All language subtitles for Impossible.Engineering.S05E05.The.Real.Iron.Man.Suit.720p.WEBRip.x264-CAFFEiNE[eztv]

Narrator: THIS TIME ON
"IMPOSSIBLE ENGINEERING,"

A REAL-LIFE BIRDMAN...

THE POWER INVOLVED WITH THE SUIT
IS ENOUGH TO TAKE

THAT MASS SUPERSONIC.

Narrator: ...THE WORLD'S FASTEST
BODY-CONTROLLED JET SUIT...

THIS IS ULTIMATE INTEGRATION
OF MAN, MIND, AND MACHINE.

Narrator: ...AND THE PIONEERING
HISTORIC INNOVATIONS...

Man: I TOLD THE PEOPLE
ON THE GROUND

THAT I COULD THREAD A NEEDLE
WITH THIS THING.

Schwiegerhausen:
YES! WHOO-HOO!

THE HOLY GRAIL
OF AVIATION HISTORY.

IT'S A MIRACLE, ISN'T IT?

Narrator: ...THAT MADE
THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE.

-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

Narrator:
HAMPSHIRE, ENGLAND --

THE BIRTHPLACE OF FLIGHT
IN THE U.K.

HOME TO ONE OF THE GREATEST
AERONAUTICAL EVENTS

ON THE PLANET --

FARNBOROUGH
INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW...

...WHERE THE BIGGEST
AEROSPACE PLAYERS

UNVEIL THE WORLD'S
MOST CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES.

-Man: THIS IS GATE B.
-Man: CAN WE BE A BIT GENTLE?

I DON'T WANT THE ENGINES
TO FALL OUT.

WELL, YOU KNOW,
I'M NOT USED TO DRIVING THIS.

Narrator: BUT THIS YEAR,
AN AMBITIOUS TEAM OF ENGINEERS

ARE SHOWCASING
SOMETHING SO UNIQUE

IT COULD STEAL THE SHOW...

AND WE'RE HEADING
ONTO THE RUNWAY.

Narrator: ...CAPABLE OF MAKING
AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM A REALITY...

MANKIND HAS ALWAYS HAD
THIS PASSION FOR FLIGHT,

ALWAYS LOOKED UP AT THE SKY
AND THOUGHT,

"GOSH, I WISH I COULD DO,
FRANKLY, WHAT THE BIRDS DO."

Narrator: ...AN INNOVATION
THAT WILL ALLOW MAN TO FLY FREE.

Browning: WE'VE HAD A GREAT
HISTORY OF PUTTING HUMAN BEINGS

INSIDE FLIGHT VEHICLES --
HELICOPTERS AND AIRPLANES.

I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING
DEEPLY INSPIRING

ABOUT THE PROCESS OF SLIMMING
THAT DOWN TO THAT RAW,

KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE POINT
WHERE YOU,

AS AN UNENCUMBERED HUMAN BEING,

COULD JUST FLOAT AROUND AND MOVE
ABOUT WHEREVER YOU LIKE.

Narrator:
THE AWE-INSPIRING SOLUTION?

♪♪

THE PERSONAL JET SUIT.

♪♪

Browning: THE SUIT CONSISTS
OF FIVE GAS TURBINES.

IT'S THE SAME JET ENGINES
THAT YOU SEE ON A JET AIRCRAFT.

TOGETHER, THEY PRODUCE ENOUGH
THRUST THAT YOU COULD EQUATE IT

TO AROUND 1,050 HORSEPOWER,

ABOUT 1.3 TIMES
A FORMULA ONE CAR.

IN TERMS OF STRAIGHT-LINE SPEED,
WE SET THE RECORD

AT ABOUT 32 MILES AN HOUR.

IT'S A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD.

Narrator:
THIS INFEASIBLE ENGINEERING

IS THE EXTRAORDINARY VISION

OF INVENTOR AND TEST PILOT
RICHARD BROWNING...

Browning:
WE HAVE OPENED THE DOORWAY

ONTO A WHOLE NEW REALM
OF HUMAN MOBILITY

THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY
JUST THE DOMAIN OF SUPERHEROES

IN THE SCIENCE FICTION WORLD.

Narrator: ...TRAILBLAZING DESIGN
ALSO SHAPED

BY AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER
ANGELO GRUBISIC.

WITH THIS SIMPLE,
SMALL AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT,

YOU CAN ESSENTIALLY GAIN

THAT FULL THREE-DIMENSIONAL
CONTROL OF HUMAN FLIGHT

THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AIMING FOR
FOR THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS,

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT'S VERY SPECIAL.

♪♪

Narrator:
WEIGHING JUST 100 POUNDS,

THE JET SUIT IS MADE
FROM ALUMINUM ALLOY,

NYLON POLYMER, AND STEEL.

TWIN TANKS HOLDING OVER
10 GALLONS OF JET FUEL

FEED FOUR MICRO-JET ENGINES
MOUNTED ON THE ARMS

AND ONE ON THE BACK,

ALL CONTROLLED BY
A FINGERTIP THROTTLE TRIGGER

AND PACKED INTO
JUST TWO FLIGHT CASES --

MINIMAL EQUIPMENT TO TURN MAN
INTO A FLYING MACHINE.

♪♪

RICHARD AND THE TEAM ARE
USING REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY,

BUT NOW THEIR JET SUIT
IS ABOUT TO BE PUT TO THE TEST

IN FRONT OF THE MOVERS
AND SHAKERS

OF THE AERONAUTICAL WORLD...

CAN YOU CHECK I'M NOT TWISTED?
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]

...IN A SHOW WHERE $170 BILLION
OF DEALS ARE STRUCK EACH YEAR.

BUT WITH HUMAN FLIGHT,
NOTHING IS GUARANTEED.

I'LL KICK THE BACK
WHEN I'M ABOUT TO TAKE OFF.

Narrator: WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING
THE IMPOSSIBLE,

THE CHALLENGES ARE HUGE.

Browning: OKAY, I'M GOOD.

Narrator: SO, HOW DO YOU LAUNCH
A MAN INTO THE SKIES?

YOU REQUIRE A LOT OF POWER
TO PRODUCE ENOUGH THRUST

TO GET YOURSELF OFF THE GROUND.

Narrator: AND ONCE AIRBORNE,
HOW CAN YOU MANEUVER SAFELY?

Browning: WE HONESTLY DIDN'T
HAVE AN IDEA

OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS,

AND IT WAS A POTENTIAL REASON
WHY THIS MIGHT BE INFEASIBLE.

Narrator: TODAY'S FLIGHT
IS THE CULMINATION

OF 15 MONTHS OF DEVELOPMENT.

BUT TO ACHIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE
AND FLY LIKE A BIRD,

THE TEAM HAS HAD TO TURN
TO THE PIONEERS OF THE PAST.

