All language subtitles for The.Mightiest.S02E03.Moving.Our.World.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-Kitsune_track4_[eng]

In our
fast-paced world, cargo...

Water is the gasoline
of this machine.

Resources...

This machine can
definitely handle it.

And information are
constantly moving

to keep up with
the demands of modern life.

The scientists that
are using the VLA,

they're from
all over the world.

Through great design,
skilled engineering,

and state-of-the-art technology,

machines allow humanity to
move at the speed of progress.

In the desolate expanse
of the New Mexico desert

are the most versatile,

widely used radio
telescopes in the world.

This is a really
significant location

for lots of
different types of science.

The U.S. National
Science Foundation's

Very Large Array

is a collection of
27 massive radio telescopes

monitoring the stars.

Working in unison,
these 209-tonne antennas

magnify their individual powers

to probe into the farthest
recesses of the cosmos,

investigating galaxies, stars,

the sun, and planets, to unlock
the secrets of the universe.

The VLA's 27 antennas work
together to survey the skies.

Now, a single antenna can do

scientific observation
on its own.

But the purpose of the VLA

is to create
an array of antennas,

also called an interferometer,

and they're all working together

to do science
observation as a whole.

The array is laid out
in a massive Y-shape

that stretches
across the desert,

and there are nine antennas
along each of the three arms.

It's pretty impressive.

Primarily, it ensures that

the telescopes are spread across
multiple directions

to get the most
optimal coverage of the sky.

The Very Large Array
is like the world's first

colour camera for
capturing the universe.

And it has done some pretty
extraordinary things,

from discovering ice on Mercury,
to mapping black holes,

or pinpointing
the centre of our galaxy.

It can track the high-speed
plasma jets from black holes,

and is even used by NASA
and the European Space Agency

to monitor spacecraft
in our solar system.

Whether tracking
billion-dollar spacecraft

or identifying
intergalactic phenomena,

work at the VLA does not stop.

The VLA observed Einstein rings.

That's when the light coming
to us from a distant galaxy

gets bent into a ring

by a massive object in the way,

thereby proving Einstein's
Theory of General Relativity.

Something as
simple as a ring of light

is proof that gravity
warps space and time,

bending the light
of unseen galaxies

in the distant universe.

The Very Large Array

is one of the most unique tools
that scientists can use

to truly understand
the wonders of our universe,

both near and far away.

The VLA's location is crucial

to its ability to work
smoothly year-round.

We are in South Central
New Mexico,

in the plains of San Agustin.

It's a high elevation
of over 7,000 feet.

The elevation of the
flatlands means the area

experiences dramatically
less rain and moisture

than other parts of the country,

weather that would interfere
with the VLA's operations.

This antenna
is about 100 feet in the air

and is 83 feet across.

The larger the antenna,

the finer the detail
the VLA can measure.

What we're standing
on right now are panels

that are covered in special
white paint to refract

as much extra light as possible,

so that we are only
receiving radio waves.

Radio waves have
the longest wavelengths

in the electromagnetic spectrum,

billions of times longer
than those of visible light.

X-ray and UV light
are extremely small,

less than a fraction
of a millimetre long.

But radar and TV signals,

like the radio waves
coming from space,

can range from a centimetre
to metres in length.

They're too big
for humans to see.

These radio waves
originate in space,

then come down into the dish,

and are bounced up
into the sub-reflector.

After hitting the reflector,

they're filtered down
into the various feed horns,

also known as feed cones.

Feed horns, or feed cones,

are located at
the focal point of the dish,

directly beneath the
sub-reflector,

to collect all
the incoming radio waves.

The feed horns have to be
proportional to the wavelength

of the radio waves
they're designed to capture.

Big feed horns for big,
low-frequency waves,

and small feed horns for the
smaller, higher-frequency waves.

The sensitive
electronics and systems required

to translate the radio waves
into data are housed

inside the neck
of the radio telescope.

Now, we're in the vertex room.

So, we're actually right
below the bottom of the dish.

So, if you look up here,
you'll see that there's

different sizes
of the feed cones.

So, if you think about it,

each feed cone would be almost
like a different radio station

because it's a little
different frequency.

The different frequencies
have a physical size to them.

So, L-band frequency, that,

if we could see that
wave of the frequency,

it's about a metre long.

So, we need a very big feed cone

in order for it to physically
fit into that cone,

to capture it
and squeeze it down.

