Max Just Released a Documentary That Finally Does Justice to a Tragic NASA Disaster – MovieWeb

Summary

The public's fascination with true crime and investigations into historical disasters has existed for a long, long time. Whether it's books, podcasts, documentary features, or documentary series, fans will always seek their next fix and binge like there's no tomorrow. Some streaming platforms have capitalized on this, and even a modern network was born because of the subgenre's popularity. There's no shortage of material, and there won't be any time soon.

But, as fascinating as the material may be, we should always be cautious when approaching it. The popularity of some docuseries has sparked the idea that the truth can be manipulated if it hooks audiences beyond expectations. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the only issue with this matter: people are intrigued and excited by graphic material, and sometimes the material goes too far, especially films and TV series that show the unthinkable without a single display of respect.

Luckily, one show came out recently that does justice to a tragedy that's still making us scratch our heads as we try to solve the mystery. Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight is the latest documentary series by CNN in which we go very deep inside the last mission of the Columbia shuttle, one that sadly ended in the accidental deaths of all its crew. Here's what the documentary does differently from the rest and why

The 28th flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on January 16, 2003. After being delayed for two years and 13 postponements, the seven-member crew of mission STS-107 boarded the ship. William McCool, Michael Anderson, Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Laurel Clark, and Ilan Ramon were responsible for entering space for a series of outer space experiments.

During takeoff, cameras recorded a piece of foam breaking off one of the bipods and hitting the plane's left wing at impressive speed. After specialists reviewed the footage, attempts were made to inquire about and check the integrity of the shuttle, but nothing was achieved in the end. The Columbia was diagnosed as safe to enter our atmosphere and land.

On February 1, 2003, the shuttle was set to return. However, at some point during the reentry, the ship disintegrated midflight. The data from the sensors indicated the cause of the accident was the damage to the left wing. As everyone's eyes looked toward the sky, the pieces of the Space Shuttle Columbia burned in the sky and fell in areas in Louisiana and Texas. Families and NASA crew stared in terror as all seven lives were lost in an accident that reminded everyone of what had happened to the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986.

The documentary Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight is a CNN Originals 4-part documentary series produced by the BBC and Mindhouse Productions, which can be streamed on Max, that goes very deep into the investigation of what happened before, during, and after the tragedy. The accident is a haunting event in the world of space exploration and is one that NASA would learn from. Unfortunately, people had to perish for them to see that some programs had to be terminated, some ships retired, and emergency strategies completely remodeled.

Testimonies by the families of the crew members and those who participated in the investigation make up the episodes of the documentary that don't exactly magnify or romanticize space exploration. Often, in movies and series of this nature, everything, good or bad, is justified for the sake of science and technology. In this case, the risks are exposed, but again, those who went understood them.

Then again, the docuseries clarifies something: the accident could have been prevented if the crew that remained on Earth had listened to those who analyzed the footage and recommended a better assessment of the risks. In this regard, Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight is a solid and revealing documentary that speaks very loudly about one of the most important and renowned organizations in history. NASA, where supposedly the most brilliant people work, can fail, and this time, it cost the lives of those who dared step inside a ship that shouldn't have flown the way it did.

It's essential that the important questions are asked and everyone who feels the need to talk is given an opportunity to speak. Nevertheless, this also produces a mystery: Why weren't more resources used? What were they trying to hide? In the best style of true crime documentaries, some theories remain dormant and generate the intrigue that makes Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight very compelling compared to other documentary series that dig into the same issues.

Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight is a fascinating view into a dark time in American history where corporate politics seemed important enough to prevent an investigation that could have changed things around and possibly stopped the accident in which innocent scientists lost their lives.

The documentary is also worth a watch because it pays tribute to those with enough vision and grit to get on board a spaceship that didn't look good enough (yes, this is visible in the footage of the documentary series). In the words of those who still miss them, there lies a message of courage and love that goes beyond the coldness of an investigation. Space travel is relevant to science, but clearly, as history has repeatedly shown, the dangers involved can be overlooked, even by those responsible for the safety of the astronauts. Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight is streaming now on Max.

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Max Just Released a Documentary That Finally Does Justice to a Tragic NASA Disaster - MovieWeb