♪♪

♪♪

FOR CENTURIES,
ECCENTRIC AVIATORS HAVE DREAMED

OF TAKING TO THE SKIES,

BUILDING HAIR-RAISING
CONTRAPTIONS.

IN THE 1950s, THERE WAS
A NEW WAVE OF CONSTRUCTION.

INSPIRED BY SCIENCE FICTION,

THE GOAL WAS TO REDUCE
THE NECESSARY GEAR

AND FLY LIKE A SUPERHERO.

♪♪

BUT BEFORE ALL OF THIS,

THE FIRST
SUCCESSFUL PERSONAL FLIGHT

TOOK ITS INSPIRATION
FROM NATURE.

♪♪

Schwiegerhausen:
YES! WHOO-HOO!

Narrator: 5-TIME WORLD CHAMPION
HANG GLIDER

CORINNA SCHWIEGERHAUSEN

IS SOARING HIGH ABOVE
THE BAVARIAN ALPS.

♪♪

Schwiegerhausen: YOU SEE
THE BEAUTY OF THESE CLIFFS.

IT'S AMAZING.

Narrator: SHE'S ONLY ABLE
TO FLY LIKE THIS

BECAUSE OF ONE INSPIRING
19th-CENTURY VISIONARY.

ENGINEER OTTO LILIENTHAL WAS
THE VERY FIRST BIRDMAN.

IN THE 1870s, HE BEGAN DESIGNING
A RANGE OF WINGED MACHINES

BASED ON HIS STUDIES
ON THE MECHANICS OF BIRD FLIGHT.

♪♪

TWO DECADES LATER,

HE HAD CONSTRUCTED
THE FIRST KNOWN HANG GLIDER.

Schwiegerhausen:
LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS OTTO LILIENTHAL
WITH HIS GLIDER.

YOU SEE, IT'S A VERY SIMPLE
CONSTRUCTION --

JUST MADE FROM SOME FABRIC

AND SOME STEEL WIRE
AND WILLOW WOOD.

Narrator: BUT ENGINEERED
WITH AN UNDERSTANDING

OF WING AERODYNAMICS,

IN 1891, LILIENTHAL'S GLIDER
CHANGED AERONAUTICAL HISTORY,

SUCCESSFULLY TAKING TO THE AIR.

♪♪

♪♪

HE COULD LAUNCH IT
JUST BY RUNNING OFF A HILL,

AND THEN GET AIRBORNE
BY PLAYING WITH THE WING

AND THE ANGLE OF ATTACK
OF HIS DESIGN, AND IT WORKED.

UP TO TODAY,
AND NOT ONLY OUR HANG GLIDERS,

BUT EVEN
THE BIG PASSENGER PLANES USE

JUST THE VERY CONCEPT
THAT HE STARTED WITH HIS WING.

AND IT'S A MIRACLE, ISN'T IT?

THE HOLY GRAIL
OF AVIATION HISTORY.

Narrator: OVER FIVE YEARS,

LILIENTHAL INCREASED
HIS FLIGHT DISTANCE

FROM 80 FEET TO OVER 800 FEET.

HE BECAME KNOWN AS
"THE FLYING MAN".

♪♪

Schwiegerhausen: IN MY THOUGHTS,
I OFTEN TAKE OTTO LILIENTHAL UP

TO OUR FLYING ADVENTURE.

WE ALL OWE HIM AND ADORE HIM

'CAUSE HE MADE
OUR FREE-FLYING POSSIBLE.

HE PLANTED THE SEED FOR
THE WHOLE HISTORY OF AVIATION.

♪♪

Narrator:
HIDDEN IN A SECRET LOCATION

IN THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE,

AN UNCONVENTIONAL TEAM OF
ENGINEERS IS BRINGING

OTTO LILIENTHAL'S PASSION
FOR PERSONAL FLIGHT

INTO THE 21st CENTURY.

RICHARD BROWNING'S PIONEERING
FLIGHT SUIT MAY NOT HAVE WINGS,

BUT LIKE LILIENTHAL'S GLIDERS,
THIS ENGINEERING STEP

INTO THE UNKNOWN RELIES ON VAST
AMOUNTS OF TRIAL AND ERROR.

Browning:
SO OUR DEVELOPMENT APPROACH

IS ONE OF ACTUALLY HAVING
A PORTFOLIO

OF DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES TO
THE FLIGHT EQUIPMENT

THAT WE TRY AND PROGRESS
ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

SOME OF THEM END UP UNEARTHING
INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY,

INTERESTING REVELATIONS THAT
WE NEVER IMAGINED.

OTHER ONES THAT WE THOUGHT
WOULD BE EASY

JUST HIT A BRICK WALL,
AND WE'LL PAUSE.

Narrator: RICHARD FIRST STRAPPED
A JET ENGINE TO HIS ARM

IN 2016,

THEN TRIED TO TAKE FLIGHT
WITH ONE ON EACH ARM,

THEN TWO,

BEFORE ATTACHING THREE.

SO AFTER REALLY LEARNING FROM,
SAY, FAILURE --

SO, IN OTHER WORDS,
LEARNING FROM TRYING THINGS

AND OFTEN FALLING OVER

AND REALIZING
THOSE THINGS DIDN'T WORK,

THAT METHODOLOGY ALLOWED US
TO LEARN REALLY QUITE QUICKLY.

Narrator:
MONTHS OF MODIFICATIONS

WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT
EVENTUALLY PAY OFF.

CAN YOU GET DAVE ON THE FIRE
EXTINGUISHER, PLEASE?

Narrator: SMALL, TANTALIZING
FLIGHTS SHOW EARLY SIGNS

THAT RICHARD BROWNING'S
FANTASTICAL DREAM

COULD BECOME REALITY.

IT STARTED TO DAWN ON US

THAT ACTUALLY,
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

I THINK WE CAN TAKE THIS
AN AWFUL LOT FURTHER.

BUT TO FURTHER THE JET SUIT'S
DEVELOPMENT

AND REACH HIGHER ALTITUDES...
[ CHEERING ]

...HE WOULD NEED SOMEONE
WITH HIS HEAD IN THE CLOUDS.

-READY?
-[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER

AND WORLD-CLASS WINGSUIT
BASE-JUMPER ANGELO GRUBISIC

KNOWS A THING OR TWO

ABOUT PUSHING THE LIMITS
OF HUMAN FLIGHT.

Grubisic: I'VE ALWAYS
BEEN FASCINATED WITH SKYDIVING.

I'M ACTUALLY GETTING
INTO WINGSUIT FLIGHT.

YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY TRYING
TO EXPERIENCE

EXACTLY WHAT BIRDS ACHIEVE
ON A DAILY BASIS.

