The Science Channel is launching their first annual space programming event called Space Week this coming week (May 6-12). In addition to the telivised episodes exploring a variety of topics about space, there is an interactive component at ScienceChannel.com. The website will feature a space blog by an experienced science journalist, an interactive exploration of NASA’s ORION space vehicle, a timeline of Mars exploration from the 1970s through today, and the latest in space news from the Discovery News service. Here’s a portion of the schedule and a few video clips:

Sunday, May 6th @ 9pm (ET/PT)
“Space Station and Beyond” - Get closer than ever to the space station experience and to the cutting edge of entertainment. Showcasing the International Space Station through excerpts from the exclusive live special on November 15, 2006, as well as interviews and all-new material, this special program highlights advances in technology and the continuing human space exploration story.

Monday, May 7th @ 9pm (ET/PT)
“Base Camp Moon” - The fruits of the previous moon expeditions have provided scientists with astounding information and insights. Over the years, this information has helped shape technological advancements in fields as diverse as biology, geology, astrophysics and chemistry. In 2018, astronauts will once again set foot on the lunar surface, with the goal being to ultimately establish a presence on Mars and beyond. Astronauts, scientists and engineers will use the moon as a training ground to develop and refine the technologies that such an ambitious vision demands.

Tuesday, May 8th @ 9pm (ET/PT)
“Starship Orion: The Future of Space Travel” - NASA has taken the lead in designing the new space exploration vehicle, ORION, with which man will go back to the moon, to Mars and beyond. To compress the development process, experts combined old and proven technology with the most current insights to make ORION the spaceship for the 21st century. Information from the Apollo program, space shuttle missions, personal experience and scientific data were combined to create ORION, the heart of “Project Constellation,” NASA’s new space program.

Wednesday, May 9th @ 9pm (ET/PT)
“Mars Underground” - Details aerospace visionary Dr. Robert Zubrin and his theory of the establishment of permanent human settlements, and the greening of Mars into a second Earth for humans to live on.

Thursday, May 10th @ 9pm (ET/PT)
“Roving Mars” - This is the IMAX film documenting the journeys of Spirit and Opportunity, two rovers that explored the red planet on remote, unmanned NASA missions. The documentary uses the rovers’ treks across the rugged Martian terrain to address the question of whether life exists on Mars.

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