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Smithsonian  Channel TM Takes Viewers Out of This World with Back-to-Back Double Sunday Space Premieres Photo Courtesy of Smithsonian Channel Wanna see what Sir Richard Branson is up to? Smithsonian Channel premieres two back-to-back specials centered around space exploration and humans‘ impact on the solar system.  Tonight at 8PM ET /PT, BILLIONAIRE SPACE CLUB highlights the efforts of billionaire Sir Richard Branson and others to make space travel more accessible to the average person. The 2nd special airing at  9PM ET /PT, EARTH FROM OUTER SPACE, takes viewers on a journey revealing how humans have changed the planet Earth and how they will continue to shape its future. These one hour-long premieres highlight innovators and pioneers who are forging ahead with space exploration to plan for an unknown future. Read more about the special episodes below.

PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF WITH THE NEW SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL(TM) SERIES   Details of Apollo Suit (Coutesy of Arrow Media/Smithsonian Networks) Are you claustrophobic in a small room? What if you had to drive or just go to work everyday in a space suit. Think of Astronauts and Pilots who, day-to-day, are in a small space craft, space station or even space suit. 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 four-part 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...

Smithsonian Channel Premieres Building Star Trek This Weekend to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Original Star Trek Series Scene from "Building Star Trek" (photo courtesy of Smithsonian Channel) Thanks to the Smithsonian Channel for letting us nerds pre-screen "BUILDING  STAR TREK"   which follows the conservation team from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum as they attempt to restore and conserve the original 11-foot, 250-pound model of the U.S.S. Enterprise from the original series. The two-hour special tracks the effort to rebuild a model of the original U.S.S. Enterprise bridge by using authentic set pieces and props, which recently went on display at Seattle’s EMP Museum. Check out more below!

The Space-Age Technology in Star Trek Series Becoming a Reality Star Trek 50th Anniversary (photo courtesy of Pablo by Buffer) On September 8th marks the 50th Anniversary of the first airing of the iconic Star Trek original series. On September 4, the Smithsonian Channel premieres the two hour documentary called " BUILDING STAR TREK"  8PM ET/PT which celebrates the series’ legacy, with an in-depth look at today’s space-age technologies created by scientists inspired by the series. They will take you behind the scenes on some of the restoration activities of Star Trek memorabilia at the Smithsonian.  Engineers and scientists around the U.S. are now making the vision of this landmark sci-fi series a reality –by unlocking the secrets of warp space and teleportation, revealing the mysteries of the invisibility cloak and solving the riddle of the phaser and tricorder. Below is some the the items discussed in the documentary.

Smithsonian Channel Reveals  Cutting-Edge Technology Reveals New Insights Into Pompeii, Roman Gladiators, China And Burm a Dr Jeffrey Riegal, UC Berkeley (photo courtesy of Smithsonian Channel) The Smithsonian Channel launched two weeks ago launched a five week series called  BEHIND THE LOST EMPIRES .  This week, we screened the latest release called " RAIDERS OF THE JADE EMPIRE. "  This episode  examined the Han dynasty which ruled the East, bringing a lasting identity to the country and people of China. They left behind incredible treasures of jade, sculpture, gold and silk. Unfortunately for modern archieologists, tomb raiders long ago made off with many of the Han’s greatest treasures. Three spectacular royal tombs have been uncovered that offered scientists a chance to examine artifacts the raiders left behind or never found – treasures that show the source of the Han’s wealth and power and reveal their ideas on life and death.  With this e...