I can’t say enough good things about 13 Minutes. Even though you know how the story ends, learning the details from the people who lived it and made it happen is captivating. This may be the only podcast (both seasons) that I’ll want to listen to again.

I have been a space geek since Allen Shepherd had his first suborbital mission. Every account I’ve heard on this podcast seems 100% accurate and very well researched. Good job BBC and Kevin Fong! Keep up the good work!

A scholarly podcast if there ever was one. This is what podcasts are supposed to be! I’m keeping this series on my phone to listen to multiple times ... thanks, guys! 😎👍🏼

Just relistened to Season 2. Same outcome and same awesome story telling.

A perfect presentation of a seldom mentioned aspect of the Apollo 11 mission.

We all know the what happened but in this podcast series we can learn so much about our human bravery, ingenuity, curiosity and hope for the future. Amazingly put together.

This is incredible!

Seriously, the best thing I have ever heard on headphones ever.

This podcast is truly amazing, a one-of-a-kind podcast. It is descriptive, informative and an out-of-this-world podcast (lol) Hope there’s more coming. (When humans get to Mars are you going to do a podcast about that?) Lol. Keep up the great work.

If you are fascinated by all things space like me this is an unbeatable podcast! You will be amazed and awed by all the behind the scenes activities at NASA and the incredible interviews with people that were there! I cried more than once at the sheer scope of the bravery, ingenuity and the audacity to do what they do!

One of the best pods out there, especially for space nerds

The best

One of the best podcasts I’ve listened to. Even though I knew the outcome of both seasons, I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout the listen. As someone who didn’t live through the Apollo missions, I learned so much, but think that those who did would enjoy just as much. I’m so happy that I stumbled on this, and have already recommended it to many others after my week of binging both seasons!

Gripping and entertaining from start to finish even the second time around!

Had to rate this less than 5 stars because of the strange feeling I had listening to the teaser for Season 3. Dr. Kevin Fong, who was the host of the first two seasons, has been fundraising his next podcast “16 Sunsets” independent of the BBC about the US Space Shuttle program. The timing and content-matter of this Season 3 trailer … a serial podcast about the shuttle program … seems like a weird attempt to steal his thunder under the branding that he built. My loyalty and trust lies with Dr. Fong much more than the brand of “13 Minutes” - it feels to me the BBC is playing games with this by resurrecting this new season out of nowhere under the branding of “13 Minutes”. And the shuttle has nothing to do with the Apollo program so lumping it into this show is just confusing. BBC should provide an explanation.

As a kid growing up in Houston, NASA was a big deal. Now that I'm older, I have come to appreciate what the space program meant to my city, and me as I grew up. This podcast is so well done with Kevin Fong and especially the interviews of the players behind the consoles in Mission Control. Season 1's breakdown of the 13 minutes provided great insight and detail that one wouldn't get by watching on TV. Season 2 was an unexpected surprise for me; just loved it. Thank you to the team who put this podcast together and to those guests who contributed to it. I'm going to go and listen again and pick up on stuff I missed the first time around. Decent chance there will be a third time around, too. Haha. Well done, everyone.

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I don’t usually write reviews, but after listening to the two seasons of this, it left me wishing there was more. It was well produced and was definitely a good listen! If you are a fan of the space program, then you should give this a listen!

Really well done

If your any fan of Space this is a fantastic podcast !!! There’s so much to enjoy here , you feel like it is happening in real time , especially love the communications going on between ground and capsule , great great listen !!!

Such great stories told from a people point of view. Space programs offer so much excitement, development and joy and they do a wonderful job communicating that.

@BBC please do more of these! This is the best podcast.

This is a road trip staple for me

Very well done. More, please.

Fascinating Seems there should have been one more episode: where is the epilogue “and return safely to earth.”

This is such a fantastic podcast. Bringing the moon landing, and the enormous effort it took, to life. Making so many people who were involved in the program real, bringing us their stories. I have listened through the 12 episodes several times, and I still get goosebumps and can’t stop going WOW! each time when Neil Armstrong says “Tranquillity Base here. The Eagle has landed”. Five stars is not near enough! It gets “billions and billions” of stars from me. And the music! Couldn’t be better!

