10 of the Best Space Documentaries You Can Stream Right Now

If you’ve already binged all the documentaries about serial killers and eccentric con-artists available, maybe your next step should be to set your sights a bit … higher. Between these space documentaries on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, you’ll explore black holes, hang out with future Mars occupants, and relive man's first steps on the moon, all without even needing to put on socks.

1. Apollo 11 (2019)

Through the use of digitally remastered archival footage and over 11,000 hours of audio recordings, director Todd Douglas Miller’s Apollo 11 recounts man’s journey to the moon in unbelievably crystal-clear quality. By seeing the mission unfold through the eyes of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and the team at NASA in HD, viewers are given a new perspective on this iconic moment of human achievement. It's as close as we'll ever get to the real-time tension mission control felt back in 1969.

Find It: Hulu

2. Apollo: Missions to the Moon (2019)

Similar to Apollo 11, Apollo: Missions to the Moon relies purely on archival footage and audio from the early years of the space program. But instead of just focusing on the triumph of man first setting foot on the moon, this documentary covers the entire history of the Apollo Program, both its successes and tragedies, including the fire that claimed the lives of the Apollo 1 crew and the drama of Apollo 13. Both somber and joyous, Missions to the Moon aims to give a deeper appreciation for what we accomplished with Apollo 11 by humanizing the difficult road that got us there.

Find It: Disney+

3. A Beautiful Planet (2016)

It's easier than ever to sit back and admire our big blue dot in the galaxy with this feature—first released in IMAX—that includes some stellar footage of Earth's extremely photogenic landscape.

Find It: Hulu

4. Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know (2021)

Explore one of the universe's most cryptic features in this documentary that takes a closer look at black holes.

Find It: Netflix

5. A Year in Space (2015)

This docuseries examines the effects of space on the human body as we look toward a future of long-duration space accommodations.

Find It: Netflix

6. The Mars Generation (2017)

These prospective astronauts aren’t just hoping to reach Mars—they’re actively preparing for it. The Mars Generation documents the teenage hopefuls at Space Camp as they go through drills, sit in mock spacecrafts, and take part in simulated deep-space missions (with simulated calamities), all to see what it would be like to take that first journey to the red planet. As this young crop gets its first taste of shuttle life, the documentary shifts its focus to experts who chime in on the current state of NASA (the good and the bad) and what it would take for humanity to actually get to Mars.

Find It: Netflix

7. 14 Minutes From Earth (2016)

Google executive Alan Eustace takes a giant leap of faith by plotting a way to safely free-fall from the stratosphere in this edge-of-your-seat experience.

Find It: Netflix

8. The Saturn V Story (2016)

Before America could realize its dream of space exploration, it needed a way to take flight. The Saturn V was the answer. The rocket propelled the Apollo program—and human ambition—to new heights.

Find It: Amazon Prime

9. Built for Mars: The Perseverance Rover (2021)

What does it take to build a machine fit for space travel and life on Mars? This documentary goes behind the scenes of the development of NASA's Perseverance rover, which allowed for a spectacular glimpse at the surface of the red planet.

Find It: Disney+

10. The Real Right Stuff (2020)

The story of the Mercury 7 astronauts is detailed in this documentary that uses archival footage to tell the tale of the brave souls who sent America's space program into orbit.

Find It: Disney+