Astronaut joins BBC hit podcast 13 Minutes To The Moon, which is to return for season three

The BBC World Service and BBC Sounds have announced their multi-award winning podcast 13 Minutes To The Moon is to return with a new series. The third season of the hit podcast will be presented by former NASA astronaut and engineer, Kay Hire

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Kay will tell the story of the Space Shuttle, with first-hand experience, having flown on two Space Shuttle missions and previously worked as a Space Shuttle engineer.

The aims of the Shuttle programme were audacious and ambitious. The concept of a reusable spacecraft that could make multiple return journeys to space had previously been the stuff of dreams. This wasn’t just about going into space and coming back, it was a grand strategy of exploration that aimed at dwarfing the ambitions of the Apollo programme and delivering a consistent and structured human presence in Space.

With eye-witness accounts, mission control archive and brilliant storytelling, the new season of 13 Minutes To The Moon will put the story into its global and political context, providing details of the Shuttle’s remarkable achievements - as well as its tragic failures.

This will be Kay Hire’s first podcast with the BBC’s Audio Science unit, which produced the first two seasons.

Kay Hire says: “I’m very excited to tell the story of the amazing Space Shuttle. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Apollo story in the BBC’s 13 Minutes To The Moon, and I’m honoured to be part of building upon this engaging podcast. Listeners can buckle up to go on an adventure as we examine the intriguing story of the Space Shuttle through those who flew and worked on it, and discover its crucial role in the epic tales of space exploration.”

Jon Zilkha, Controller, BBC World Service English, says: “We’re thrilled that we will be bringing listeners season three of 13 Minutes To The Moon and delighted Kay will be joining us on this incredible story, bringing a wealth of experience and personal connection to the legacy of the Space Shuttle.”

Production is underway and the third season of 13 Minutes To The Moon is expected to be launched in 2023. More details will be announced nearer to the time. The previous two seasons of the podcast told the stories of the first moon landing, Apollo 11 and the near disaster of Apollo 13. You can catch up with both of the first two seasons of 13 Minutes To The Moon on BBC Sounds and on most other podcast apps.

About

Kay Hire is a NASA astronaut and United States Navy Captain (retired). Kay became the 34th woman to fly in space when she flew as a mission specialist aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, conducting scientific experiments in 1998. She returned to space aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 2010, on an International Space Station assembly mission.

Between her flights, Kay supported other space missions in various roles, including Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) in mission control.

She first joined NASA in 1989, working as a space shuttle engineer. Kay helped process space shuttles from landing, through ground preparations and launch countdowns for more than 40 missions.

She holds a Master of Science degree from the Florida Institute of Technology, is a Syracuse University National Security Management Fellow, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI (Foreign Policy International Relations and the National Interest) Fellow. She flew 711 hours in space and more than 3400 hours in various aircraft.

Source BBC Sounds