James Burke - Spaceman!

A tribute to James Burke. Includes some of his British TV work over the years covering the Apollo programme.

[@ScrotusXL]

James Burke is long overdue a knighthood. One of the most overlooked national treasures of the “space age”. James Burkes Connections deserves a 4k reboot

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

Amen. Guy is a legend

[@alangrant5278]

I’ve been rewatching them on KZbin. Classic.

[@stuartcmcd]

There is a reboot now on Curiosity Stream, I think

[@rcisneros8567]

Really??? I just assumed it was a done deal.

[@KeshHarp]

Please accept my mere one thumb up for a thousand of them!!!

[@occamsrayzor]

This man, along with Carl Sagan, is one of the greatest explainers and popularizers of scientific endeavour that has ever drawn breath. In the many hours I spent in front of the TV during all of the Apollo missions, the one great constant was James Burke, always there to explain, to narrate, and to enlighten us. What an amazing man.

[@ScrotusXL]

Absolutely, my friend. James Burke, like Carl Sagan and more recently Prof Brian Cox, brings a sense of humanity, clarity and also gravitas to what most people would view as just incomprehensible scientific mumbojumbo. What a guy. I was really into his TV series, James Burkes Connections. Ahead of its time and what inspired a similar series years later presented by Richard Hammond.

[@Nottsboy24]

Agreed ☺👍

[@DrTWG]

The breadth & depth of his science knowledge is unmatched today & gave him an unrivalled authenticity & credibility . Or summut like that .

[@amys3531]

In 1981 every Saturday afternoon in the winter, PBS would show Cosmos and Connections back to back. It was pure enjoyment

[@TripleBerg]

Agree, they all made science accessible to the layperson.

[@theowinters6314]

The best part of his coverage is just how much he clearly enjoys what he's talking about.

[@eurogael]

I just got incredibly nostalgic hearing both Burke and Moore - two absolute legends who got a whole generation of kids interested in the space program and astronomy in general.

[@GunnarMiller]

James Burke's sheer joy whilst going weightless is the the most delightful piece of film I've ever seen. I'm so happy my 10th-grade physics teacher back in the early 1980s used to show "Connections" on 16mm ... it changed my life. This collection is really amazing as it combines awe with clear-headed explanation of how it all worked (I never really understood how the celestial navigation stuff worked until I saw this). Also, the run-down on how the spacesuits worked was the best I'd ever seen.

[@GunnarMiller]

That BBC coverage of Armstrong's audio going down the ladder was much more comprehensive than anything I'd ever seen. "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind" bookended by lots of other verbal observations.

[@GunnarMiller]

The helicopter pilot interview is a great object lesson as to why sometimes it's important to just let experts talk and expect audiences to keep up.

[@GunnarMiller]

I never knew until watching this that they had to soak the launchpad with water to cool it down. Burke's excitement is infectious!

[@brianarbenz1329]

James Burke's coverage of Apollo missions and his documentary work on the moon program were the finest reporting on the U.S. space program. I'm an American and I feel as though I relive my youth each time I see these. Only I see it better explained than by any of the U.S. TV network reporters back then, fine as they were.

[@ScrotusXL]

James Burke, such an extraordinary mind, he pioneered modern TV presenting with his dry wit, self deprecating humour, I'm spelling it the right way, I'm English, LOL. His Cambridge education gave him the skills to back that up with incredible knowledge, despite not coming from a science background in space flight. And here he is, still going strong celebrating that momentous part of modern history, with us. Or rather I'm celebrating his not insignificant part in bringing that drama and excitement to our homes back in the day and also to this day. James Burke, I salute you sir.

[@lunarmodule5]

James is without doubt IMHO the best!

[@fratercontenduntocculta8161]

This is perhaps the best small series ever created. James always answers those really burning questions in a spectacular and easy to understand way. I'm binging the Connections series today, and I'm amazed that being 40 myself that I somehow missed out on the series in my childhood.

