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National Geographic’s ‘The Space Race’ to Spotlight Black Astronauts February 12, 2024

The Space Race
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“The Space Race,” the latest documentary from National Geographic, tells the stories of Black astronauts, and debuts on the channel on Monday, February 12, 2024.


The Details

As part of the Oscar®- and Emmy® Award-winning National Geographic Documentary Films banner, “The Space Race” weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight and Charles Bolden, among many others.

Directors Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortés profile the pioneering Black pilots, scientists, and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth.

The Space Race
Astronaut Guion Bluford onboard STS-8. (credit: NASA)

From 1963, when the assassination of JFK thwarted Capt. Ed Dwight’s quest to reach the moon, to 2020, when the echoes of the civil unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd reached the International Space Station, the story of African Americans at NASA is a tale of world events colliding with the aspirations of uncommon men.

“The Space Race” spotlights a side of the American space program not often talked aboout.


The Trailer

Here is a look at the film, which spotlights the men and women who made an impact on the space program, but aren’t often talked about.


How to Watch

“The Space Race” will debut on the National Geographic channel on February 12 at 9pm ET/8pm CT. It will stream on Disney+ and Hulu the following day.