L-band waves,
the largest wavelengths

collected at the VLA,
are over 20 centimetres long.

So, the narrow end of the horn
is 20 centimetres wide.

But the mouth is much wider
to make sure the waves

can enter the receiver
without being lost.

Radio waves traveling from
distant space are faint,

so any interference,

even from systems
powering the antenna,

can affect their collection.

These radio waves are
extremely valuable

to a number of
projects and researchers.

The team at the VLA can't risk
interference with the signal,

so the electronics that
receive the radio waves

must be supercooled,

to eliminate any residual noise
they make simply by being on.

The result is the cleanest,
purest signal they can capture.

Because of
its low boiling point,

liquid helium is a cooling agent
in many cryogenic systems,

including at the VLA.

These are the compressors that
are compressing the helium.

This is high-grade, high-purity
helium that we're pumping.

And we need that cold

to clear up those
signals that are super,

super weak that
we're bringing in.

The VLA uses
cryogenic cooling systems

to bring down the temperature

in the receiver
to 4 to 12 Kelvin,

which is as low
as negative 269 Celsius

or negative 452 Fahrenheit.

What we're getting cold
is here inside this can.

So, the helium comes in
on these stainless lines.

This is the refrigerator

that's actually doing
the heat exchanging.

So, as the signal comes in,

it'll get funnelled in, we're
going to capture that signal.

The incoming signals
are then amplified and digitized

to travel down
fibre optic cables

into the control room's
supercomputer.

But none of the science
at the VLA would be possible

without an accidental
discovery in 1932.

Just like the
microwave and Velcro,

the discovery of radio astronomy
was unintended.

While investigating
radio disturbance

that was interfering with
international telephone service

in 1932, engineer Karl Jansky

stumbled upon
cosmic interference

that was coming from
the centre of our galaxy,

the Milky Way.

A few years later,
that discovery inspired a young,

crafty engineer
named Grote Reber

to build the world's
first radio telescope.

He was a real MacGyver.

The telescope was
made of wood, steel,

and model T-truck parts
in his mother's backyard.

But still, he was able to
identify radio radiation

from the (Unclear) of the
Milky Way and from the sun.

Before this,
astronomers were limited

to observing at night,

relying solely on what they
could see with the naked eye.

Their hard work
and extensive research

proved to astronomers
around the world

that they could observe objects
outside of visible light.

And modern radio telescopes,

like the 27 that make up
the Very Large Array,

are the direct
result of their achievements.

Over the decades of its use,

the VLA has proved the existence
of thousands of new objects

and mapped millions,

capturing an ever larger

and more detailed
image of the universe.

MAN (On radio:) Gonna check the
site generator real quick.

Copy that.

The VLA is
operated by a team

of round-the-clock technicians

who staff a command post
on the top floor

of the control building.

When the signal comes
into the control building,

and then once the data is taken,
it's packaged off

and sent over
to the scientists.

The continual
activity and output of the VLA

results in an average of 5,000
hours of observation every year.

Our work can be
broken up into two parts,

there's operations and science.

An astronomer is
trained on science.

They're not trained on actually,
like, using the instruments.

That's where the VLA
technicians bridge the gap.

Astronomers ask
the big questions,

and then it's up
to everyone at the VLA

to go hunting for the answers.

Scientists have a research
question that they want to solve

and that requires observing
at a certain location.

Now, they come up with
the targets that they need

and what configuration
they need their array to be.

They send those
details to the team.

They write a script
and then it's up to us

to make sure that the array
is doing what it's told.

We keep communication with every
technician or scientist

that goes out there because
another thing that we have to do

is we have to keep track
of everyone's work,

when it's moving
and where it's at.

The Very Large Array
represents decades of investment

of labour and money, in excess
of 200 million US dollars,

all in the pursuit of
intergalactic understanding.

It's even been used to survey

for signs of
advanced civilization

and extraterrestrial life.

The scientists

that are using the VLA, they're
from all over the world.

And some of these scientists,

their whole career has been
based on this observing time.

We are talking about
millions of dollars of tech

and hundreds of thousands
in research funding

to observe what may be

a once-in-a-lifetime
moment in space.

If something is delayed

or goes wrong in transit,
it could be devastating.

With so much investment

and research on the line,

maintaining and adjusting the
array is very serious business.

That's why we have to make sure

that all these antennas
are up and running

for this time,
to do this observation.

We don't want to miss that
source or miss that event.

To gather the right information

at the right time,
the VLA's radio telescopes

are repositioned
every four months.

