Original subtitles

Today,

Charles Lindbergh is a hero.

But you remember back in the 1920s? They used to call him the flying fool.

They said if God had meant for people to fly... He would have given them wings.

Oh, Tess, isn't it lovely? We've been together so long, I know just what

going to say.

Well, the point I was trying to make is that God gave man something better than

wings. He gave them dreams.

Well, anyway, the child that grew up in this house had a lot of dreams and a

wonderful, encouraging mother.

Look at the ray gun, the telescope.

Did this little boy grow up to be an astronaut?

Little boys aren't the only ones who reach for the stars, Miss Wing.

At least that's what Josie's mother told her.

This book belongs to Josephine.

Launch of the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990.

It was a great leap in understanding our universe, until last month.

We believe a piece of space debris tore a hole in one of Hubble's solar arrays,

which is why next week's launch is so vital to get Hubble repaired and back on

track. Excuse me, sir, aren't there six astronauts on this mission?

Yes, Major Saunders is one of the two astronauts who will be doing the EVA.

She'll be doing the repairs on Hubble's solar array.

Unfortunately, the Major won't be with us today due to a family emergency.

There you go, Major.

Take the bag.

Major Saunders? Yeah, I know. I'm late.

Major, my name's Andrew. I'm with NASA Public Affairs.

I've got clearance for this jet. My mother's very sick.

I'm in quarantine and I can't visit her. Yes, Major. So the least I can do is

fly over, let her know I'm with her in spirit. You got a problem with that?

Major, your mother died about an hour ago. Very sorry.

But as you say, she is still with you in spirit.

Why do people always say stuff like that?

It doesn't help.

Excuse me.

Josie lost more than a mother.

She lost her North Star.

The only person who always gave her a sense of direction.

Or tried to.

That must be very frightening.

Josie's never known the meaning of fear.

But she will.

She will.

down the road heavy burden heavy

load I will ride and I

will walk with you I'll walk with you till the sun

don't even shine walk with you every time

I tell you I'll walk

Believe me, I'll walk with you.

Josie always wanted to be a hero, a pioneer like Lindbergh. But her mother

only wanted her to be happy.

Were they very close?

Very close, but very different.

The mother put all of her faith in God, but Josie would only trust science.

So she joined the Air Force and NASA to prove to her mother what she could do.

But her mother wanted to prove to her what God could do. Her mother was a good

woman. And her faith sustained her through a long and terrible illness.

Now she's at peace now.

Baby, a woman with that much faith is always at peace. And she wanted so to

share that with her daughter.

It must have broken her heart to know that she was dying and there was nothing

she could do to help her daughter.

Who said that?

Did I say that? I never said that.

Okay, guys, I've got the official word.

Flight director says the weather in Florida is definitely clearing.

Looks like you are a go.

Ready for your spacewalk, Mr. DeMille?

I am if Josie is.

Well, she got back from the funeral this morning. She's been cleared to reenter

quarantine, so she's a go.

His funeral was Saturday.

It was beautiful.

I sure wish I could have been there for her. We all do.

Josie knows that.

Knows what?

Hey.

Hey, Air Force.

Hey.

Thanks for everything.

The flowers and...

Man, you guys are eating

more donuts. We're not going to get off the ground.

You're supposed to take them from me.

Okay, guys.

You all know the purpose of this mission.

And you know how much this thing is worth.

But as far as I'm concerned, $1 billion worth of hardware is nothing compared to

your most valuable cargo.

My wife.

So I want her back in one piece.

Got it? You got it. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Didn't mean to make you blush there, Major.

First, I don't blush.

Second, I'm not... You are not the world's most expressive woman, I know.

But I know you. Look, don't get defensive.

But I gotta bring this up.

Because you've been okayed to fly physically, doesn't mean that

you're ready to go. I'm fine.

Is that the astronaut talking, or is that the grieving daughter?

Depends. Is it the Capcom talking, or my husband?

A little of both.

All you ever wanted was for your mom to watch you go into space, and now that's

not going to happen.

And I think you're angry about that, and I think you're a little scared.

That's crazy. I'm not...

scared. I mean, I'll admit I'm furious.

It's surface radiation.

It's like she just gave up. Honey, she was ready to go. No, no, he's ready to

go. Mrs. Saunders, I'm sorry to disturb you. We have a little girl visiting

Space Center Houston who was scheduled for brain surgery, and the prognosis

isn't very good.

Anyway, she wants to meet her favorite astronaut.

So, do you think that you can spare a couple minutes?

How can I be her favorite astronaut? I haven't gone up yet.

I don't know. You're going to have to ask her that. I mean, you don't have to

this right now.