[@GlutenEruption]

As a 35year old I'm very lucky that my dad introduced me to Connections and The Day the Universe Changed as a kid - it played a huge part of my childhood and definitely had a massive influence on how I think, how I view history and science, my interests, and much more.

[@ladybooksmith3347]

Thank you James. I am in my 60s and remember Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon. I also remember the first moon orbit and Apollo 13 coming back to earth, and sometime later, moon buggies and golf swings. It was an amazing time to live through. We took it all for granted. We believed in ourselves. It is sad that so many people nowadays don't believe that the Apollo missions actually took place, simply because they aren't curious enough to verify a "denier's" claims.Your reporting, along with Patrick Moore and Cliff Mitchelmore, was pure gold.

[@RubyMarkLindMilly]

The Apollo missions were man's greatest achievement in my opinion

[@chilly22]

the vomit comet part brought such a smile to my face. never seen someone explain it as it happens and be so excited and probably a little scared like that. brilliant.

[@DestroyerWill]

The day the universe changed - a 10 part series presented by James Burke (9.1/10 IMDB & 98% liked by Google Users) taught me so much about what made the world the way it is. He’s truly a national treasure

[@flatoutt1]

he's a world treasure

[@flatoutt1]

sometimes people contribute so much with their gifts and attitude they outgrow national ownership and are released to the world treasure status. as an aussie ,like our tommy Emmanuel ,he's been elevated from a national treasure to a world treasure . i think james burke is also in this club.

[@rcisneros8567]

That was wonderful. It's so awesome to the raw emotion of the Brits at our space program. Just beautiful.

[@julietserpentin1491]

Yeah the Soviet programmes were also fantastic.

[@geoffallan]

I grew up in the 70's and was introduced to JB by my father. He already knew how special JB was and I instantly connected with him. No-one has communicated science like JB since. Brian Cox has tried but JB was extremely special and as yet unmatched.

[@chrisst8922]

James Burke said that the BBC got access to parts of NASA that other broadcasters didn't. He said that was because of the intelligence of their questions, other journalists would ask about the astronaut's choice of breakfast whereas they would ask ''You know that mid course correction you did, well, wouldn't it have been better to delay that untill tomorrow and do a bigger one then?''

[@robertrishel3685]

I don’t know how I managed to never have seen this man before!!?? He is amazing! He explains spaceflight better than anyone I have ever seen! I learned more about how it all works from him than anything ever from American media! One epiphany after a another, brilliant!

[@nicholashylton6857]

If you've never heard of Connections, Connections 2, and Connections 3, try to find them. Perhaps some of the best science/history documentaries aired. Right up there with Cosmos, by Carl sagan. I saw "Connections" as a kid in the early eighties and it *totally* blew my mind. Heads up. In case you're under ~35, the original series aired back in the '77, so the technology will be primitive by today's standards and you may miss implied references to the Cold War.

[@respectdawildo_danjones508]

He did a fantastic job and I love the enthusiasm

[@johnm2558]

@@nicholashylton6857 Ditto re. ‘Connections’ but don’t forget ‘The day the universe changed’ also!

[@twoplanetlife7969]

James Burke! What a difference he made to my boyhood. Fifty-years on, I work full-time on Mars exploration. Would I be doing this now, without him? Maybe not.

[@lunarmodule5]

awesome!

[@Lensman864]

I was born in England in 1964. James was instrumental in engaging my interest in technology and space flight leading to a great interest in real science and 'Science Fiction'. That led to a career in I.T that got me a house, car, home cinema where I'm watching James Burke via this channel and my wonderful wife. James was a guiding light and a wonderful role model to me and steered my life in directions that otherwise would have never arisen. I salute you and thank you sincerely James. 🫡 This video is superb!

[@tomt.5799]

I've seen James Burke only through KZbin, 50 years after those programs but I just can't have enough; his programs are such attention grabbers that even after all that time I sit at the edge of my chair, watching, enthralled, seeking the net for more more more of James Burke!

