We are leaving the planet with our list of the 11 best space documentaries on Hulu!
One of my favorite shows when I was a kid began with the words “Space, the final frontier …” And you can bet that line will always be relevant when we think about the endless expanse of space. We are not even done exploring the Earth yet and have been here for 200,000 years (give or take, in our current form). When it comes to space, we are making huge progress in our understanding of it and in some of our technical innovations (Mars Rover), although it perhaps isn’t as much as people thought considering we first walked on the Moon nearly 50 years ago. Nonetheless, it’s progressing, and in a few years, even ordinary (well, ordinary but rich) people could have the opportunity to visit space thanks to plans for commercial space flights. Also, you may be familiar with the idea of colonizing Mars. If not, there is a documentary on our list talking about the subject, so stay tuned.
One of the most exciting recent breakthroughs related to space is NASA’s discovery of Earth-sized planets that are orbiting around the dwarf star named TRAPPIST-1. This solar system is 39 light years from Earth. The biggest news is that some of these planets may have conditions that could support life. With this discovery, it looks like our chances of finding another habitable planet similar to Earth have further increased. While we may not be around when humans succeed in permanently inhabiting another planet, it will almost certainly happen at some point and that is exciting to know. Science has brought us far and has much further to take us yet. If you want to get familiar with other scientific breakthroughs, check out our list of the 11 Best Science Documentaries on Netflix.
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Jointly created by Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA), and Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (NASDAQ:FOX), Hulu was founded in 2006 and has become one of the leading video streaming services in the U.S. Time Warner Inc (NYSE:TWX) also holds a 10% stake in the venture as of last summer. Hulu is planning to launch a live television streaming service later this year, which will reportedly include live broadcasts of CBS and other affiliated channels. Hulu also streams content from A&E, Viacom, PBS, Funimation, and dozens of other networks and content distributors.
Getting back to space documentaries, there are not as many out there as you would think. Since there are so many things that are unknown, filmmakers rarely take on the challenge of exploring the topic. Those that do so can end up with an exciting and engaging documentary, as you will be able to see from our list of the 11 best space documentaries on Hulu. In order to create the list, we checked Hulu’s site for the most popular and recommended documentaries, supplementing that with the list of available Hulu documentaries on Something To Stream. Each documentary that was related to space was then ranked according to their IMDb ratings. If two documentaries had the same IMDb rating, we gave a better position to the one that had more votes. Shall we begin the journey (on the next page)?
11. One Way Astronaut: Dying 33 Million Miles from Home
IMDb rating: –
Although this documentary doesn’t have an IMDb rating yet, we decided to list is as a bonus, since it talks about a really interesting topic. It follows the Mars One mission, which has the goal of setting up a colony on Mars by 2027.
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10. Sky Line
IMDb rating: 5.6
Do you think it is possible to create an elevator that would take you straight to space? Crazy as it sounds, there are people currently working on that idea. This documentary explores the chances of that happening in the near future.
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9. 3D Sun
IMDb rating: 5.8
In this documentary, you will be able to witness some of the most amazing footage of the Sun. You will also have the opportunity to learn more about the Sun’s importance to life on Earth and many more interesting facts you probably didn’t know.
8. 14 Minutes From Earth
IMDb rating: 6.5
This documentary ranks 8th in our list of best space documentaries on Hulu. It follows Alan Eustace in his attempt to promote space exploration. The way he decided to do it is really stunning. He decided to go 135,000 feet above the ground, which is higher than any man has ever accomplished without a rocket ship.
7. Solar System: The Secrets of the Universe
IMDb rating: 6.7
If you are more of the visual type as opposed to a bookworm, this documentary will give you the opportunity to learn more about our solar system, planets, asteroids and other things that surround our planet.
6. Saving Hubble
IMDb rating: 6.8
The Hubble Space Telescope stands as one of the most important instruments in our research of space. This documentary that ranks 6th in our list of best space documentaries on Hulu explores the history of the Hubble and focuses on the events in 2004 that led to the decision that the Hubble would be terminated.
5. A Brief History of Time
IMDb rating: 7.4
Although this documentary is based on the book written by Stephen Hawking that is dedicated to cosmology, it focuses more on the life of the famous scientist. Still, you will be able to learn more about the cosmos and see Hawking’s observations through footage of his lectures.
4. Hubble
IMDb rating: 7.8
If you didn’t like the first Hubble entry on our list of the 11 best space documentaries on Hulu, then give this one a shot. Besides detailing astronauts on a mission to repair the Hubble, this documentary also features some of the most amazing images that the telescope captured.
3. Cosmic Journeys
IMDb rating: 8.1
For those who can’t get enough of space documentaries, we found a documentary series that will satisfy your appetite for some time. It talks about the cosmos and different aspects of it, accompanied by impressive footage.
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2. In the Shadow of the Moon
IMDb rating: 8.1
This documentary ranks second in our list of best space documentaries on Hulu. It features members of NASA’s Apollo missions, who tell stories of their enormous efforts to send a man to the Moon. The historical significance of this documentary isn’t just that you will be able to hear about the events from people who experienced them, but also the fact that it features film and materials from the missions, which have never been seen before. After they were sealed for 30 years, NASA decided to give access to this content so it could be used in the documentary.
1. For All Mankind
IMDb rating: 8.2
We will end our list of the 11 best space documentaries on Hulu with another documentary that talks about the Moon landing. While In the Shadow of the Moon relies on narration of the astronauts and footage, For All Mankind primarily uses the archival footage to tell the story. It is believed that Al Reinert, the director of this documentary, watched over 6,000,000 feet of footage from the missions and picked out only the best of it to put in his film.
For All Mankind Trailer from Cinefamily on Vimeo.
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