That's okay. Fear is part of the job, right?

Major Saunders, this is Diana.

Hi, Diana.

Hi.

You know, I think you can take the mask off. You don't have a cold or anything,

do you?

No.

Just cancer.

Can't catch that, you know.

It's in my brain.

It's called astro -something.

Astro -systoma.

Astro -systoma.

Astronaut.

You have a lot in common, you know.

You think so?

Yeah, because you've never been up in space before and I've never been in an

operation before.

And they're both kind of scary.

So Diana wants to be an astronaut one day, right?

Mm -hmm.

She wants a bit of butter and jelly up in her face.

Hey, you're in luck. Only we eat it on tortillas because you can't have crumbs

in space.

You can't have crumbs in bed either.

I know because I spend a lot of time there.

But I read a lot, mostly about astronauts.

You know what my favorite story was when I was your age?

Story about Charles Lindbergh. He was the first person to cross the Atlantic

by himself.

I feel kind of like that.

What if something goes wrong?

Diana, I'm sure your surgery will go just fine.

No.

I meant up in space.

Are you scared?

No, nothing will go wrong. Nothing I can't handle.

Then there's nothing to be afraid of?

No.

Why are you so brave?

So what you got there?

Oh.

Yeah, um... Would you do me a favor?

Would you mail this for me?

To God from Diana.

You're gonna need a lot of stamps for that.

Pat sent me a lot.

I'm not up in space.

Yeah, I figured since you're gonna be up there that you'll be closer to heaven.

Where God lives with the angels.

Yeah, Diane, I'm sorry, but I gotta go. I have to go practice my spacewalk.

It's nice meeting you, okay? And you hang in there, alright?

Keep them closed. I am. It's not a problem keeping them closed. I'm afraid

opening them.

A little bit further.

A little bit further. Okay. Okay. Turn.

Okay. Open.

Old moon.

Starlight. And fine old space punch. Really a very good month.

You.

I know the meal wasn't exactly, you know... No.

It was wonderful.

So sweet.

Thank you. I loved it.

I just... I can't stop thinking about that little girl.

She reminded me of this story I used to have about Lindbergh crossing the

Atlantic. I used to make my mom read it to me every night before I went to bed.

I thought he must have been the bravest man ever.

I don't know.

That little girl, she wanted me to give her some of the courage that she thought

I had.

And all of a sudden, I realized I don't know where my courage comes from. I

don't even know if I've ever had it. I've never even thought about risk

All I ever thought about was...

Showing my mom what I could do on my own. You know, no prayers, no God, just

Now that she's gone, I don't even know why I'm doing it.

I mean, am I crazy or what? I'm going into space.

Nope.

You're very strong.

You're very smart.

You're very brave.

And you're my hero.

Guess I'll talk to you soon, huh?

Up in space?

Can't think of anyone I'd rather communicate with.

Josie!

Josie! Oh, no.

Is that Diana?

Oh, man, I can't deal with it. Did I tell you about that letter she gave me?

wants me to take it up and give it to God.

Oh, that sounds kind of sweet. What does it say?

I don't know. I threw it out.

Josie.

No. Not today.

No, I've had God shoved down my throat my whole life.

Got something for you.

Drove up to your mom's house last night. I figured you could use a little

bedtime reading down at the Cape.

Thank you, honey.

Anything for you.

Do me one favor, though.

Just wave once.

Josie!

Look, Andrew, she sees me!

I see that.

Is she going to make it?

Who, Diana or Josie?

I meant Diana.

I wouldn't waste any time up there.

What if something goes wrong?

What if something goes wrong?

Listen!

What's going on in here?

Oh, no, it's all right, Teth. According to that, you've already blasted off.

No, no, it's just a bad dream.

I'll be okay in a minute.

You're sure about that, huh?

And if something is keeping you awake, I need to know about it.

My husband thinks I have some sort of unresolved emotional thing about my

mother.

Well, if you do, don't you think it's a good idea to deal with it before you

leave the planet?

I guess I just expected her to be alive when we go up.

I mean, I planned it that way.

I really loved her.

She was funny.

She was smart.

She was interesting.

But she believed in God, and I could never understand how someone so

could buy into a bunch of fairy tales like that.

And so you set out to prove her wrong, huh?

When I was little, my father had leukemia.

And I prayed to God every single night to make him better.

I prayed every single night until he died. And that's when I realized there

no God. And after that, I just wanted to fly away.

Lindbergh did a good job of flying away.

Yeah, I read everything I could about him.

He dedicated his first book to his mother.

She believed in him every step of the way.

Like your mother did.