[@bagoistvan3182]

Thank you very much. I seeked after this for years...AMAZING !!! Thank you BBC and James Burke ...🫡

[@wirksworthsrailway]

Thank you so much for posting this. James Burke remains as one of my all-time heroes.

[@lunarmodule5]

you are welcome

[@ZenZaBill]

I remember James Burke during the post-Apollo era on TV in the US. He was really into it.

[@MarkAMMarrk]

I've seen everything I thought there was to see, and read a couple of books too, about Apollo. But I learned many things from this 1 hr show. James Burke is a treasure.

[@pontiuspilot5887]

Thank you very much. I have enjoyed his Connections series for years. Peace

[@lunarmodule5]

Welcome!

[@ianlaker9161]

This is electrifying! Thank you so much for uploading. A magical part of my childhood.

[@kingy002]

I have never seen any of this in my 55 years of life. I'm a kid who grew up in rural New Zealand and who became super excited with the launch of JWST. This was fascinating and educative. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@firefox5926]

north or south island ? hawarden born myself

[@JeffreyMiller1]

In 1990, I was fortunate to invite Burke to my college to speak my science history honor students and the local KCMO PBS station. I had no idea he or the BBC existed when I was 13 years old and Apollo 13 was coming home. Cronkite was everything--and still is but Burke, omg. I’m only now seeing this in 2024, never thought I would live this long. Burke is and was absolutely compelling.

[@stephenpochly7003]

James Burke really bought the Apollo missions to life.As a school boy watching his coverage it was as though we were with the astronauts every step of the way.He explained everything in a manner that you could understand.Great television what ever part of the mission he was covering it was riveting.

[@IanValentine147]

What a blast from the past. I loved his broadcasts and explanations as a 60s kid. Thanks for the reboot.

[@Patrick_B687-3]

So much more informative than the spoon fed dumbed down tripe they have on TV these days. James Burke was excellent. Also, Connections was one of these shows ever.

[@peterburtonsairdisplays.9381]

Superb quality presentation, something that is lost on modern presenters, Thank you James Burke and your colleagues.

[@thomasrednour8857]

Burke's "Connections" (the original series) is excellent and started my family searching for other connections. Only knew of his Apollo coverage here on KZbin. Looks like this will be a good overview.

[@admiralbenbow5083]

The segment ending at 13.30 is even to this day, wildly impressive. I think it always will be !!

[@keithlillis7962]

Fantastic stuff and history, as it was being name - brilliant!

[@s.mcgowan8969]

Great video, many childhood memories. Fantastic channel too, thanks for everything!

[@lunarmodule5]

U r most welcome

[@joeoconnor5400]

Does anyone remember Peter Fairley who was ITN's Apollo correspondent?

[@grumpyguts1967]

Brilliant, thanks for uploading.

[@bozhijak]

Me and my entire family had a retreat to watch this "live". We watched in awe. After about an hour i walked out to our back field, looked up at the full moon and stared. One of my relatives came out to see where i was and the only thing i said to her was "there are men walking up there. right now". She sat down with me for a while before going back inside to watch the rest. Everyone was glued to the TV.

[@robdixson196]

If you haven't seen James Burkes series Connections....You've really gotta see it!

[@willmfrank]

The entire series, and its two sequels, are all available for viewing on the Internet Archive.

[@maxshenkwrites]

He's great-- I wish we'd had him on American TV.

[@martinda7446]

I was lucky enough to enjoy the Apollo missions with James Burke and Patrick Moore as a kid. Very special time.That and Slade, Bowie and the rest. Kids today had Brexit and covid...!

[@RubyMarkLindMilly]

Just phenomenal stuff the Apollo 13 touchdown was so emotional to watch live watching important historical events as they happened is such a privilege 👍

[@maxusboostus]

I was looking forward to seeing some James Burke appearances on UK TV during the 50th anniversary celebrations. I saw a few programmes about the Apollo 11 Moon landing but only saw American TV coverage , no sign of the UK side. I Was slightly Miffed.

[@kevinsmith7516]

He explains everything very well. Very interesting to listen to.

