Deliberately smashing a multi-million dollar plane into the desert packs high entertainment value, but the elaborate experiment, which kicked off the second season of Discovery Channel's "Curiosity" series, wasn't just for gasps.

It was also part of an effort to make the 2.8 billion flights that hit the skies each year safer.

"This groundbreaking experiment looks at what actually happens during a plane crash and the science behind passengers' best chance for survival," the Discovery Channel writes in a statement.

A similar demonstration was carried out by NASA in 1984, resulting in a fiery explosion.

Will this time be different?