HE'S TASKED WITH REFINING
RICHARD'S EFFORTS,

BUT GOING FROM WINGSUITS
TO JET SUITS

POSES MANY
PROBLEMATIC QUESTIONS.

THERE'S BEEN NO TEXTBOOK
ABOUT HOW TO APPROACH

THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT
OF HUMAN FLIGHT.

ANGELO AND RICHARD'S COMBINED
ENGINEERING EXPERTISE

ALLOWS FINESSING
AND TESTING TO RAMP UP.

Browning:
OKAY, ANGELO, LET'S ROLL.

Narrator: HUNDREDS OF MAN-HOURS
INCREASES THEIR ALTITUDE.

NOW, THEY CAN FLY AS HIGH
AS THEY DARE.

DESPITE SOME UPs AND DOWNS...

THE TEAM HAS MADE
AN ENGINEERING BREAKTHROUGH,

AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO REVEAL
THEIR INNOVATION

TO THE AVIATION WORLD
FOR THE FIRST TIME.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: AFTER LESS THAN
TWO YEARS OF TRIAL AND ERROR,

INVENTOR RICHARD BROWNING'S
TEAM OF INTREPID ENGINEERS

IS PREPARING TO DEBUT
THEIR ANSWER

TO THE CHALLENGE
OF HUMAN FLIGHT.

WHAT WE'VE DONE IS SETTLED
ON THE BEST SOLUTION.

Browning:
TWO ENGINES ON EACH FOREARM

AND ONE LARGER ENGINE
ON THE REAR.

THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL
LEAPS FORWARD.

ONE OF THOSE WAS THE ANGLE
AT WHICH WE POSITION

EACH OF THE ENGINES
RELATIVE TO THE FOREARM.

SO, ACTUALLY SPLAYING THEM OUT
SLIGHTLY GAVE

A LOT MORE STABILITY.

MOVING THE ENGINES TO THE REAR
RATHER THAN THE LOWER LEGS

ALSO WAS
A HUGE LEAP FORWARD AS WELL.

Narrator: IN A MATTER OF MONTHS,
THE TEAM HAS COME A LONG WAY.

RICHARD BROWNING AND HIS
PIONEERING TEAM HAVE BEEN

HAND-PICKED TO DEMONSTRATE
THEIR VISIONARY INNOVATION

AT THE FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW,

ONE OF THE MOST
PRESTIGIOUS EVENTS

ON THE INTERNATIONAL
AERONAUTICAL CALENDAR.

Browning: I NEVER IMAGINED
I'D BE HERE AT FARNBOROUGH

IN FRONT OF HUGE CROWDS,

FLYING A 1,000-HORSEPOWER
JET ENGINE SUIT.

IT'S QUITE A PRIVILEGE.

Narrator: AS THE WORLD OF
AVIATION WATCHES...

ALEX, THIS ONE SOUNDS
A LITTLE FUNNY.

THAT'S THE NEW ONE.

Narrator: ...INVENTOR
RICHARD BROWNING GEARS UP

FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST
FLIGHTS OF HIS LIFE.

THE JET SUIT'S NERVE CENTER
IS A HEAD'S-UP DISPLAY

PROVIDING IN-FLIGHT FUEL
AND ENGINE STATUS.

ITS RANGE IS 4,500 FEET,

EQUIVALENT TO THE LENGTH
OF 28 OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS.

A TOP SPEED OF 31 MILES AN HOUR

MAKES IT THE WORLD'S FASTEST
BODY-CONTROLLED JET SUIT.

BUT PROPELLING A COMBINED WEIGHT
OF OVER 260 POUNDS

THIS FAST REQUIRES
AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF FORCE.

AT A SECURE LOCATION
IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND,

LEAD AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER
AND TEST PILOT

ANGELO GRUBISIC IS CHARGED WITH
SOLVING THE PROPULSION PROBLEM.

YOU ESSENTIALLY NEED TO PRODUCE
A LOT OF THRUST.

THERE ARE TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS
TO SOLVE.

ONE IS HOW DO YOU PRODUCE
ENOUGH THRUST

TO GET A HUMAN
BEING OFF THE GROUND?

AND THEN HOW DO YOU DO THAT
IN A FUEL-EFFICIENT WAY?

Narrator: FOR INSPIRATION,

THE TEAM LOOKED
TO THE ENGINEERS OF THE PAST.

♪♪

♪♪

MECHANICAL ENGINEER DAN DICKRELL
IS IN NIAGARA, NEW YORK.

Dickrell: THIS FACILITY IS

THE BELL AEROSPACE COMPANY
AIRPLANE FACTORY.

IT'S A REALLY IMPRESSIVE
PIECE OF HISTORY

IN TERMS OF AIRPLANE
MANUFACTURING.

HE'S GAINED EXCLUSIVE ACCESS
TO THE SITE

OF THE GREATEST
ADVANCEMENT IN PERSONAL FLIGHT.

IT'S A COOL, COOL EXPERIENCE
TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW.

IN THE 1950s, BELL AEROSPACE
WAS ATTEMPTING TO DEVELOP

A FLIGHT-SUIT
FOR THE U.S. MILITARY,

AN INNOVATION
FOR THE SOLDIERS OF THE FUTURE.

BELL CHALLENGED ITS ENGINEERS --

"HOW DO YOU MAKE A PERSON FLY?"

Narrator: AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER
WENDELL MOORE

BELIEVED ROCKET PROPULSION
WAS THE SOLUTION.

IN THE LATE '50s, HE DEVELOPED
AN INCREDIBLE PIECE

OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT...

THE FIRST CONTROLLABLE
ROCKET PACK.

♪♪

SO, THIS IS IT.
IT'S THE BELL ROCKET BELT.

♪♪

IT'S PRETTY COOL TO BE UP CLOSE
AND PERSONAL TO THIS VERY BASIC,

YET HISTORIC THING.
THIS IS NOT A MODEL.

THIS ACTUALLY FLEW.

CHECK THIS THING OUT.

IT'S GOT A POLYSTYRENE
AND FIBERGLASS HARNESS --

THAT'S WHERE THE PILOT GOES.

WE SEE THESE CONTROLS.

THERE'S THROTTLE,
THERE'S DIRECTIONAL THRUSTERS.

THE ALUMINUM FOIL SORT OF HOSES
THAT COME DOWN --

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE ROCKET --
THE ROCKET NOZZLES THEMSELVES.

WE SWING AROUND THE BACK, WE CAN

SE THERE'S THESE
THREE STORAGE TANKS.

THERE'S NITROGEN IN THERE
AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

IN THE TWO OUTER TANKS.

Narrator: COMPRESSED NITROGEN
GAS IN THE CENTRAL CHAMBER

PUSHES HYDROGEN PEROXIDE OUT
OF THE TWO SURROUNDING TANKS,

BRINGING IT INTO CONTACT
WITH A SILVER CATALYST.