You get ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have truly enjoyed the first two seasons. I would love to understand what happened to the Soviet program to go to the moon. How far did they get and why did they fail ?

Fascinating, riveting, edge of your seat. Great to hear from the real people and clarifying where the movie strayed.

Amazing podcast. The best of the best.

Oustanding the best ever

This is a must listen, sit down, and download now. Kevin Fong and his staff have done an awesome job Thank you all.

JL is great, but some real dumb questioning from the host.

Wonderful podcast. So many fascinating stories behind the scenes. Really well done.

As I listen again, I’m awestruck by what was accomplished. Thanks for doing a perfectly wonderful job of providing the behind the scenes takes, and getting the real astronauts input. That makes this very special. And - this show has a great theme song with spectacularly suspenseful narration.

My job entails me spending lots of hours in my car, so I listen to quite a few podcasts. I would say this is the best one I have ever listened to. Very well done.

The storytelling - the interviews - the music. Just incredible.

Without a doubt the best Apollo-focused podcast out there. Excellent audio quality, interesting perspectives on the program from people who lived it, and engaging narration. I would highly recommend to anyone who loves space flight, or even just a good story.

Thanks

I really enjoyed this podcast, I hope there are future shows that are similar to this!

I was glued to this story for every single word. I was 12 at the time this took place and remember a lot about it but have learned so much from this podcast.Kevin Fong is awesome. A must listen!!!

Dr Fong’s narration is so engaging! He is amazing at detailing all the events as if you were there, and prepares you for the finale that comes. We need more of his narrative of the space race.

I’m completely hooked - wonderful technical information, and the joy of those who worked on the project shine through beautifully. Goosebumps every episode, and the score!! Absolutely amazing. Can’t wait for more episodes!!!! Oh and also Kevin Fong’s voice - yes. Has he considered doing audiobooks? because I just love to listen to him talk. I have some auditory processing issues so sometimes podcasts are very hit or miss for me, but it seems that my brain loves his diction!!! So thanks, Kevin!

13 Minutes, both parts, are amongst the best podcasts I’ve ever listened to. They combine gripping personal narrative with clear scientific explanation and clear-eyed assessments of dangerous situations. The first tells the story of how a mountain range of apparently insoluble problems was crossed in a ridiculously short period of time. In the second, two groups of people (mostly men), on Earth and out there in space, actually did what The Martian (2015) does in fiction: overcome an apparently fatal threat by approaching it step by cautious step—rather as Matt Damon’s character puts it colloquially in the movie, ‘sciencing the **** out of this planet’. If only more people would follow their example, as Kevin Fong says in the final episode of series two. Knowing when to lead and when to stand aside; trusting expertise; taking responsibility for failure as well as success; subordinating personal goals to something greater.

Great anyway and worth the listen. The sources and source material are top notch. A little dry in parts, even for an enthusiast. I’ve been to Cape Canaveral and facilities many times. Once it gets a bit deeper in, the dryness does subside a bit. Again, worth a listen.

Loved, loved, loved this podcast! I hope you keep going with it. There’s so much more to cover and many more important figures to interview. I love hearing the inner workings of NASA and the personal stories/insight. I never stop being amazed... the intelligence and bravery. I’m wowed by everything we’ve accomplished and energized to see what we do next. To Mars and beyond!

Seriously. The only review I’ve ever submitted ever. This podcast is excellent.

I have read, listened to and watched everything I could about the Apollo program and human space flight. This is the best of them all!! An extraordinary achievement, with important lessons for all of us in taking on the challenges of today and the future.

Even though I know how this story ends - being born in '68 to the daughter of a TRW aeronautics engineer who worked on the Apollo systems - this show had me on the edge of my seat, knuckles to my teeth, wondering how they were going to pull it off. It made me appreciate this achievement that seems so familiar and even prosaic even more!

I love how this story was told. Often the intrepid astronauts get most of the spotlight but these series did a fantastic job shining the light on the technology & people behind the scenes. This was NASA’s shining hour. Love all the episodes but the episodes on the AGC and Michael Collins are favs. Great material from the JSC oral history project!