Parents' Guide to

The Space Race

By Sabrina McFarland, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Documentary about Black astronauts has language, peril.

Movie NR 2024 90 minutes
The Space Race movie poster: Black astronaut and spaceship illustration in foreground, lit moon and dark sky in background, and film's title The Space Race and other credits in light green and white letters

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • The Space Race movie: Black astronaut Guion Bluford smiles at the camera while inside a wind tunnel at a NASA research center, wearing a light blue spacesuit
  • Black astronaut Charles Bolden looks at the camera while seated inside a spacecraft, wearing a white and red space helmet and light blue spacesuit
  • The Space Race movie: Black astronaut Ronald McNair operates a control board during a spacecraft training session, wearing a medium blue spacesuit

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In THE SPACE RACE, Black astronauts share their stories about breaking barriers in the aerospace industry during the 20th century. Several of the trailblazers discuss through archival footage and firsthand interviews their career experiences ranging from systemic racism to recognition as heroes.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Documentarians Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortés offer an informative film journey about Black aerospace history. In The Space Race, anecdotes are shared by a team of trailblazers, which includes astronaut Charles Bolden. "Growing up, my mom and dad, they always talked about possibility," he says. "I loved the space program and was enamored with it, but nobody doing that stuff looked like me." But Bolton pursues his passion, becomes a NASA astronaut, and later lands as the space program's first African American administrator. "As a Black astronaut," explains Bernard Harris, "we are symbols of what we can accomplish as a people despite what others may think of us."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the communication by the cast in The Space Race. How do they also demonstrate courage, perseverance, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

  • What are your thoughts about the documentary's point of view? How does this film compare with others about the space industry?

  • Would you consider a career as an astronaut? Why or why not?

Movie Details

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