THIS CAUSES
THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

TO INSTANTLY DECOMPOSE
INTO WATER AND OXYGEN,

SPARKING A HUGE REACTION.

THAT HYDROGEN PEROXIDE REACTION
IS REALLY, REALLY ENERGETIC,

CREATES A LOT OF HEAT.

SO THAT WATER
GETS TURNED INTO STEAM,

EXPANDS THROUGH 5,000 TIMES
ITS VOLUME,

AND EXITS THESE NOZZLES AT OVER
A THOUSAND METERS PER SECOND.

Narrator: THIS ALMIGHTY FORCE
WAS POWERFUL ENOUGH

TO LIFE MAN FROM EARTH.

EXTRAORDINARY ENERGY CREATED
BY CHEMISTRY.

SO WHAT I HAVE HERE
IS EFFECTIVELY A SMALL CAR

THAT WILL BE ROCKET-PROPELLED.

ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S DRAW
IN SOME HYDROGEN PEROXIDE.

I'M GOING TO ADD THIS
TO THESE SILVER SPHERES.

THIS MAKES A LOT OF HEAT.

WE CAN SEE THE REACTION
IS HAPPENING.

IT IS PROPELLING THE CAR
DOWN THE TABLE.

WE SEE THE HOT GASSES
COMING OUT,

AND EVEN
THOUGH IT'S GOING SLOWLY,

IT'S THE SAME PREMISE

THAT'S USED
IN WENDELL MOORE'S ROCKET BELT.

WE CAN HARNESS THE POWER
OF A CHEMICAL REACTION

AND MAKE ALL SORTS
OF MECHANICAL MOTION HAPPEN.

SCIENCE.

Narrator: JUST LIKE
THE JET SUIT'S TEAM
OF ENGINEERS,

WENDELL MOORE USED THE MOST
ASTONISHING SCIENCE OF HIS DAY

TO LAUNCH MAN INTO THE AIR.

BUT IN 1961, THE BELL ROCKET
BELT DID JUST THAT.

PROPELLING ITS PILOT
AROUND 32 FEET HIGH,

IT REACHED A CONTROLLED
34 MILES PER HOUR.

BUT DESPITE IMPRESSIVE
AERIAL DISPLAYS,

WENDELL MOORE'S
SPACE-AGE INVENTION

HAD ONE MAJOR LIMITATION.

Dickrell: THE BELL ROCKET BELT
WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THE END

BECAUSE
ITS THRUST-TO-WEIGHT RATIO

WAS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

YOU ONLY HAD ABOUT 20 SECONDS
OF FLIGHT TIME IN THIS VERSION,

AND THAT WAS NOT PRACTICAL
IN THE BATTLEFIELD.

BUT WENDELL MOORE
HAD PROVEN THAT

PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS POSSIBLE.

IT'S JUST THAT
THE PROPULSION SYSTEM

IS WHAT NEEDED SOME TWEAKING.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator:
INVENTOR RICHARD BROWNING

AND HIS TEAM OF ENGINEERS

OWE A HUGE DEBT
TO THE EARLY ROCKET-MEN,

WHO UNKNOWINGLY RULED OUT

THE INEFFICIENT CHEMICAL POWER
OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

AS A PROPULSION SOLUTION.

BUT ANOTHER TECHNOLOGY POWERED
BY KEROSENE STOOD OUT...

THE MICRO-JET ENGINE.

IT DIDN'T TAKE US VERY LONG
TO REALLY SETTLE ON JET ENGINES

AS A VERY LIKELY GOOD SOLUTION.

IT'S A VERY SMALL, LIGHTWEIGHT
FORM OF THRUST RELATIVE

TO HOW MUCH IT PRODUCES.

THE POWER INVOLVED IS ENOUGH
TO TAKE THAT MASS SUPERSONIC,

AND THE FUEL IN KEROSENE IS
ACTUALLY EXTREMELY ENERGY-DENSE,

AND YET AT THE SAME TIME,
NOT VERY VOLATILE

AND NOT REALLY
THAT PRONE TO EXPLOSION.

IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY SAFE
AS FUELS GO.

Narrator: AT ARGUABLY THE MOST
PRESTIGIOUS AERONAUTICAL EVENT

IN THE WORLD,

80,000 SPECTATORS
AND TOP AIRCRAFT SPECIALISTS

FLOCK TO FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW

TO WITNESS
THE LATEST INNOVATIONS...

♪♪

...INCLUDING THE FASTEST
BODY-CONTROLLED JET SUIT

IN THE WORLD, POWERED BY OVER
315 POUNDS OF THRUST,

PRODUCED BY FIVE INNOVATIVE
MICRO-JETS,

WITH THE POTENTIAL TO ONE DAY
FLY 3,200 FEET IN THE SKY.

SO, YOU COME DOWN HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO STOP ABOUT HERE.

Narrator: TODAY, PIONEERING
PILOT RICHARD BROWNING

PREPARES TO TAKE FLIGHT.

YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE OFF
AND GO THAT WAY.

-YEP, AND YOU'RE GOING TO GO --
-I'M GOING TO GO THAT WAY.

Narrator: SO, JUST HOW DO THESE
TINY JET ENGINES

PRODUCE ENOUGH THRUST TO GET
RICHARD OFF THE GROUND

AND SHOWBOATING
FOR HIS CAPTIVE AUDIENCE?

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE,
IT'S LIKE HAVING TWO FERRARIS

AT FULL POWER,
ACTING ON THE HUMAN BODY.

THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF POWER
WE'VE GOT GOING THROUGH US.

IT WILL TAKE SOME CUSTOM WORK
AND A HEALTHY DOSE OF KEROSENE

TO MAKE THIS IMPOSSIBLE
ENGINEERING A REALITY.

♪♪

♪♪

THE MICRO-JET ENGINE.

THE TINY SOLUTION
TO A BIG PROBLEM

FACING
THE REVOLUTIONARY JET SUIT

AND THE AUDACIOUS ENGINEERS
BEHIND IT.

IT DIDN'T TAKE US VERY LONG
TO REALLY SETTLE ON JET ENGINES

AS A VERY LIKELY GOOD SOLUTION.

Narrator:
THIS KEROSENE-FUELED POWERHOUSE

IS NOT ONLY
A COMPARATIVELY SAFE OPTION,

BUT AN EXTREMELY
FORCEFUL ONE, TOO.

WHAT'S EXPELLED FROM THE BACK
OF A JET ENGINE IS MAINLY AIR.

IN THIS CASE,
EJECTED AT 1,600 MILES PER HOUR.

THE SUPER-POWERED PROCESS
STARTS AT THE ENGINE'S FRONT.

AIR FLOWS IN THROUGH AN INLET.

