For anyone who enjoys astronomy, Netflix has some of the best space documentaries available. Although space may be the last frontier, most people lack the resources to launch their own space missions or become astronauts, making it almost unattainable. That can sound like a depressing fact, but those fascinated by the immense emptiness that lies beyond the Earth can easily find solace in the several fascinating documentaries that have been produced recently about space travel. Every aspect of space travel is incredibly extensively documented and readily available, from man’s earliest tentative steps towards the infinite to theories about ancient peoples and their encounters with extraterrestrial species.
Netflix currently has some excellent options for individuals looking to watch documentaries about planets, stars, and the Earth’s solar system in addition to the fantastic fictional streaming programmes and sci-fi movies. The incredible stuff on offer examines the work of astronauts and examines the possibility of life on distant worlds. If that’s still not enough, there is also a mysterious adventure that looks into black holes and what might lie outside the known cosmos.
Alien Worlds (2020)
Alien Worlds, a four-part Netflix documentary series exploring space and how life can arise on exoplanets, will be released in 2020. The fact that this is a speculative documentary is what interests me the most. Scientists investigate what might be out there rather than demonstrating how things actually are on the planets and in the outer reaches of space. This makes the documentary largely fictional, although it is based on real scientific research, and there are many specialists available to discuss what life off Earth would be like.
Astronomers, astrobiologists, ecologists, and others are interviewed in Alien Worlds to learn more about what the principles of life on Earth may resemble if they were applied to other worlds and exoplanets in the universe. They then investigate what life would be like on planets with two suns (similar to the Star Wars scene), low gravity, extreme heat, or permanent freezing. The documentary is nevertheless entertaining because it also has CGI scenes that depict what life on other planets would look like. The documentary’s narrator is Sophie Okonedo.
Black Holes: The Edge Of All We Know (2021)
Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know, a scintillating look at the enigmatic black holes that form in the far reaches of space, will be available on Netflix in 2020. For those who do not know, a black hole is created when a huge star collapses under the weight of itself at the conclusion of its life. Nearly every galaxy, including our own Milky Way, was born with a huge black hole at its core (as shown in the mind-bending fictional movie Interstellar). This film examines nearly all of the phenomenon’s scientific knowledge.
In the space documentary, Stephen Hawking and a group of mathematicians who are working to answer the Information Paradox are interviewed, as well as members of the international team that was responsible for the first-ever observation of a black hole. While the mathematicians published their article on black holes in 2018, the global team unveiled the first image of a black hole in 2019. This feature displays the findings from both teams’ research.
Challenger: The Final Flight (2020)
Challenger: The Final Flight, one of the more sombre space documentaries available on Netflix, tells the tale of NASA’s Space Shuttle Challenger’s tragic 1986 crash. This four-part documentary series, which is only available on Netflix, aids in telling the tale of both the tragedy and the significance of the mission. Additionally, it honours the astronauts’ lives who lost their life in the explosion.
On that trip, seven astronauts lost their lives—all in the sake of space exploration. This documentary series pays tribute to them and demonstrates how, despite the mission’s failure, it was nevertheless a significant moment in space exploration history. The incident significantly altered the way NASA and the American space programme function and mandated new safety procedures for all upcoming space missions.
Our Universe (2022)
Our Universe, a space documentary that is similar to the Our Planet series and will be available on Netflix in 2022, is organised as a six-part series and is narrated by actor Morgan Freeman, whose voice is instantly recognisable. This is a look back in time at the creation of the cosmos and the components of the solar system. It also contributes to the evolution of the countless varieties of life that have arisen on Earth over the course of millions of years. The documentary also makes use of CGI special effects to illustrate universal themes and the tales of the animals, who are depicted in their natural environments.
The final of the six episodes compares the explosions on the surface of the sun to millions of atomic bombs and contrasts them with the daily activities of the animals on Earth. This space documentary demonstrates how everything is interconnected and how life on Earth depends on the sun, without which these animals would not be able to exist.
Return To Space (2022)
Elon Musk’s SpaceX enterprise and its attempt to send humans back into space are the subject of the Netflix space documentary Return to Space. SpaceX promises to send everyone who can pay it into space, in contrast to conventional space travel documentaries, which focus on astronauts and scientific study. Elon Musk does, however, think that space travel is crucial for the future of humanity, and this documentary depicts the events leading up to the launch of the rocket to the International Space Station.
Anyone who watches Return to Space will notice that the journey into space is no longer simply about countries. Commercial enterprise SpaceX collaborates with NASA to make this available to everyone. Also prominently featured throughout the piece is Elon Musk. This Netflix space documentary is one of the best ones about true rocket physics and includes some incredible footage of numerous failed attempts.
The Mars Generation (2017)
The Mars Generation examines the prospect for realising the sci-fi movie fantasy of one day residing on Mars, and is particularly poignant and entertaining as climate change becomes more of a reality. The documentary shows how far humanity has to go before the planet is a viable substitute for the earthly perfection we already possess, but ultimately presents the future as bright and full of possibility. It does this by capturing the day-to-day struggles of a group of young scientists and engineers committed to a Martian future.
At Space Camp in Alabama, The Mars Generation has a team of space enthusiasts working on these aspirations. This programme, which depicts how young people receive instruction from seasoned mentors, was sponsored by Time Magazine. Although it focuses on the Challenger and Columbia explosions, it is an excellent space documentary to watch on Netflix for any young people who might be interested in going into space exploration.
The Wonderful: Stories From The Space Station (2021)
It is simple to think that space travel is a thrilling adventure much as in the movies. While that is somewhat true, a large portion of space exploration takes place in incredibly confined and perhaps hazardous spaces. There are many aspects of living on the International Space Station that average people don’t think about, even yet the views may be life-altering. This Netflix documentary from 2021 focuses on the fantastic and less fantastic aspects of life aboard the ISS. It’s a fascinating piece that enlightens viewers about the difficulties of living in Earth’s orbit.
The Netflix space documentary depicts the tale of more than two decades of peaceful cooperation amongst countries, including those with opposing ideologies, as they cooperate to benefit humanity. Astronauts and cosmonauts who have spent time on the International Space Station are the ones who recount its tale. Anyone who sees this will immediately gain an understanding of what life is like on the International Space Station and what space flight actually entails. This is more for Netflix customers who want to binge on space-related entertainment and less for others who just want to gaze at the stars.