[@castlerock58]

I remember seeing him explain the spacesuit after they landed on the moon. I was watching in Canada but the channel, either CBC or CTV, used the clip from the BBC. I don't know if they had access to the BBC's live feed or whether the clip was recorded and sold in advance. I remember the part about the cooling tubes in the suit. I was ten at the time and it stuck in my memory. In the 70's and 80's I was a big fan of "Connections" and the "Day the Universe Changed" but I did not realize that he was the same man who explained the spacesuit. Then I came across this video. Thanks for posting it. I was 10 back then and I will turn 65 in a few weeks.

[@ladybooksmith3347]

I was 10 too when Apollo landed on the moon. The suit explanation is brilliant.

[@ajmplaneshelicoptersrocket3542]

This was really good. ... Wish I had seen it when I was a kid.

[@mootpointjones8488]

Quite profound. James is a superb broadcaster.

[@RubyMarkLindMilly]

James Burke a national treasure 🇬🇧 👍

[@tsr207]

An excellent tribute to an exceptional man- his films explaining Apollo systems and the voyages were used to fill the gaps between live transmissions - as a wide eyed young boy - I thought they were marvellous ! Thank you so much for the memories !

[@lunarmodule5]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks John

[@micman240]

I was 15 when I watched all the Apollo 13 reports live on the BBC… and I also never missed a single Apollo broadcast on the BBC from Apollo 8 onwards ..throughout their entire several years of coverage. Quite apart from these remarkable and indeed breathtaking achievements by NASA.. (at that time a thoroughly creditable and respectable organisation revered by the entire world…. Sadly now however the opposite is the case) a couple of things need to be stated.. 1. The way the BBC…. at that time a similarly highly creditable organisation (again no longer sadly) showed unbelievable foresight and groundbreaking broadcasting professionalism in initiating and conducting this coverage was nothing short of historic on the world broadcasting stage and 2. James Burke was probably the most naturally talented technical broadcasters ever to have appeared on screen anywhere on the planet.... an extraordinary talent as is clearly evidenced here.. his lines to camera during the Apollo 13 splashdown coverage were simply stunning in their emotional depth and integrity and stand testimony today of the BBC’s once held precious values and their long lost integrity. A brilliant post .. thanks so much for letting me see this again.

[@bobmusil1458]

NASA is not a respetable organisation anymore? I did not know that. Why?

[@tekvax01]

James Burke was a bloody brilliant broadcaster!

[@ulfnowotny01]

Great! Thanks for sharing!

[@lunarmodule5]

Thanks for watching

[@camerorm]

an absolute legend.

[@bradrtorgersen_videos]

The original CONNECTIONS and THE DAY THE UNIVERSE CHANGED are still (to my American mind) the two best science history and science popularization programs to have ever been broadcast. Most Americans might name Sagan's COSMOS, but while I am a tremendous fan of that series, really, CONNECTIONS and THE DAY THE UNIVERSE CHANGED are better. More in-depth. Less preachy. With a keener eye to the realities of human nature. And it's *that* key point-when science and its products must interface with the human experience-where Burke's two series excel.

[@alan-sk7ky]

And Jacob Bronowski's 'Ascent of Man' series. BBC 1973.

[@clayz1]

I have the full DVD set of Connections, viewed it many times. It looks like VHS conversion so not great. I'm a USA'n and prefer Connections to COSMOS mainly because there is a lot more of it to view. Both are great favorites over the years. Like many great documentaries they can also help you go to sleep thank you very much.

[@markiacomini5830]

The right man at the right time.

[@larryaldrich4351]

James' commentary on Apollo 13 was much more articulate and comprehensible than his American counterparts.

[@WilliamViets]

Most informative commentary during the Apollo program just happened to be on the BBC.

[@thefrockdoctrine]

Love Sir Bernard Lovell at the Jodrel Bank telescope listening to Jim Lovell describing the moon, from Apollo 8. Now I want to know if there was any historical family link between the two men.

[@brianarbenz1329]

I thought the very same thing as I watched that.