IT'S COMPRESSED, COMBINED WITH
THE KEROSENE FUEL,

AND IGNITED, WHICH PRODUCES
A HOT AIR FLOW OR GAS.

FORCED THROUGH A NOZZLE,
IT ROTATES A TURBINE,

WHICH HELPS INGEST MORE AIR,
GENERATING IMMENSE THRUST.

THE TEAM HAS SPENT MONTHS
DEVELOPING

CUSTOMIZED JET ENGINES,

OR GAS TURBINES,
AT THEIR SECRET TEST FACILITY.

SO, THIS IS THE SOLUTION.

THIS REPRESENTS THE ULTIMATE
IN GAS TURBINE TECHNOLOGY.

IT SPINS ABOUT 117,000 RPM,

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT NEARLY
2,000 REVOLUTIONS EVERY SECOND.

THE GAS IS COMING OUT THE BACK
AT OVER 1,700 MILES PER HOUR

AT ABOUT 700 DEGREES CELSIUS.

THIS IS,
IN TERMS OF BRUTE POWER,

THE HIGHEST POWER DENSITY

THAT YOU CAN GET OUT OF ANY
PARTICULAR KIND OF ENGINE.

TO PUT THE POWER OF THESE
ENGINES INTO PERSPECTIVE,

WHEN WE'VE GOT ALL OF OUR
ENGINES INTEGRATED ON THE SUIT,

WE'RE PRODUCING NEARLY
A THOUSAND HORSEPOWER.

AND IF YOU CAN IMAGINE,
IT'S LIKE HAVING TWO FERRARIS

AT FULL POWER
ACTING ON THE HUMAN BODY.

THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF POWER
WE'VE GOT GOING THROUGH US.

AND THAT'S ALL BEING PRODUCED
BY THESE VERY LIGHTWEIGHT

GAS TURBINES, EACH WEIGHING
NO MORE THAN 1.85 KILOS.

Narrator: ACCORDING TO
DESIGN ENGINEER SAM ROGERS,

THIS INGENIOUS COMPACT,
LIGHTWEIGHT SOLUTION

RADICALLY INCREASES FLYING TIME.

THE MICRO-TURBINE ALLOWS US
TO HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF THRUST

FOR A MUCH LONGER PERIOD
OF TIME.

WE'RE NOW INTO THE MINUTES
RATHER THAN SECONDS.

IT MEANS WE CAN HAVE
REASONABLE FLIGHT TIME

WHILST STILL HAVING
A REASONABLE FUEL EFFICIENCY

AT THE SAME TIME.

Narrator: IN LITTLE MORE
THAN A YEAR,

THE TEAM HAS GONE FROM BARELY
GETTING OFF THE GROUND

TO 4-MINUTE-LONG FLIGHTS.

BUT ONCE AIRBORNE, THEY FACE
ANOTHER SEEMINGLY

IMPOSSIBLE PROBLEM --
STEERING.

YOU'RE NOT USING WINGS,
ELEVATORS, RUDDER.

WE'RE GOT NONE OF THAT.

WE HONESTLY DIDN'T HAVE AN IDEA
OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS.

BUT JUST HOW DO YOU CONTROL
AND STEER OVER 1,000 HORSEPOWER

STRAPPED TO YOUR BODY?

WE HONESTLY DIDN'T HAVE AN IDEA
OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS.

Narrator: A SOLUTION TO THEIR
SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE PROBLEM

LIES WITH THE INNOVATORS
OF THE PAST.

THE SPACE & ROCKET CENTER
IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA --

THE HOME OF AMERICA'S
FIRST SPACE PROGRAM.

VETERAN ASTRONAUT
GENERAL BOB STEWART HAS SPENT

ALMOST 300 HOURS IN SPACE.

♪♪

STEWART WAS THE FIRST
ACTIVE-DUTY ARMY PILOT

TO EVER MAKE A SPACE FLIGHT.

WHEN YOU'RE THERE, IT'S
A COMPLETE SENSE OF FREEDOM.

YOU CAN HAVE LUNCH
ON THE CEILING,

YOU CAN LIFT HUGE WEIGHTS,
YOU CAN GET ON THE SIDE WALL

AND JUMP THROUGH
THE MIDDLE OF THE CABIN

AND TRY TO GRAB
PEANUT M&Ms AS YOU GO.

HOWEVER, WORKING IN SPACE

CAN ALSO BE
A DANGEROUS BUSINESS.

THIS IS MISSION CONTROL HOUSTON.

THE HATCH IS NOW OPEN.

Narrator: ASTRONAUTS OFTEN HAD
TO CONDUCT REPAIRS

OUTSIDE THE SAFE CONFINES
OF THE SHUTTLE...

MARK, WE GOT ABOUT 60 TO GO.

60 CENTIMETERS.

...AND WERE TETHERED TO PREVENT
THEM FROM FLOATING AWAY,

AT THE COST OF MANEUVERABILITY.

THE PRIMARY PROBLEM WITH BEING
TETHERED IN SPACE

IS THAT RESTRICTION.

I WANT TO GO OUT HERE
TO FIX SOMETHING,

AND MY TETHER
IS 3 FEET TOO SHORT,

AND I'M SITTING HERE SO CLOSE,
AND YET SO FAR.

YOU GET TO THINKING, "WHAT IF
I COULD FIGURE SOME WAY TO DO

WITHOUT THAT TETHER, SO THAT
I'M NO LONGER CONSTRAINED?"

YEAH, THAT'S IT, AND YOU CAN
HEAD TOWARD THE AIRLOCK.

Narrator: IN 1984, NASA ENGINEER
CHARLES E. WHITSETT

CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT
WOULD FREE UP THE ASTRONAUTS

AND ALLOW THEM TO MAKE
UNTETHERED FLIGHTS

OUTSIDE THE CRAFT,

AN INVENTION THAT COULD
HELP OUT THE JET SUIT TEAM,

KNOWN AS THE MANNED
MANEUVERING UNIT, OR M.M.U.

Whitsett: WITH THIS MACHINE,
WE COULD FLY FREELY,

AND IT IS JUST THE MOST
DELIGHTFUL FLYING MACHINE

THAT I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED.

IT IS THE EASIEST THING
I HAVE EVER OPERATED.

I TOLD THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND

THAT I COULD THREAD
A NEEDLE WITH THIS THING.

♪♪

Narrator: IT ALLOWED BOB STEWART
AND HIS FELLOW ASTRONAUTS

TO MAKE THE FIRST-EVER
UNTETHERED SPACE WALK.

GOOD BOY.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ME HOME.

Narrator: THE M.M.U. GAVE
ASTRONAUTS COMPLETE CONTROL

IN THE MOST UNFORGIVING
OF ENVIRONMENTS.

