[MUSIC] Have you ever gazed at the moon and stars? And wondered. Wondered what it would be like to float in the micro gravity of space or walk on the moon. For thousands of years humans could only imagine what those experiences would be like. But in the 20th century, the dreams of human space flight became a reality when in 1961 the Soviet Union's Yuri Gagarin first orbited the Earth. Within eight years of his launch Neil Armstrong was to utter what may be the most significant line in human history. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. As he stepped onto the Moon's surface. >> Hello. I'm Chuck Layne, a professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Houston. And I will be your guide as we explore the history of human space flight. >> From the musings of the authors in antiquity about space, to the development of the powerful rockets which carried humans into space, through the early successes and failures of the American and Soviet Union space programs, to the permanent human presence of space in a variety of space stations. >> This course will fascinate and entertain while providing you insights and little known facts about human space flight. Using a combination of specially developed videos and a variety of readings. This course will enhance your knowledge about the history of human space flight. I invite you to watch the demonstration video to learn about the basic design of the course and to see why this course is a must, regardless of your background, for anyone interested in human space flight. [MUSIC]