'For All Mankind' sneak peek: Tracy Stevens takes another small step on the moon in 'The Weight'
Technical glitches: We've all had them.
The next episode of "For All Mankind" shows the wonderful reaction of astronaut Tracy Stevens when she finally gets to start another mission — and the technical problem that holds her up.
As shown in a preview clip of the midseason episode that airs Friday (March 19), Stevens gently jumps down the lunar module ladder and takes a good look at Jamestown, the fictional NASA moon base. Rolling hills of lunar regolith decorate the view. "This is beautiful," Stevens says in awe.
Her reverie is interrupted by another astronaut, holding a video camera to record the historic moment. "I don't think it was recording," her crewmate laments.
Related: Astronaut-led video tour reveals details in 'For All Mankind' moon base
From astro-wife to LSAM pilot, Tracy Stevens can handle nearly anything. Will she be able to navigate life on the moon? Find out in the new episode of #ForAllMankind, now on the @AppleTV app with an Apple TV+ subscription. pic.twitter.com/BHnmdzyVnqMarch 19, 2021
Stevens snaps off her public relations face, rapidly. "Really?" she says in mild exasperation.
"Sorry, it's these gloves. We're going to have to do it again" her crewmate says. Trying to fill the awkward silence, he jabbers on. "That was great, though. Do it [again] just like that."
We don't get to see how Stevens reacts next, but you can catch the alternate timeline episode on Apple TV. Without getting too far into spoiler territory, Season 2 has been covering the fictional 1980s space program as NASA and the Soviet Union continue to compete in space.
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For NASA, that competition in the show clearly includes continuing human moon exploration — something that the real-life agency stopped doing in 1972.
That said, the real NASA is hoping to put boots on the moon soon with the Artemis program — although when that is going to happen is in suspense as President Joe Biden's new administration has not committed to former President Donald Trump's timeline of a human landing in 2024.
"For All Mankind" Season 1 and the first half of Season 2 are available on the streaming platform Apple TV+, which requires a subscription of $4.99/month. We also have a spoiler-free discussion of what to expect in Season 2, with a look at how it compares to real-life space shuttle history of the 1980s, courtesy of Space.com partner collectSPACE.
You can get more information (likely with spoilers) about the new episode by listening to "For All Mankind: The Official Podcast," available now on Apple Podcasts. An augmented reality experience called "For All Mankind: Time Capsule" is also available in the App Store.
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Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace