13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble

57 episodes

Trouble with Hubble: Trailer
09/28/2026 | 2 mins.
Buckle up for the latest epic story from the BBC’s space podcast. The Hubble Space Telescope was revolutionary but a flaw almost ruined the dream. It was hoped it would answer the most fundamental questions ever asked: How did it all begin? Where are we going? Are we alone? Maggie Aderin tells the story of how the telescope that transformed our understanding of the universe, almost ended in disaster.
Launches on 5 October.
13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble is a BBC Audio Science Unit production for the BBC World Service.
Hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin.
Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.
Archive: Mission audio and oral histories, Nasa History Office
Artemis II: Quick update: New season coming soon
09/22/2026 | 1 mins.
Some big news: We’ve been making a new season. It’s about Nasa’s Hubble Space Telescope. If you haven’t already, follow or subscribe, so you will get the full trailer automatically. That will be published next week.
Maggie Aderin will tell the story of how the telescope that transformed our understanding of the universe, almost ended in disaster.
13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble launches on 5 October 2026.
In the meantime, please keep sending us your questions: 13minutes@bbc.co.uk
We’ll be back to answer those in a few months – more details to follow.
You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice
13 Minutes is the BBC World Service’s space podcast.
Artemis II: 14. The learnings
05/04/2026 | 41 mins.
The team are back together. Astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin are joined by space journalist Kristin Fisher and Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen, after his historic journey.
Jeremy reflects on the mission, adapting to life back on Earth after journeying to the far side of the Moon, and looks ahead to future Artemis missions.
The Canadian astronaut, who first spoke to 13 Minutes from quarantine before launch, answers the burning questions from the team. He describes the moment a hull breach alarm sounded 20 minutes before the Trans Lunar Injection was due to fire.
Then we get to the big one – what’s next for the Artemis programme?
Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.
13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.
Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin
Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston
Series editor: Martin Smith
Commissioning team: Jon Manel, Anne Dixey and Katy Davis
Artemis II: 13. Splashdown
04/11/2026 | 35 mins.
After 9 days, 1 hour, 32 minutes and 15 seconds and 1.1 million kilometres of travel, the Orion “Integrity” probe splashed down successfully on April 11th at 00:07:32 UTC (GMT).
Tim Peake, Maggie Aderin, Kristin Fisher, Rebecca Morelle and the 13 Minutes podcast touches down with this episode. We are also joined by Nasa legend and former shuttle astronaut, Dr Anna Fisher to reflect on the mission.
13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II will return...
But before then, watch Maggie and Tim in BBC Horizon ‘s “Artemis: To the Moon and Back", to see and learn more about the years leading up to this mission.
Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.
13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.
Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin
Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston
Series editor: Martin Smith
Commissioning team: Jon Manel, Anne Dixey and Katy Davis
Artemis II: 12. Please return to your seats
04/10/2026 | 40 mins.
The Artemis II mission hurtles towards re-entry and splashdown. The 13 Minutes crew run through the schedule that includes 28,864 mph, searing heat, 11 parachutes, and 3.9g forces.
Long-time Nasa scientist Dr Phil Metzger talks about the issue of AVCOAT – the ablative coating that will shield the capsule’s flat underside. And we also talk about his work at Nasa’s “Swamp Works” where much was studied about building structures on the moon for a moonbase.
Season 4 theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.
You can get in touch with the 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II team by emailing 13minutes@bbc.co.uk.
13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is a BBC Audio Science production for the BBC World Service.
Presenters: Tim Peake and Maggie Aderin
Producers: Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston
Series editor: Martin Smith

About 13 Minutes: Trouble with Hubble

NEW from the BBC’s space podcast: A revolutionary telescope and the tiny flaw that almost destroyed the dream. Hubble transformed our understanding of the universe. Maggie Aderin tells the dramatic story of one of the most ambitious scientific instruments ever built - and how it almost ended in disaster. Already delayed by years and millions of dollars over budget, the Hubble Space Telescope is finally ready to launch and change history. It has been heralded as a window on the universe, and promises to answer the most fundamental questions ever asked: How did it all begin? Where are we going? Are we alone? But little does Nasa know that the curvature of one of its mirrors is off by the equivalent of one-fiftieth of the width of a human hair. The result? Blurry images. It will need to be repaired – in space! Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music. 13 Minutes is the space podcast from the BBC World Service, telling epic space stories. It’s produced by the BBC Audio Science Unit. Previous seasons: Season 1: 13 Minutes to the Moon. The first Moon landing. In the final dramatic 13-minute descent to the Moon, the Apollo 11 mission came close to going badly wrong. Communication was breaking down, technology was failing and fuel was running out. This is the story of how the first Moon landing was saved. Presented by Kevin Fong. Season 2: Apollo 13. Apollo 13 should have been the third Moon landing, but after an explosion, it almost ended in tragedy. Told by the people who flew it and saved it. Presented by Kevin Fong. Season 3: The Space Shuttle. A sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever. From the boldest test flight in history to one of Nasa’s darkest days – the Challenger disaster. Space scientist Maggie Aderin tells the awe-inspiring story of the programme that brought triumph and tragedy. Season 4: Artemis II. Artemis and the return to the Moon. As Nasa returned to the Moon for the first time in more than half a century, we followed the mission with a new episode every day. Four astronauts – on a spacecraft called Orion - looped around the Moon. They went further from Earth than any human in history. The story of Artemis II is told by space scientist Maggie Aderin, British astronaut Tim Peake, and US space journalist Kristin Fisher.

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