NEW SCIENCE CHANNEL SPECIAL CELEBRATES HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE'S LANDMARK 30TH ANNIVERSARY
April 9, 2020
(NEW YORK) – Thirty years ago, the Hubble Space Telescope was designed to take people to places they only dreamed about going – beyond the Solar System and the outer reaches of the galaxy. Since its historic launch, Hubble has entirely changed the world’s understanding of the Universe. In honor of the Hubble’s upcoming 30th anniversary, Science Channel will air HUBBLE: THIRTY YEARS OF DISCOVERY, premiering Sunday, April 19 at 8pm ET/PT.
The two-hour special will tell the remarkable story of how the Hubble telescope was created by the leading engineers and scientists of our time. It will also include interviews with space’s most notable names including astronauts Michael Massimino, Kathryn Thornton, Story Musgrave, Steven Smith and John Grunsfeld.
On April 24, 1990, the space shuttle Discovery lifted off from Earth carrying the Hubble Space Telescope, one of the most complex machines ever built. Its mission: to capture images from the vast unknown of space for the next 15 years. Today, Hubble has far exceeded its original mission goal – having observed the Universe for nearly 30 years while making extraordinary contributions to science.
This behind-the-scenes special will also give viewers an intimate look like never before at Hubble’s incredible journey -- from its earliest conception in 1923, to its five iconic missions spanning from 1993 to 2009. It will also spotlight the groundbreaking insights that Hubble has revealed about the planet as well as the broader Solar System and beyond. Science Channel is paying tribute to Hubble’s 30-year legacy along with its many fascinating stories and discoveries since becoming the world’s very own eye into the Universe.
HUBBLE: THIRTY YEARS OF DISCOVERY is a BBC Studios/Science Channel Co-Production. For BBC Studios, Steve Crabtree is executive producer. For Science Channel, Wyatt Channell is executive producer.
About Science Channel
Science Channel, a multi-media business unit of Discovery, Inc. is the home of all things science around the clock, including series such as MYTHBUSTERS, WHAT ON EARTH?, HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS, UNEARTHED, and MYSTERIES OF THE ABANDONED. Science Channel’s programming also includes timely, expert-driven specials covering breaking science news and discoveries. Science Channel is the premiere TV, digital and social community for those with a passion for science, space, technology, archeology, and engineering, providing immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment across all Science Channel assets including: Science Channel television network, available in more than 63 million homes in the U.S; complimentary Video On Demand offering; SCI Go app allowing viewers to catch up on full episodes of their favorite shows anytime; deep video, interactive storytelling and virtual reality at www.sciencechannel.com; and conversations on Science Channel’s popular social platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat via @ScienceChannel.
About Discovery
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.
About BBC Studios
BBC Studios, a global content company with British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Formed in April 2018 by the merger of BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios, it spans content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries. BBC Studios’ award-winning British programs are recognized internationally across a broad range of genres and specialties. It has offices in 22 markets globally, including seven production bases in the UK and production bases and partnerships in a further nine countries around the world. The company, which makes over 2,500 hours of content a year, is a champion for British creativity around the world and a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector.
In the Americas, BBC Studios operates two production units – one in Los Angeles, responsible for ratings juggernaut and Emmy®-nominated Dancing with the Stars and multi-award-winning Life Below Zero, and the other in Brazil, where local productions Dancing Brasil and Bake Off Brasil are breakout hits. The company manages joint venture relationships with AMC Networks for flagship channel BBC AMERICA (U.S.) – home of original series Killing Eve and global brands Dynasties, Doctor Who, and Top Gear – and with ITV for SVoD service BritBox (U.S./Canada), as well as strategic partnerships in Canada with Blue Ant Media for BBC Earth Channel and Corus for BBC Canada. The company also boasts a franchise management business and a robust linear and digital content sales and co-productions operation.