https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/76d3f9aa-7d46-4688-afec-2f19633e938c Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCddem5RlB3bQe99wyY49g0g/join Help us preserve, scan and post more rare and endangered films! Join us on Patreon. Visit https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com This film, “The Big Reach” presented by Douglas Aircraft Corp., presents a vivid recount of the beginnings of USA space exploration. It focuses on the buildup and efforts leading into the first lunar probe launches in 1958. It shows the story of Able 1 & 2 (later known as Pioneer 0 & 1). This was humanity’s first attempt to send a spacecraft beyond Earth orbit. The plan was to orbit the Moon, but malfunctions doomed both spacecraft. (Some limited data on the near-Earth environment was collected.) The film provides an in-depth breakdown of Thor; an airborne lidar instrument created to measure the thickness and internal structure of highly scattered media. Sites shown include Allegany Ballistics Laboratory, and people such as Clete Roberts, Major General Ben Ivan Funk and Dr. Adolph K. Theil. The film opens with a note that it won an award at the Columbus Film Festival (:06). The Douglas Aircraft (:22) logo. Scenes follow from August 17th, 1958 as the four-stage missile is prepared for launch(1:23). The launch (1:58). Explosions erupt as the mission is aborted (2:27) due to a component malfunction. Ground support analyzes reports (2:36). Second (3:03) "Pioneer 1" heads for the launch pad. (3:44). Pioneer 1 appears wedged into the launching apparatus (4:19). The first stage (4:35) is discussed including Thor payload. Douglas Aircraft employees communicate through rotary phones (4:38). The second stage appears under reconstruction (5:36). A discussion on the guidance system and alterations conducted following various test firings follows (5:01). Scenes show the construction of the third stage (5:42) at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory. Construction on the fourth and final stage begins (5:56). Workers surround the shell (6:15) containing various telemetry and television instruments. The experienced observer, Clete Roberts gets an interview as part of one of the men a part of the mission (6:47). Workers oversea pad control tests (7:45). Lock trucks are ordered to pad 17-B (7:53). Images follow of the pad control workers on the ground (8:06). The craft is fueled up (8:13) using highly explosive materials. Workers appear in safety gear (8:18). One of the men is interviewed about nerves prior to the launching (8:47). U.S. Navy patrol boats search waters in the danger zone for fishing boats (9:45). Theodolites and radar dishes tilt (10:01). The line of sight radar antennae at Millstone Hill Massachusetts (10:12). Images follow of the world’s largest radio telescope in Manchester, England (10:22). Antenna equipment at Singapore and South Point Hawaii (10:42) are set into place in order to account for the curvature of the Earth. Work continues past nightfall (10:58). Major General Ben Ivan Funk; Commander of the Ballistic Missile Center is interviewed following inspection on the platform surrounding the lunar probe missile (11:26). Search lights are kicked on by order (12:20). The launch pad appears lit up at night (12:34). The lunar probe is proved as satisfactory for launching (12:53). Lunar probe and gantry crane are depicted (12:59). Dr. Adolph K. Theil; program director and former member of the German team at Peenemunde (13:37) compares NASA and the WWII V-2 program. Searchlights in the background reveal a haze on the ground from increased amount of oxygen (14:46). Viewers are taken to the launching pad (15:15). The safety officer appears (15:21). Final look at the missile (16:31). Workers appear in the blockhouses (16:50). Sirens wail as workers move into position (17:09). The countdown begins (17:39). Engines fire (18:10) and the probe launches (18:17). Ground technicians follow the launching (19:05). Animations depict what would follow (19:14). Satellite ground stations in Hawaii (19:49). Data collected (21:25). ABEL was able to record the first measurements of the Earth’s magnetic field. Future exploration (21:51) of space. Cape Canaveral (22:34). Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9ZA335r8lM Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Thu, 11 Jun 2026 06:46:55 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/76d3f9aa-7d46-4688-afec-2f19633e938c All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.