Don't you see, if she believed in God, how could she believe in me? If God is

the one keeping the plane in the air, then what's the pilot for?

That's what I had to prove to her. The only person I had to have faith in was

myself, that I could make it on my own, solo, the way Lindbergh flew across the

Atlantic.

Well, he may have made it solo, but he didn't do it alone.

Yeah, of course he did.

No, he didn't.

But you won't read about it in this little storybook.

I'll tell you what really happened.

You and Lindy had a lot in common.

He couldn't sleep before his big flight either.

And that night, baby, it was raining cats and dogs.

It wasn't just the weather that kept Lindy awake.

When he was worried, he had this habit of talking to himself.

The wind is going to be out of the west.

What is

it mom

says?

Horses were wishes.

Not wishes.

Were horses.

What the heck?

Good evening, Mr. Lindberg.

My name is Monica.

How did you get in here?

You're one of those reporters, aren't you? What, did you hide in the closet or

something? Are there more of you in there?

No. Well, you've got some nerve.

I saw those newsreel cameras out front.

Six men have already died trying to cross the Atlantic. You can't wait to

me number seven, can you?

Oh, no.

I pray that you reach your destination.

People need heroes.

Come on.

I'm no hero.

I just believe that men should fly as far as they can.

Takes quite a leap of faith to do that.

Leap, huh?

Oh, I'm ready to leap.

You can quote me on that.

You have a long flight ahead.

How will you make it without any sleep?

They call me the flying fool, don't they?

Truth is, I don't know how we'll make it.

But we'll make it.

We?

Me and the Spirit of St. Louis.

Just me and the plane up there.

Boy, I wish it would clear up.

If wishes were horses, then beggars might ride.

Hey.

That's what my mom always says.

Maybe begging isn't the answer.

How do you mean?

You might try a wee prayer.

Look, Monica.

When I was a boy, I used to lie awake at night and stare up at the sky, and I'd

always ask myself, if God really exists, how come he doesn't show himself?

But he does in a million different ways. Every day, you only have to look.

Maybe you just can't see what isn't there.

But he is there, Mr. Lindbergh, he is.

As surely as the stars are in the sky.

You just have to lift up your head and look.

And even then, you can't take them all in at once.

And so it is with God.

You must seek him star by star, light by light.

I don't get it.

What's your angle?

I'm like you.

I believe you should be able to fly as far as you can.

Yeah, well... I'm gonna be flying much of anywhere if this weather doesn't

up.

The heck?

So Lindbergh met some woman named Monica.

I still don't get what he and I have in common, except that neither of us puts

much faith in God.

Well, you haven't heard the whole story.

At daybreak, he stuffed his ears with cotton, and he snapped on his helmet and

his goggles.

And he couldn't get his plane off to runway till the very last second.

Stay awake another day.

Watch me cut out the miles to Ireland.

Once I get to Ireland, rest is easy.

He had been 40 hours without sleep.

And he couldn't go on much longer.

No. No.

No. Oh, my God.

Please.

Please help me. Please help me. We're going down.

We're going down.

Maybe.

We're going down.

Wake up, Josie. Wake up, baby.

What time is it? It's time to go and save the telescope.

Oh, you're telling me a story.

Well, I couldn't finish because she fell asleep.

Oh, sorry.

You've got to visit her.

You're kidding. It's the crack of dawn.

Oh, she's used to that. I'll get her.

Sally Ride.

Uh, Dr. Ride. Hi, Josie. Hi.

Have a seat here.

Tess said you might have some questions for me before the flight.

I don't think so.

You didn't want to ask me if I was scared or anything?

I can't imagine that you were.

Sure I was. But you've come this far.

And believe me, it'll be worth it. The first time you look down on Earth, it'll

change your perspective on everything.

Good, I could use a change.

By the way, I met a little girl back in Houston.

She's got cancer.

Diana. Yeah.

She said you were going to mail a letter for her.

Yeah. It's not easy being a hero to somebody like that.

But that's sort of what being an astronaut is all about, you know?

Going out there and touching the stars for the ones who can't.

Right?

Right.

T -minus five hours for discovery liftoff.

Hey, Josie, did you confirm the Hubble stats for the flight director?

Yep, ten times I can do this with my eyes closed.

Hey, can I get some help?

Ask and you shall receive.

Tess, what are you doing here?

Well, I thought since you had a few minutes, I'd finish my story. A little

-flight entertainment.

This couldn't be in a job description.

You'd be surprised.

Now listen up, because I've got to get to the good part.

After 24 hours in the air...

Almost two days without sleep,

Lindbergh couldn't concentrate.