The antennas are shifted along
the arms of the Y configuration

to predetermined positions.

This is a monumental task

that can take dozens of workers
up to seven hours to complete,

depending on the distance

an individual antenna
needs to travel.

And moving the whole array
can take up to two weeks

in some cases.

When the antennas
are closer together,

it's optimized for capturing
large, faint objects,

like clouds of gas
or nearby galaxies.

Think of it as a wide-angle
lens on your phone.

Alternatively,
when they're spread out,

it's like using the telephoto
zoom lens on your phone.

The capturing area is larger,
so you can get finer details,

like the structure of
jets from black holes

and distant galaxies and more.

-Ready to go?
-Yeah, good to go.

Today,
the team is moving an antenna

from one spot along the arm to
a position 10.2 kilometres away.

They'll disconnect the antenna

from its current position,

then move and reconnect it
within four hours

to make sure the antenna
is ready to work.

To move these huge
230-tonne antennas,

the VLA team uses one of two
specially designed

hydraulic lifters that ride
along a double set of tracks.

Each transport
vehicle is 30 metres long,

six metres high, weighs 82 tons,

and is supported by
24 oversized boxcar wheels.

They have one job
and one job only -

to safely move
the antennas of the array.

The transporters and the
antennas that they carry

are not just a wide load.

They are so big, the load
has to be split across

two sets of railway track
to keep the weight balanced.

When repositioning an antenna,

the team needs to address
the mechanical aspects

of the structure and all
its sensitive electronics

and high-tech inner workings.

This is where the work
transitions from science

to engineering and tools.

Disconnecting the fibres for
all the scientific connections

for the information
going to the correlator.

The transporter slides
under the disconnected antenna

and gets positioned
to take its 209-tonne weight.

These are the lifting points.

There's three of them.

Whenever we load the
antenna on the transporter,

these are what lock it
into the antenna.

And then, we'll bolt it down

with three
three-quarter inch bolts.

Once in position, the
transporter uses hydraulic jacks

to lift the antenna
approximately 15 centimetres,

clearing the platforms

and carrying it out
to the main track.

These are the diesel engines
that run the transporter.

This engine powers the three
Danfoss hydraulic pumps.

These pumps are what keep
the transporter rolling,

and it also gives us
the power to lift the antenna

and to set it down.

Where are we going, (Unclear)?
Eight?

Seven.

-Seven.
- Seven.

The value of the transporter

is in its strength
and its ability

to provide continuous
electric power to the antenna

while in transit.

This is the generator

that keeps the antenna
powered up while we're moving.

It's important
to keep the VLA powered

to ensure that the cryogenic
systems are working

and no sensors or
electronics get hot or damaged.

It also ensures that
the motors are running

to keep the antenna stable.

Each antenna represents

tens of millions of dollars
of active investment,

so extreme caution
must be taken.

These transporters travel
at a maximum speed

of eight kilometres per hour.
That's five miles per hour.

That's to avoid damaging

the sensitive tech or tipping
the antenna entirely.

We're talking about the
open plains of New Mexico.

If the wind picks up, there's
nothing for miles to stop it.

The radio telescopes
could transform

from a valuable
science instrument

into a dangerous
sail in seconds.

It's like holding onto an
umbrella during a rainstorm.

It's just too
risky to move fast.

The antennas can only
be moved closer together

or farther apart along
the three arms of the array.

The double rail line

runs parallel to each of these
arms to carry out this task.

When designing the array with
the flexibility to grow

and shrink along
the configuration,

the engineers had to make
the best use of space and time.

They added short
intersecting lines

that go from the main track to
each potential antenna position.

These intersections
meet at a 90-degree angle.

While intersecting
rail lines are nothing new,

no current model
of train or rail car

could be expected to safely
navigate a 90-degree turn.

But scientists and
engineers are problem solvers.

They invented the transporter
to make that turn

safely and
consistently every time.

They created a mechanical
shortcut by inventing a lifter

that could not only support the
weight of a radio telescope,

but could lift itself
and the antenna

while repositioning its wheels

in the direction
of the next track.

So, right now,

we're gonna raise the
machine up to full extension.

We have to get it up high enough

so that we can
pick the wheels up.

Working in pairs from one side

of the machine to the next,
the six-wheel trucks are lifted

and rotated to switch tracks.

So, he's coming up a little
at a time on each corner.

At the same time,

we're gonna start putting
the 100-tonne jacks down.