[@Parknest]

James Burke is still alive as of December 2020. He recently turned 84 years old.

[@martinda7446]

My ma made eye contact as she waved at Yuri Gagarin on his London visit in 1961.. Apparently he smiled as he waved back.. In Hammersmith!

[@CYGNO]

Very good film. Feel I want my son to see it.

[@allgood6760]

Thanks I just got a book on Apollo 8. 👍🇳🇿

[@Sxscxa]

Yes the Moon is Beautiful

[@l.tallmadge6536]

A bravery beyond ❤❤❤❤

[@charleshart6992]

Excellent!

[@sirrahusa]

Some of the producer/directors who created these scenes along with James Burke: Mick Jackson Stuart Harris Tam Fry BBC Apollo Exec. Prod.: Dick Francis Other credits: Graphic animations by Joanna Ball Cinematography: David Feig, Bob Cozens

[@jantonkens9820]

Fully agree with other conmenters: you don't only speak for all the Brits: me as Anglo(mun)/Dutch(dad) guy living in Ireland: i also grew up with James. In the early years only able to see him when on holiday in England, but later also in Nl think fondly back watching him explaining space to me. Made me the nerd i am, and proudly so😅

[@IronFist.]

Still amazes me to this day that James Burke hasn't been knighted. Instead they've been handing out knighthoods to useless musicians and footballers. What a crime.

[@MrWATM]

I am so juvenile. When Sir Lovell said, "It was the most remarkable two minutes I've ever lived through," I thought of something completely different...

[@alanclark639]

I was lucky enough to watch STS26 launch back in 1988 and can still hear it..... well not so much hear it.... no one's hearing could ever encompass that noise - it fills you up and for a few seconds - THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO EVERYTHING! What must it feel like to sit on top of it??

[@captainzeppos]

The definition is quite incredible,wait what?

[@Lensman864]

For live TV from 250,000 miles away in 1968, yes!

[@carlowingfield7743]

Still an excellent commentary .

[@greatguytv]

James Burke I really enjoyed meating him in Toronto 2d 24y

[@MIKandJEAN]

If it's of interest to anyone..., the BBC remastered much of this footage and more for the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landing which they released on DVD. Moon Landing is a bit slow to watch in real time for obvious reasons but then you get a couple of episodes of James Burke covering Space & NASA on disc 2!

[@stephenpochly7003]

Any idea where I could a copy from

[@jamesrogers47]

I've never seen him that young.

[@bagoistvan3182]

21:06 ... this footage is timeless....🇺🇸 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@ONYX-Original]

Is there a place where we die-hard fans of James Burke Documentaries and Knowledge can share and carry on His wonderful legacy? Now that we have the Internet, how do we (As Burke Historians) carry his torch of knowledge. Who are the "James Burkes" of the 21st Century today? #FriendofECCO want to know and connect with each other.

[@michaelhband]

👍👍👍❤❤❤

[@bozhijak]

Keep in mind that there is a 2.5 second delay (5 sec) between comms.

[@yassassin6425]

1.28 seconds one way. And of course, the capcom at Houston is heard to respond immediately once the communication was received.

[@LewesMint]

Have you got a breakdown of the shows seen here?

[@patricktilton5377]

It's too bad that he wasn't there on the morning of 23 November 1973, on site at Zuma Beach, when the return of Colonel George Taylor's capsule unexpectedly returned to earth after having launched at 00:00:01 EST from Cape Kennedy on 15 January 1972, after having been thought to have disintegrated in orbit about 678 days before. Troops from the Marine Corps AIR STATION at El Palomar, California, mustered to retrieve the capsule, were astonished to find not only that there were three living astronauts inside it, but that -- when they removed the helmets from their EVA spacesuits -- they were not the same men who had been seen entering the craft nearly two years before, but, rather, were three abnormally tall chimpanzees: two males and one female. James Burke was one of many reporters during the Space Age who had sought an interview with the Science Advisor to the President -- Dr. Otto Hasslein -- in the wake of that event, but only Bill Bonds, from EYEWITNESS NEWS in Los Angeles, was able to score an interview with him before his untimely passing at the McKinley & Sons Naval Shipyard, less than two weeks later . . .