His mind was in a fog, and so was his plane.

And when his compass broke, he realized he was lost, and he would be flying

blind from then on.

Back in Ireland.

Now, here's the important part.

While Lindy was struggling to keep his eyes open, something happened.

Something he wasn't able to talk about for many years.

But later in his life, Lindy himself admitted that he wasn't up there alone.

What do you say?

It's starting to get interesting now, isn't it?

His cockpit started filling up with something he'd never seen before.

Vapor -like shape with no substance.

Lindbergh called him Vivid.

I said it's a beautiful day, Mr.

Lindbergh.

Beautiful daydream, anyhow.

They look like that reporter.

I'm an angel.

Sense my God.

Yeah, I'm an American with parents.

I gotta find Ireland first.

I think I might be able to help you find it.

I don't get it.

All of a sudden, I'm wide awake.

He wants you to know that he loves you, whether or not you believe in him.

Just as you are flying, whether or not you believe in the laws of aerodynamics.

An angel, huh?

About aerodynamics.

The most beautiful.

I'm not from Ireland, but...

I can help you find the way.

You see, you're not just flying the Spirit of St. Louis.

You're flying with the Spirit of the Father.

And it is through him that you are truly airborne, held aloft not just by

currents and winds, but by the one who created them, the true God of the earth

and the sky and Ireland.

Hey. It's Ireland.

So Lindbergh's mother was alive to see him land, plus he got an angel. Not just

an angel.

Faith.

Well, maybe he ended up believing, but I don't. Well, there's a little girl that

does, and you're her hero.

How do you know about Diana?

Oh, you know, the astronaut grapevine.

I've been thinking.

Maybe I could get a hold of that letter she wrote.

And since you've heard my story, maybe you would take a leap of faith, too, and

you would... You mean on my spacewalk I should just let loose this letter into

space? Like there's not enough space debris up there already? And too many

people down here who don't get angels never will?

Like you, huh, baby?

Like Diana. I'm not going to be responsible for giving her false hope.

God is not going to do one single thing for her.

Not any more than he did for my mother.

Josie, let me check your suit.

Okay, Diana.

You will be able to see everything on those three big screens right there.

See that chair there?

That's where I will be sitting while Josie's on her spacewalk. So I will see

after the launch, okay? Okay.

All right.

Thanks, Andrew.

Sure.

Do you think Josie took my letter?

Well, just in case she didn't.

Do you want to tell me what it said?

I can't.

It's a secret.

Between me and God.

And I know if he gets it, everything will be okay.

Are you okay?

Yeah, this is where I'd be saying goodbye to my mom right now.

She would have said, I'll be praying for you.

And I would have said, Mom, stop driving me crazy.

You want me to drive you crazy?

No, but thank you.

I've got to go to work.

Okay, Eddie, it looks like we're ready to proceed.

We look forward to seeing you back here in ten days.

Okay.

Thanks to everyone for all their support.

T -minus 15 seconds and counting.

12, 11.

We have a go for main engine start.

9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3.

And liftoff of Discovery in Pursuit of the Hubble Telescope.

Houston, now controlling. Discovery has rolled on course towards orbit with the

Hubble Space Telescope.

Houston, Discovery, we're right on pipe with the Hubble Telescope.

Visual on camera two.

Discovery, this is Houston. Hubble Telescope approximately 50 miles and

Everything looks good.

Roger that, Houston.

Hi, Mom.

You and Matt ready to tangle?

Yep.

Houston, Discovery.

Cargo bay doors open.

Driving the arm to grapple position.

TV downlink on camera two.

Roger, Discovery.

We see the arm in motion.

Houston. Discovery has a firm handshake with Mr. Hubble's telescope.

Discovery, we're all smiles now.

Great can't wait for you guys to go out on that hatch tomorrow.

Discovery, Houston.

Everything looks good to us this morning.

Okay, EV1?

Hey, Greg.

I'm out on the arm, and man, the view up here is tremendous.

Roger that.

EV2? Out with slide wire, translating aft.

Ready to tango.

Go ahead, EV2, but save the last dance for me.

EV2, Houston, confirmed detachment. Houston, this array is ready to be

jettisoned. Copy that any time you're ready.

Let me get it stabilized.

Need to reposition.

Houston, they'll tether up here.

EV2, come in, EV2.

EV2 Houston, come in. Do you copy?

Surgeon, what are the stats?

Heart rate's increasing.

Blood pressure's high.

Respiration's shallow.

EV2 Houston, come in, please. Do you copy?

Houston, EV2, I copy.

EV2 Houston.

EV1 reports your tether has failed. Begin emergency procedures.

Copy.