There's 300-tonne jacks.

It'll come down, it'll take the
load and stabilize the machine.

Everything is a slow
and methodical dance

to ensure the antenna
isn't jostled or toppled.

Then, we can move the trucks up,

and we can make the turn.

It's a practiced
and painstaking effort

that only ends once
the base has been re-bolted

and every cable and hose
has been reattached.

Good job, bro.

Yeah, dude,
raised another one.

The job is done
when the antenna

is back up and running.

However, it's a process

that happens over and over,
as the team modifies the VLA

to the research
needs of the moment.

The VLA has had a major impact

on every dimension
of astronomy.

So, into the future,
what I would expect to see

is different telescope
technologies working together

to achieve one goal.

And so, I'm absolutely sure
that arrays like the VLA

will continue
to make discoveries

that we couldn't
even imagine today.

With each new discovery,

we get one step closer

to understanding the
structure of the universe

and our place within it.

Operating around the clock,

the VLA serves as one of
the world's most powerful

links to the stars,

moving information
at the speed of light.

The electronics of our world

are fuelled by the minerals

and materials
found deep underground...

...where the dirty work
of drilling, digging,

and extracting these resources
is done by powerful machines.

As miners go deeper
into the earth...

Are you okay (Unclear)?

Yeah, yeah.

...the dangers increase.

So, these tools must become
smarter and stronger

to meet the evolving
demands of the mines.

Historically,
underground mining has occurred

just below the surface,
near shallow mineral deposits.

But the depletion
of those shallow targets

has pushed mining operations
deeper and deeper underground.

We're talking about now going
deeper below the surface

to chase these
ore bodies underground.

Productivity exploded when
big machine technology

was driven into the mines.

With bigger and bigger gear,

they could move
more rock with ease.

Depending on
the type of underground mine,

the machines leading
the charge will be different.

Hard rock demands
explosive power.

And when mining hard rock,

the work starts
at the rock face,

the surface where
the mine is advancing.

The Boomer is an impressive

dual-armed hydraulic
drilling rig.

Boomer does face drilling
for tunnel development.

So, we drill the whole face
and then we'll charge it

and then blast the face.

Unlike the stationary
drills of the past,

the Boomer can
telescope its long arms out

and reposition them however
it needs to get the job done.

Those two huge boom arms

drill as many as 75 holes,

up to five metres deep,
along the face.

Once positioned,
it's not as simple

as just spinning the drill.

The Boomer also packs a punch.

Each boom arm holds
a powerful rock drill,

with a rod and piston design

that spins as it pounds
the drill into the rock,

giving the
machine up to 1,000 hours

of hardcore hammering per drill.

These Booms are super powerful
and we also have the 20-kilowatt

rock drill that drills really
smooth and really fast,

even in hard rock conditions.

And like Zeus's
bolts of lightning,

these drills
are electrically charged.

The battery is
150 kilowatt hours,

so it's quite powerful.

Every year, more mines
are turning to electric power.

Electric mining equipment is
driving change deep underground,

improving air quality and
reducing costs over time.

This drill rig is not only
powerful, it's super clean.

It's got a battery drive train
or transmission system

that delivers
the mechanical power

to move the Boomer
through the mine.

The flexibility of these
machines is very important

because you can
control multiple aspects

of the drilling rig
by being further back

and having that
function more automated.

Once the Boomer
has drilled its holes,

they are packed
with explosives.

And when they go off, boom!

They fracture the rock,
creating space

to move
even deeper into the earth.

After the dust
settles, the rock is cleared.

Though overshadowed by
the giant mining shovels

working aboveground,

with a 100-tonne capacity,

the compact 14-tonne scoop tram

is made to fit
the deepest of mines.

Overall, you can see that all of
the structures of this machine

are built to last.

Reinforced axles, guardrails

and ground engagement tools

provide 40% more
durability to the rig.

You can have a big rock fall on
it

and you can bury the loader.

This machine can definitely
handle it.

It's the workhorse of the mine,

and it does it all without
a driver behind the wheel.

You can see
I'm not holding the joystick.

It's completing
the mission by itself.

Autonomous shovels like this one

are changing
the way mining is done.

They follow
a pre-programmed route,

going into sometimes treacherous
sections of the shaft

to scoop out the ore.

When people hear autonomy,
they think about killer robots.

They think about everything
that's been written

in science fiction for
generations and generations,

that the robots are going
to take over the world.