IF I WANT TO ROLL THE VEHICLE,

I ROLL IT WITH THIS AXIS
RIGHT HERE,

JUST WITH THOSE
FINGERTIP-TYPE MOTIONS.

IF I WANT TO PITCH IT,
IT'S A ROTATION LIKE THIS.

SO, BY COMBINATIONS
OF THESE MOVEMENTS,

I CAN MAKE THE MACHINE
DO ANYTHING

I WANT TO AS FAR
AS THE ATTITUDE THAT I'M IN.

IF I WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE,
I DO THAT WITH MY LEFT HAND --

THE TRANSLATIONAL HAND
CONTROLLER.

AND IT IS A
PUSH-IN-THE-DIRECTION-YOU-WANT-

TO-GO TYPE OF CONTROL.

THIS WOULD BACK ME UP,
THIS WOULD GO FORWARD,

THIS SLIDE ME TO THE RIGHT,
SLIDE ME TO THE LEFT,

AND PUSH ME UP OR DOWN.

Narrator: THIS MIND-BLOWING
MANEUVERABILITY

WAS DOWN TO
PRECISION THRUST CONTROL.

THREE THRUSTERS LOCATED ON EACH
OF THE SUIT'S EIGHT CORNERS

WERE ORIENTED
AT DIFFERENT ANGLES,

PRODUCING INTRICATE
AND EFFORTLESS STEERING.

26 POUNDS OF NITROGEN

PROVIDED PROPULSION
FOR A SIX-HOUR FLIGHT.

I FELT VERY RELAXED
IN THIS THING,

AND IT WAS LIKE SITTING
IN AN EASY CHAIR.

AFTER THREE
SPACE SHUTTLE MISSIONS,

NASA RETIRED THE M.M.U.

IT MAKES ME SAD TO SEE

THAT NASA MADE THE DECISION
TO DISCONTINUE IT.

AND ABOUT SIX OF US GUYS
WENT TO THE BAR

AND HAD A BEER
AND CRIED ABOUT IT

BECAUSE IT'S A LOVELY
FLYING MACHINE.

THOUGH SUCCESSFUL, ULTIMATELY
UNTETHERED FLIGHTS IN SPACE

WERE DEEMED TOO RISKY.

BUT THE M.M.U. WILL FOREVER
REMAIN AN ICON OF SPACE FLIGHT.

WHEN YOU REACH FAR AND YOU TRY
TO GRASP THINGS

SO FAR BEYOND YOUR CAPABILITY,
AND YOU MAKE IT WORK,

THAT IS A GREAT, GREAT FEELING.

RICHARD BROWNING AND HIS TEAM
ARE FAMILIAR

WITH THAT SENSE OF TRIUMPH.

IT'S EXCITING AND EXHILARATING
AND CERTAINLY FOCUSED THE MIND.

THEY'LL DRAW INSPIRATION
FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS

BEHIND THE M.M.U.
TO LAUNCH MAN INTO THE FUTURE.

♪♪

♪♪

MUCH LIKE THE MANNED
MANEUVERING UNIT OF THE '80s,

RICHARD BROWNING AND HIS TEAM

ARE ALSO DIRECTING THRUST
TO MANEUVER THEIR JET SUIT.

BUT UNLIKE THE HISTORIC M.M.U.,
IT'S THE PILOT WHO MOVES,

OR VECTORS, THE ENGINE'S NOZZLES
TO GIVE PRECISE CONTROL.

TO OUR SURPRISE, WHAT STARTED
TO BEAR FRUIT

WAS NOT THE IDEA OF INDIVIDUALLY

CONTROLLING THE THROTTLES
OF EACH ENGINE.

IT WAS NOT VECTORING THEM
WITH ADJUSTABLE NOZZLES.

IT WAS ACTUALLY VECTORING THEM
USING YOUR ARMS.

THE GEOMETRY OF THOSE ARM MOUNTS
IS VERY, VERY SPECIFIC,

AND SUDDENLY, IT UNLOCKED A HUGE
AMOUNT OF STABILITY AND CONTROL.

IT FEELS ENTIRELY PLANTED.

THE SOLUTION IS TO HAVE THREE
MAIN POINTS OF THRUST

TO FORM A STABLE TRIPOD OF AIR.

ALL FIVE ENGINE NOZZLES
ARE FIXED.

THOSE ON THE ARMS CAN BE
ADJUSTED BY SIMPLE MOVEMENTS,

CREATING A STABLE THREE-POINT
VECTOR CONTROL SYSTEM

UNIQUE TO THE JET SUIT.

SO, THIS IS THE SOLUTION THAT
WE'VE FOUND WORKED BEST,

CREATING THAT
THREE RESPECTIVE CONTROLS.

SO, ONE, TWO,
AND THEN THREE ON THE REAR.

AND THEN BETWEEN THOSE THREE,

YOU BALANCE ALL OF
THOSE THRUST VECTOR.

FOR EXAMPLE, TO LOSE ALTITUDE,
YOU FLARE OUT THE ENGINES,

WHICH ARE OPERATING AT 100%
ALL THE TIME,

AND IT WILL REDUCE
YOUR VERTICAL THRUST VECTOR

AND YOU WILL DESCEND.

AS YOU BRING THE ARMS IN,

YOU'RE INCREASING
YOUR VERTICAL THRUST VECTOR,

AND YOU'LL START
TO GAIN ALTITUDE.

AND THEN VERY SMALL CHANGES
IN THOSE THRUST VECTORS

ARE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY INITIATE
ROLL OR SLIDING SIDE TO SIDE.

AND IT'S ALL TO DO
WITH WEIGHT-SHIFTING

AND THRUST VECTOR CONTROL.

MANEUVERING
THESE CUTTING-EDGE JETS

IS FINESSED FOR HOURS
ABOVE THE SAFETY ABOVE WATER.

SHADOWING A NIMBLE JETSKI
PROVES THE PERFECT WAY

TO FINE-TUNE
THIS SKILLFUL CONTROL.

BUT WITH ANY FLIGHT,
THE STAKES ARE HIGH.

IT'S CRITICAL THAT PILOT RICHARD
KNOWS ALL FIVE ENGINES

ARE OPERATING SMOOTHLY.

♪♪

ENGINEER ALEX WILSON IS FACING
THIS COMMUNICATION CHALLENGE.

Wilson: WHEN YOU'RE FLYING ALONG
AT 30 MILES AN HOUR,

10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND,
IT'S QUITE IMPORTANT YOU'RE ABLE

TO MONITOR THE AMOUNT OF FUEL
THAT'S LEFT IN YOUR TANK.

IT'S QUITE A CRITICAL THING.

YOU DON'T WANT TO DROP
OUT OF THE SKY

BECAUSE YOU'VE RUN OUT OF FUEL.

