As our planet revels in the recent achievements of this spring’s Artemis 2 mission and its four astronaut crew members, a new four-part PBS documentary series invites us to delve into an inside look at space exploration and its inherent perils and promises. Produced in collaboration with the BBC, Once Upon a Time in Space will be available to watch on PBS (and the PBS app) starting on July 14, 2026 (9pm ET).

Once Upon a Time in Space shows us the human side of the equation, tells the human stories behind one of our most extraordinary endeavors: the exploration of space. Moving beyond scientific achievement, the series examines the personal experiences of astronauts, cosmonauts, ground-based participants, and the loved ones they leave behind on Earth. The series is comprised of four episodes, visiting significant landmarks in the history of spacefaring.

Through powerful firsthand testimony and intimate, unseen archival footage, a complex portrait of humanity emerges: one that lays bare both our fragility and boundless curiosity. Accounts of bravery, friendship, and tragedy are told against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world, connecting technical and geopolitical developments to those who experienced them.

Directed by James Bluemel and his filmmaking team, the series features NASA astronauts Charlie Bolden, Anna Lee Fisher, Bill Fisher, Michael Foale, Jerry Linenger, Mike Mullane, Dan Tani, and Terry Virts and cosmonauts Sergei Zalyotin and Alexander ‘Sasha’ Lazutkin, NASA officials, aerospace engineers, and numerous family members.

Here’s a schedule of the documentary series’ chapters and their slated air dates:

Episode 1 “America First” – Tuesday, July 14 – 9:00 p.m. ET
Episode 2 “The Russian Thing” – Tuesday, July 21
Episode 3 “Politics Always Wins” – Tuesday, July 28
Episode 4 “Friends Forever” – Tuesday, August 4