[@nycplaywrights]

He had hair!

[@cleddavies7678]

Interesting

[@bagoistvan3182]

27:52 ...😁😁😁🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺👍

[@arricammarques1955]

Astronauts were stewing in their own waste for the duration of flight.

[@StephenGillie]

Even in 2022 we're not yet using our GPS to track satellites. In theory it's possible, but nobody's done it yet.

[@TomKappeln]

Want you to know the truth ? The REAL fact is : In montage of Apollo 13 something went wrong. A worker DROPPED the O2 tank and in lack of time they could not check it for inner damage. They took a different O2 tank from the older (good to fly) stock, but they did not realise that THIS tank was a 12 Volt version !!! Older Apollo tanks had the HEATER (not fans) in SERIAL(12 Volts + 12 Volts = 24 Volts), what was a security risk. IF O2 tank 1 had a problem so O2 tank number 2 was also DEAD ! They fixed that, using 24 Volt heaters in PARALEL in the newer tanks. What comes out if you feed a 12 Volt lightbulb with 24 Volts ?! (This is also the reason WHY main bus "B" dropped so fast in Voltage, a short out) Now you know WHY Apollo 13 "had a problem".

[@DrHydro-mq7sw]

Why is the developer of the software for the moon landing capsule not mentioned? Because she is a woman? That was an essential part of the mission.

[@Lensman864]

For the same reason the hundreds of other coders weren't mentioned; NOT RELEVANT and back then wokery was a distant dystopian nightmare we'd yet to endure! 😡

[@mnblkjh6757]

🇺🇸👍🙂

[@mattbland2380]

James Burke and his style and content are sorely missing from modern tv. The dumbing down of documentaries to the point where the same basic point needs to be stated four or five times over 15 minutes leaving no time to delve into the details of the subject. You can learn more in 5 minutes from Connections and his other shows than an hour of modern BBC or two hours of other documentaries. Brian Cox and Dara O’Briain pale into comparison. Even the Sky at Night doesn’t come close any longer.

[@quietdignityandgrace]

So it was the BBC that brought us the "talking heads" form of journalism? Got a remote feed to a guy `an everything. Those bastards!

[@lhaviland8602]

51:15. 15 years... ouch.

[@brandons9027]

Lads, I told you once and I'll say this again. It's all about timing.

[@bagoistvan3182]

20:44 ...🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@christopherpardell4418]

Interestingly, it took a campaign on the part of Stewart Brand and other publishers to get NASA to finally point a color camera back at earth and take the first photo of the whole earth. Prior space missions were either all about photographing Other heavenly bodies, or they were hyper focused on relatively close up photos of the earth’s surface for purposes of reconnaissance, weather tracking, communications, etc. Brand started it off by demanding in his publications “why haven’t we seen a picture of the Whole Earth, yet?” Eventually, NASA complied. And the photo became the cover image of the famous mail order catalog “The Whole Earth Catalog”, a favorite resource among the counterculture of the late sixties and seventies. NASA’s problem was one of PR. Their funding relied upon them giving congress and the American people the feeling that NASA knew what they were doing and had the risks well in hand. But long term, that just did not make for gripping narratives nor exciting television coverage. By making space flight look mastered, they made it look boring.

[@bagoistvan3182]

14:07 ... hahaha 🤣 🤣 🤣...James Burke in The Vomet - Comet ....😅😅😅...🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺👍

[@flatoutt1]

must have been the most incredibly moving, joyful time for wernher von braun ( the salesman kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqvGhmtrhJ1ljqc and the rocket scientist ) because he educated the public and they also caught his vision and excitement ,wonder and enthusiasm and jumped on board

[@SamIIs]

12:55

[@ManInTheBigHat]

Elon wasn't born yet.

[@glyngriffin8260]

Wonderful. But, even the History is outdated!

[@GunnarMiller]

What do you mean?