Ready to begin flyback.

Firing thrusters to reconnect.

Roger that. We're standing by.

Houston, EV2.

No joy on the jets.

Copy that.

We're talking about it. Have her power cycle the jetpack.

EV2, Houston.

Houston,

EV2, you're breaking up. Can you repeat that?

EB -2, Houston, do you read?

EB -2, Houston, do you... EB

-2, Houston, come in, please. Do you copy?

Discovery, we lost comm with Houston.

Josie, do you copy?

In the blind, power cycle to jet.

I don't think she copies.

Houston.

EV2.

Discovery.

EV2.

Anybody?

Anybody?

Is there anybody out there?

I can do this.

I can do this.

There's plenty of oxygen left.

What?

Dear God, I'm having an operation.

I'm scared.

I know you can do anything.

So, will you please give me a sign that everything will be okay?

Love, Diana.

You want a sign from God?

Well, I got news for you. There's not going to be any sign.

God's not going to help you any more than he helped my mother. Or he's going

help me right now.

We're all going to die.

Alone.

Houston.

Discovery.

There's something out here.

It's coming my way.

Discovery, Houston, snap it up. Let's get Matt back in the bay.

Roger that, Houston.

What kind of rate do you think she's got on her?

I don't know, Eddie.

I guess she's half a mile away and moving up pretty quick.

Houston, Discovery, anybody.

There's some kind of rogue object in orbit emitting a fair degree of light.

A piece of...

Asteroid space debris. I can't make it out, but it's coming at me. I can't get

out of the way.

Houston, in the blind.

I think we have a real problem up here.

Must be losing oxygen.

Josie, the only one you need to communicate with now is God.

It's not your oxygen that's in short supply.

It's your faith.

This is a hallucination.

You're like one of Lindbergh's phantoms.

No.

I was Charles Lindbergh's angel.

God often sends me to help people through difficult journeys.

I'll soon be there to help Diana through hers.

And I was there with your mother on her last.

My ma.

Yes.

She knew how much it meant to you.

To have her see you in this day and space.

But she was so tired, Josie.

And a television screen in a hospital room, watched through pain and

wasn't how she wanted to share this moment with you.

So she placed herself in God's hands and trusted that he would give her the best

seat in the house.

I don't understand.

Your mother did not miss this day.

She's watching you at this moment through the window of heaven.

And she wants you to know how proud she is of you.

And she wants you to know that she's praying for you.

I miss her so much.

I know.

She prayed for you every day of your life.

And that didn't stop when she died.

In fact...

Her prayers became deeper and richer because the echo through the halls of

father's house.

Beyond this?

You mean the really of the heaven?

Beyond and within and all around.

Heaven begins in the place where you need him.

He loves you so much, Josie.

He doesn't care if you walk in outer space as long as you walk with him.

And he knows that that first step in his direction is quite a leap.

And it takes courage.

But remember, there's someone not just in heaven praying for you, but on earth

as well.

Diana.

Yes.

And just as she wanted you to be her messenger,

So does God want you to be him?

What does he want me to do?

Deliver her letter.

Join in her prayer.

Share in her faith.

For faith is the lifeline that connects you to the Almighty and to each other.

It's where true courage comes from.

It's a tether that will never break.

And when the journey seems too long and too frightening, it's the silver cord

that will pull you home.

E .V. 2, Houston, in the blind. We're coming to get you. Hang in there.

Great. Great, Houston, E .V. 2, I copy that.

I copy that.

Way to go, Force.

You don't know how glad we are to hear your voice.

And he's coming to get you.

We'll have you back in the bay in just a few minutes.

Discovery, E .V. 2.

Eddie, don't sweat it. I'm having a great time out here.

Houston, Discovery.

Video downlink is up and running.

Josie's on camera, Charlie.

Based on her heart rate, she's having a stroll in the park.

That wife of yours?

She has nerves of steel.

Tough lady she always has been.

Houston, EB -2.

I didn't copy that.

Well, I guess you're just going to have to wait until you get home, aren't you?

Houston, EB -2.

I have a message for a friend of mine who's in the viewing gallery.

Go ahead, EB -2.

Diana, you asked God for a sign, and he showed it to me.

All I can tell you is that God loves you.

There is nothing to be afraid of.

Now, I can't be with you during your surgery, but I'll be praying for you

day.

It's like my mom prayed for me.

She's going to pray for me, Andrew.

Houston, 82.

Did Diana get my message?

Diana says, copy that.

So how's the view?

Amazing.

And Houston, the funny thing is, I feel closer to home than ever.

Discovery.

Hurry it up, I got a job to finish out here.