Our STS-30 DVD is now available for pre-order. The set should be released the latter part of February. It will contain the video highlights from this Magellan shuttle mission, as well as material surrounding and data from the Magellan mission.
While we have several products in production at the present time (Apollo 11: To the Moon, The Cape, and Space Shuttles: First Flights), the Space Shuttle: First Flights set represents a massive undertaking, being a 6 DVD set and covering the development of the Space Shuttle and the first four test flights.
In addition to our usual practice of being packed with footage from the missions and the development, this set is our first HD project, and the documentary (probably 2 hours) will be in HD.
In order to cover the subject in the proper way, we felt it was important to show the history of the development and conception of the reusable space shuttle, from as far back as the skip-glide concepts of the Sanger Silverbird through Dynasoar, from von Braun's Shuttle through the contractor phase A, B, C and D proposals and more. In order to make them fly we're using CGI to create significant portions of the flights of these vehicles-that-never-were.
We'll post some progress reports on the set over the production of the set. For now we can present a few glimpses into the flight of the Dynasoar. From launch through orbital operations to reentry and landing, we'll look at many of these proposals and the effect they had on the final configuration of the Space Shuttle. These stills are from the new HD animation we're doing for the set, showing the proposals as they would have looked... had they ever flown. (They are reduced to 400 pixels wide, from their normal 1920)
Dynasoar, on the Titan IIIC, sits on the launch pad prior to an orbital mission.
Dynasoar with transtage separates from Titan booster on trip to orbit.
Dynasoar on orbit approaches defense satellite.
Dynasoar re-enters the atmostphere after orbital mission.
For the first time the Saturn V was launched - all-up - successfully for the first time. The moon rocket would go on to have a near perfect flight history of 13 launches. The 501 vehicle, designated Apollo 4, demonstrated the successful development of the launch vehicle that would take men to the moon. On our Saturn V DVD set we have several tracks on the Apollo 4 flight (as well as material from all of the Saturn V launches - and much more). We've placed the launch of Apollo 4 online today in honor of the 40th anniversary of this historic event. Enjoy the view.
Production is continuing on the Apollo 11: To The Moon set. This 4 DVD collection of material includes the complete audio from the Apollo 11 mission, in a unique timeline form. This set is not a revision or a replacement for the existing Apollo 11: Men on the Moon set, as they are quite different in nature.
We have completed 6 of 8 flight days on the project and expect to be finishing up the set soon. While I would like to have the set complete for holiday delivery, I am not guaranteeing it, as we have just recently engaged in some further work on trying to improve the EVA footage. As many of you know, the quality of the Apollo 11 EVA footage has long been an issue, and we originally delayed this set in hopes that the slow-scan telemetry tapes would surface and would allow much better television from the EVA. Unfortunately this hasn't happened, but we are still engaged in work to assemble better TV for the EVA.
We did decide to include both the pre and post flight press conferences on this set, and you'll find material that isn't available on our other Apollo 11 collection. What you will not find are many of the multi-angle features on the other set, as this is a different product.
We appreciate the patience many of you have had on this project, and as always are working to make sure the wait has been worth the time.
