Last Shuttle

Discovery HD

Sunday 7 August, 21.00

On May 16th 8.45 EDT, the Space Shuttle Endeavour lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre, for the last time. After twenty-four flights into space, this iconic craft, along with the rest of the shuttle fleet, is embracing retirement. This is its last flight and signifies the end of an era. It may be many years before NASA sends a man into space again. NASA's space shuttle programme has continued to thrive since its first launch on April 23, 1981. Endeavour, named after the first ship commanded by the eighteenth century British explorer James Cook, is the last of a remarkable fleet of spacecrafts to carry astronauts repeatedly into orbit to carry out cutting-edge research. This one-off special follows the preparations leading up to Endeavour's final mission and tells the story of the Shuttle program through the eyes of the people who know it best. With exclusive interviews and personal testaments from the engineers, astronauts and others who have spent their lives working with Endeavour. Watch as their emotions unravel and combine with immense pride and nostalgia.

Witness: Katrina

History HD

Thursday 25 August, 20.00

Six years ago, the world-famous home of Mardis Gras and jazz was devastated by the sixth-strongest Atlantic hurricane ever. More than 1,800 people were killed, and $81billion pounds of damage wrought. People saw everything they owned and loved swept away. Here, newsreel and amateur videos capture the fear, panic, desperation and grief of the people caught up in the 72 hours that changed New Orleans. People like Shelton Alexander, whose family sought shelter in the Superdome; Kennard Jackley who was nearly killed when water engulfed his home; and Fabian and Pam Guerra who got trapped in their attic while they worried that their dogs were drowning downstairs.

Hunters of the Lost World

Nat Geo HD

Monday 1 August, 22.00

In a time before intensive farming or supermarkets, humans had to hunt for food, learning their quarry's habits in order to catch their meals successfully. Humans lived alongside their prey, hunting for survival, rather than relying on others to rear and process their food. But there are few parts of the world where this way of life remains. Australian adventurer Hayden Turner has tracked down places where tribes still hunt down their food, and wants to learn from these peoples before their knowledge and lifestyles disappear forever. In this series he experiences life in some of the planet's most isolated regions, far from Western comforts, where skills passed down generations are more useful than credit cards. Turner lives among the Baka nomads deep in the rainforest of Cameroon, learning how to use smoke, spears and crossbows in order to trap prey, as well as imitating the calls of the tribe's chosen quarry. On the South Pacific Island of Tanna, Turner learns hunting strategies developed over a thousand years from the Namal tribe. In tree-tops, by rivers and in thick brushland, he is taught the best ways to ensnare flying foxes, wild pig and eels. Meanwhile, in Namibia, the San Bushmen share their tracking skills, showing Turner how to stalk and kill food in the extreme conditions of the Kalahari Desert.

Chain Gang: Maricopa County

Crime & Investigation Network

Saturday 6 August, 21.00

Fifteen men, chained together at the ankles, face a month of hard work. Sounds like slavery, but it's now law. In Arizona, controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio, fights crime with chain gangs. He's dubbed ‘America's toughest Sheriff ' and besides sending his prisoners to pick litter and dig pauper graves dressed in stripes under the boiling sun, he's got the cost of their meals down to just 15 cents each and has banned salt, pepper and ketchup in his jails. In the 1920s and 1930s, chain gangs were phased out in the US amid accusations of ritual humiliation, forced labour and cruelty. Amnesty International refuses to agree, but Arpaio claims they offer a deterrent to men and women seeking a life of crime. This gritty documentary charts the lives of the prisoners who work in chains and explores the reasoning behind Arpaio's tough policies.