IMAX's first-ever space film. Tom Cruise narrates.

In 1928, Lady Heath became the first person to fly solo from Cape Town to London. Eighty-five years later, Tracey Curtis-Taylor set out in a vintage biplane to fly that adventure again. Following Tracey as she retraces the journey, The Aviatrix is more than just a film about the rapture of flying – it’s a story about living life on your own terms and having the courage and determination to realise your greatest dreams.