From the capture of the V-2 at the end of the war to the rush  
to develop missile technology. The military backers of missile technology could not imagine that travel to orbit would be anything more than a curiosity.

1. Toward Space

Factual

Documentary

Space exploration is still developing, yet it builds upon detailed work and the solution of complex problems that have taken place over decades.

Blueprint for Space

Series 1

Blueprint for Space looks at key achievements in the exploration of space.

Celebrity Lingo

Famous faces go head-to-head in the fast-paced word play game. Hosted by Adil Ray.

Adil Ray hosts the game of words as Emmerdale icons Lisa Riley and Mark Charnock take on the Reverend Richard Coles - and comedian Tim Vine - and try to win big for charity.

FIFA World Cup 2026

Follow the triumphs and tragedies of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Holders Argentina face Algeria in their opening group match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Laura Woods, Patrick Vieira, Karen Carney and Duncan Ferguson.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Argentina v Algeria

NASA's first two-person spacecraft was conceived to learn the techniques of rendezvous, docking and walking in space.

2. Rendevous in Space

The vast distances to the planets and the time it would 
take to get there ruled out sending people on missions of planetary exploration. Instead, the spacefaring nations sent autonomous spacecraft that could follow instructions relayed from Earth.

3. Robotic Explorers

Originally devised as a way to cut the cost of launching satellites, the re-usable shuttle proved too complex to bring about the hoped-for savings. In separate tragedies two shuttles were lost and the programme was shut down early, yet the legacy of the shuttle is considerable.

4. The Shuttle Era

Placing a telescope above the distorting effects of the  
Earth's atmosphere became an objective for astronomers soon after the space agencies began sending satellites into orbit. Humanity's knowledge of the universe has increased exponentially since orbiting telescopes became a reality, but the technology has not been easy to develop.

5. Deep Space

The Sun is the only star close enough to examine in close  
detail, but developing the hardware to work in such a hostile environment has not been easy.