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Survival in the Skies

Every day, pilots and astronauts face life-or-death situations when they risk their lives to test the capabilities of physics and science. With limited time, harsh conditions and the pressure of survival, they must do everything they can to make it back on the ground safely. Survival in the Skies tells the stories behind incredible pieces of space and aviation technology, from the invention of the parachute to the development of space suits. The series features stories of the people who created these amazing breakthroughs and the men and women who relied on them when their survival hung in the balance.

They eject us from planes when disaster strikes. They gently guide us to Earth from thousands of feet in the air. They transport us with amazing speed and remarkable safety. And they keep us alive in the most extreme environments humans have ever explored. This series tells the stories behind the machines and devices that help us survive in the skies--space suits, parachutes, ejection seats, and jet engines--and how they evolved from humble beginnings to incredible instruments that have changed the world and lifted us to new heights.

Show Info

Web channel: discovery+ (2016 - 2016)
Default Runtime: 60 minutes
Status: Ended
Show Type: Documentary
Episodes ordered: 4 episodes

Official site: www.smithsonianchannel.com

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Previous Episode

The Jet Race

Episode 1x04; Jun 26, 2016

The jet engine changed civilization forever, making global travel cheaper and faster. More than 100,000 commercial jet flights take off and land every day, while super high-tech military jets can blast through the sky at over six times the speed of s

Previous Episodes

Episode NameAirdateTrailer
1x04: The Jet RaceJun 26, 2016
1x03: Ejection SeatsJun 19, 2016
1x02: ParachutesJun 12, 2016
View full episode list »
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