Narrator:
ALEX AND THE TEAM'S SOLUTION

WOULDN'T LOOK OUT OF PLACE
IN A SCI-FI MOVIE.

THE JET SUIT EMPLOYS THE LATEST
ENGINE CONTROL UNIT ENGINEERING.

STATE-OF-THE-ART
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS MONITOR

AND CONTROL EACH ENGINE
TO OPTIMIZE EFFICIENCY.

AN ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT CARBON
HELMET AND VISOR

WITH BUILT-IN DISPLAY ARE
WIRELESSLY LINKED TO THE SUIT,

CONSTANTLY UPDATING THE PILOT
WITH ENGINE AND FUEL DATA.

THE CONTROL BOARD IS THE BRAINS
OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM.

THAT MONITORS ALL OF
THE FIVE ENGINES' DATA

SO THAT YOU CAN PACKAGE THIS
INTO THE MOST IMPORTANT

VITAL SYSTEMS INFORMATION TO
SEND UP TO THE HEADS-UP DISPLAY

SO RICHARD CAN MONITOR
HIS TEMPERATURE,

HIS RPM, MOST IMPORTANTLY,
HIS FUEL SYSTEMS

SO HE KNOWS HOW MUCH FUEL
HE'S GOT LEFT.

SO HEAD-UP DISPLAY.

ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS A NEW ONE,
WHERE WE'VE TAKEN...

Narrator:
ALEX IS CONTINUOUSLY DEVELOPING

THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.

DO YOU WANT TO TRY IT ON?

YEAH, I DO.

Narrator: HE'S CURRENTLY
TESTING IMPROVEMENTS

TO THE HEADS-UP DISPLAY...

SO, HOW DOES IT FEEL NOW?

IT FEELS PERFECTLY NORMAL.
IT'S REALLY NICE, YEAH.

...MIND-BLOWING TECHNOLOGY
FIRST USED BY FIGHTER PILOTS.

ALL VITAL INFORMATION
IS PROJECTED

IN FRONT OF THE PILOT'S EYES.
-THIS SOLUTION IS BRILLIANT

BECAUSE IT'S FOCUSED
RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

SO, I CAN STARE RIGHT AHEAD,
I CAN LOOK WHEREVER I'M FLYING,

AND THEN STILL BE ABLE TO SEE
ALL OF MY ENGINE SYSTEMS

IN REAL TIME
WITHOUT NEEDING TO FOCUS.

AND IT JUST OVERLAYS IT
OVER MY NORMAL VISION.

WITHOUT THIS HEAD'S-UP DISPLAY,

THIS WHOLE VENTURE WOULD BE
SO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS.

IT'S LIKE FLYING A PLANE
WITHOUT A COCKPIT.

♪♪

Narrator: BUT TO STAY AT THE
CUTTING-EDGE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY,

THE WHOLE SUIT MUST ALSO
BE DEVELOPED TO THE MAX.

WHEN WORKING ON SOMETHING
AS ADVANCED

AND FUTURISTIC AS A JET SUIT,

WE NEED A MANUFACTURING PROCESS
THAT CAN LIVE UP TO THAT.

AND WILL THE TEAM'S
SHOWCASE FLIGHT RISE TO

ITS IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGE?

IT'S HAPPENING.
HE'S ABOUT TO TAKE OFF.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: FARNBOROUGH IN
SOUTHERN ENGLAND...

♪♪

...WHERE INNOVATIVE ENGINEERS...

OKAY, I'M GOOD.

...ARE SHOWCASING THEIR
PHENOMENAL JET SUIT

AT ONE OF THE WORLD'S
GREATEST AIR SHOWS.

IT'S PRETTY SPECIAL EVERY TIME
I FLY THIS

ANYWHERE, REALLY,
EVEN IN TESTING.

BUT TO DO IT IN FARNBOROUGH,
THE HOME OF BRITISH AVIATION

AND IN FRONT OF A BIG CROWD
AND ON A RUNWAY

WHERE SO MANY OTHER
AMAZING AIRCRAFT ARE FLYING,

IT'S EXCITING AND EXHILARATING
AND CERTAINLY FOCUSED THE MIND.

Narrator: IT HAS TAKEN
HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF TESTING

TO GET TO THIS STAGE.

THROUGHOUT THE 15-MONTH PROCESS,

EVOLVING THE SUIT
HAS BEEN VITAL.

COUNTLESS DESIGN ALTERATIONS
HAVE CREATED MASSIVE CHALLENGES

FOR DESIGN ENGINEER SAM ROGERS.

Rogers: BRINGING
THE FLIGHT SUIT TO LIFE

REALLY WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE

WITHOUT A VERY REACTIVE
MANUFACTURE PROCESS.

SOME OF THE MAIN CHALLENGES
ARE TO BE ABLE TO TEST

AND ITERATE VERY, VERY QUICKLY,

AND KEEPING AHEAD OF ANYONE ELSE
WHO MIGHT BE DEVELOPING

A SIMILAR TECHNOLOGY
IS VERY BENEFICIAL.

Narrator: IF THE JET SUIT'S TEAM
IS TO KEEP AHEAD OF THE GAME,

THEY NEED A SUPER-FAST
BUILD TECHNIQUE.

WHEN WORKING ON SOMETHING
AS ADVANCED AND FUTURISTIC

AS A JET SUIT,
WE NEED A MANUFACTURING PROCESS

THAT CAN LIVE UP TO THAT.

Narrator: FORTUNATELY, ONE OF
HISTORY'S ENGINEERS

CAN PROVIDE THE SOLUTION.

♪♪

IN 1983, AMERICAN CHUCK HULL

CAME UP WITH
STEREOLITHOGRAPHY...

...AN EXTRAORDINARY
LAYERING PROCESS

WHICH FOCUSED A BEAM
OF ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

ONTO LIQUID
TO FORM SOLID STRUCTURES.

THE VALUE TO THAT IS YOU CAN SEE
YOUR DESIGN ERRORS,

YOU CAN GET FEEDBACK,
YOU CAN CHANGE IT QUICKLY

AND HAVE ANOTHER ONE.

Narrator:
HULL'S INNOVATION WOULD EVOLVE

INTO WHAT IS KNOWN
AS 3-D PRINTING,

A GAME-CHANGING INVENTION

THAT IS NOW ALLOWING
THE JET SUIT'S ENGINEERS

TO BUILD THE IMPOSSIBLE.

THE STARTING POINT IS SELECTIVE
LASER SINTERING,

OR S.L.S., AN EFFICIENT PROCESS

USED TO PROTOTYPE
NEW PARTS IN PLASTIC.

WE USED THE NYLON S.L.S. PROCESS

TO TEST-FIT
SOME OF THE ARM MOUNTS,

AND THEN IF WE'RE HAPPY
WITH THE FIT,

THEN WE'LL MOVE OVER
AND BUILD THIS IN METAL,

BECAUSE THE METAL PROCESS
IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EXPENSIVE

THAN BUILDING SOMETHING
IN POLYMER.

Narrator: PRINTING IN METAL

INVOLVES
TRAILBLAZING ENGINEERING.

A COMPUTER-GENERATED DESIGN
IS BROUGHT TO LIFE

BY LAYERING POWDERED TITANIUM
IN THE METAL SINTERING MACHINE.

SO, IN HERE, WE HAVE
THE RECEPTACLE

WHERE THE POWDER IS STORED.

AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS,

THERE'S A PLUNGER-TYPE MECHANISM
THAT WILL RISE,

AND THIS WILL CAUSE THE POWDER
LEVEL TO RISE AT THE TOP HERE.

THIS MECHANISM,
CALLED THE RECOATER ARM,,

WILL THEN DRAG A LAYER OF POWDER
OVER THE BUILD PLATE.

THIS VERY THIN LAYER WILL THEN
BE SCANNED WITH THE LASER.

Narrator: TODAY,
THE LAB IS PROTOTYPING

SOME NEW, INTRICATE DESIGNS.

THE LASER OPERATES
AT 3,034 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

INSTANTLY MELTING EACH MINUTE
LAYER OF TITANIUM.

Rogers: THE LAYER THICKNESS
DEPENDS ON THE MATERIAL.

THIS CAN RANGE FROM 20 MICRONS
TO 40 MICRONS.

20 MICRONS IS 20,000ths OF
A MILLIMETER THICK.

Narrator: ONCE MELTED, ANOTHER
FINE LAYER OF TITANIUM POWDER

IS DRAGGED ACROSS
TO REPEAT THE PROCESS.

THIS PRECISION LAYERING BUILDS
A COMPLEX DESIGN

IN ONE SINGLE STRUCTURE.

DETAILING
ON THIS MICRO-TURBINE HOUSING

WOULD SIMPLE NOT BE POSSIBLE
WITH CONVENTIONAL MANUFACTURING.

Rogers: AND THAT'S HOW IT WOULD
LOOK LIKE ONCE IT'S COMPLETED.

THIS WILL COMPRISE OF ABOUT
5,000 LAYERS

AND PROBABLY TAKE ABOUT
TWO DAYS TO BUILD THIS PART.

Narrator: 3-D PRINTING SPEED

AND SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE
DETAILING

ARE MAKING THE UNLIKELY DREAM

OF THE GRAVITY-DEFYING
JET SUIT A REALITY.

IT REALLY MAKES
A HUGE DIFFERENCE

ON TOP OF WHAT WE WOULD BE ABLE

TO DO WITH STANDARD
MANUFACTURING METHODS.

IT REALLY REMOVES THE LIMITS
OF WHAT WE CAN CREATE

AND DESIGN FOR THE FLIGHT SUIT.

♪♪

Narrator: BUT WITH THE
AERONAUTICAL COMMUNITY WATCHING,

WILL THIS 3-D-PRINTED,
GRAVITY-DEFYING JET SUIT

RISE TO THE CHALLENGE?

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator:
AT FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW,

RICHARD BROWNING MAKES
FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR A FLIGHT

THAT MUST IMPRESS
THE AERONAUTICAL COMMUNITY.

IF GETTING OFF THE GROUND SAFELY
WASN'T TOUGH ENOUGH,

TODAY'S ROUTINE IS CHOREOGRAPHED
WITH THE TEAM TRUCK.

OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'VE
GOT A TRUCK COMING TOWARDS YOU

AT QUITE A SPEED, YOU KNOW,
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE GOOD CONTROL

AND MAKE SURE THAT AT NO TIME

DO YOU EVER EVEN CONSIDER
MOVING IN FRONT OF THAT TRUCK.

♪♪

Browning: IT'S HAPPENING.
HE'S ABOUT TO TAKE OFF.

♪♪

WHOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!

Narrator: FINALLY,
THE JET SUIT IS LAUNCHED...

...PROPELLED BY FIVE
MINIATURE JET ENGINES.

COME ON, RICHARD.
COME ON, RICHARD.

ENCASED IN
CUTTING-EDGE MATERIALS,

RICHARD'S
SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE FLIGHT

ROCKETS TO 30 MILES PER HOUR.

IT'S A DAREDEVIL CLIMAX...

WHOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!

...COMPLETED
WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY.

[ APPLAUSE ]

♪♪

Browning: IT'S GREAT.
I MEAN, IT'S AN AMAZING VENUE

TO BE FLYING AROUND IN.

EVERYTHING RAN VERY WELL,
FELT SMOOTH.

YEAH, IT'S REALLY GOOD,
ACTUALLY.

VERY PLEASED INDEED.

♪♪

Narrator:
THE PERSONAL JET SUIT'S

SUCCESSFUL FARNBOROUGH DEBUT

WILL ENSURE THEY LAND FIRMLY
ON THE WORLD STAGE.

Grubisic: AS AN AEROSPACE
ENGINEER, IT'S PHENOMENAL.

IT'S THE ULTIMATE PROJECT.

TO BE BUILDING THESE SYSTEMS,
WEARING THEM AND FLYING THEM --

IT'S JUST A DREAM COME TRUE.

FOR THIS AMBITIOUS
AERONAUTICAL TEAM,

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT WHEN IT
COMES TO IMPOSSIBLE ENGINEERING.

BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY TOUCH

AND HOLD THIS MACHINERY
IS SOMETHING THAT

I'VE ALWAYS REALLY WANTED TO DO
FROM WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG.

AND TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY
GET UP CLOSE TO IT,

FEEL IT, SEE HOW IT WORKS
IS A REAL PRIVILEGE.

THIS SYSTEM IS UNLIKE ANY OF

THE HUMAN FLIGHT SYSTEMS
WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.

CONTROLLING ALL OF THE THRUST,

HAVING IT DIRECTLY
ONTO YOUR ARMS

IS JUST SO MUCH MORE EXCITING
AND SO MUCH MORE INSPIRING.

Narrator: BY BUILDING
ON THE WORK

OF THE PIONEERS OF THE PAST,

OVERCOMING HUGE CHALLENGES,

AND PUSHING TECHNOLOGY
TO EVEN GREATER HEIGHTS,

THESE ENGINEERS ARE SUCCEEDING

IN MAKING
THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE.

SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY COULD
WELL CREATE

AN ENTIRELY NEW DIRECTION
FOR HUMAN MOBILITY.

I THINK THE SUIT OPENS UP

A DOORWAY
TO AN ENTIRELY NEW WORLD,

AND I'D LIKE TO THINK OUR
JOURNEY HAS BEEN ALL ABOUT THAT.

♪♪