Heck, even before we had robots,
people were afraid of this.

But in the mines,
these robots are the good guys.

They're worth their
weight in the gold

they're often going after.

Autonomous mining machines
aren't coming to kill you.

They are stepping into the
danger zones of the mine

to save miners from
accidents and death.

Who wants to be in
a dangerous environment?

I can just sit back,

grab my cup of coffee,

and the machine can go and dump.

For autonomous mining
machines to be put to work,

they need fully wired mines,
running electricity,

smart systems,
and wireless networks down

to their deepest depths.

Autonomous vehicles are taking

mechanical systems,
electrical systems,

and software systems,

linking them together,
using sensors

to determine where it's at,

and then using all
of that to make decisions

that'll allow it
to propel itself

or do whatever actions it's
been pre-programmed to do.

Like modern cars and smartphones

use GPS data
to provide real-time

positioning information,
even the deepest mines

rely on technology
that pinpoints

the exact location
of their equipment.

It provides
machines on autopilot

with precise maps of the mine,

and they're updated
in real time.

Not only does it
optimize the movement

of the entire fleet of machines,

high-precision
navigated drilling

allows operators to locate

programmed drill sites
with extreme accuracy.

Autonomous machines are built
to withstand extreme conditions.

The engines and body of these
machines are fortified to handle

steep routes,
heavy loads, and falling rock.

So, their sensors
and electronics

are built tough too.

When you go deep,
deep underground,

you're talking about
different moisture levels,

obviously different
temperatures.

They have to
be able to withstand

a lot of shock loads
and a lot of vibration,

some really extreme conditions
that most modern technologies

and devices that
we're used to can't.

Deep mines aren't just
networks of shafts and tunnels.

They're high-tech networks
of data and information, too.

And this is one of the
communication box

and modules that
connects the machine

on the network, where it can
send information of where it is

and what it's doing
and receive assignments.

Data-driven
advances not only improve

the functionality
and efficiency of the mine,

they give mines
and operators options

for how they want
to use the machines.

Automated mining machines

are working to
improve mine safety,

as they move deeper underground.

Globally, mining has
been one of the most dangerous

industries to work in,

with more than
15,000 miners lost each year.

But technology
is helping to change that.

By having autonomous vehicles,

it gives miners
the ability to figure out

what their risk profile is

and if it makes sense
for them to be in there.

After the ore is collected

and the path is
cleared by the loader,

the tunnel must be
structurally secured

before the extraction
work can continue.

This is the task
the rock reinforcer,

or Boltec, was designed to do.

This rig installs and secures
huge sections of loose rock,

using face plates and large
anchoring rock bolts

to secure the tunnels
and make the area safe.

Blasting and extracting ore

creates instability that could
lead to falling rock or,

in the worst cases,
tunnel collapse.

So, what we're trying to do
by installing rock bolts

is create more or less like a
stone bridge around the tunnel,

so it's supporting itself,

and that's the main job
of this machine

because rock masses are
not just one continuous thing;

there's lots of cracks,
there's folds.

When we look at rock,
we just assume rock is solid.

But it's important
to treat this rock

as a collection of rocks,

and make sure you're
locking things together

to ensure that
you have safe operation.

The Boltec starts

by drilling these
bolts into the rock.

Once there, the machine
injects a resin or adhesive

in with them that seals the bolt

and the surrounding
rock in place,

cementing the structure of
this section of the mine

and preventing
the tunnel from crumbling.

We're trying to remove the need

for any operator
to come anywhere near

an area of the ground which
hasn't been supported already.

Once the eight bolts

of the drill magazine
are depleted,

the boom arm will automatically
return to the machine to reload.

So, it's a pretty
intelligent piece of kit,

actually,
considering what it can do.

It seems like we've explored
everything on the surface,

but the future
is what's underground,

and there's so much there.

But we're not going
to be able to do that

without autonomous vehicles.

We're going to go places
where no one has gone before,

and isn't that the whole point
of everything we're doing?

These machines
are part of a seamless

and coordinated effort to
work smarter, not harder,

as they gather
the vital resources

we need to keep moving forward.

The Panama Canal is
considered by many to be

one of the Seven
Modern Wonders of the world.

It's a structural marvel
and an engineering miracle.

It was the largest
construction project in history.

An 80-kilometre shortcut

that slices
across Central America

to connect
the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans,

saving ships approximately
five months at sea...

It was genius.

...and companies
billions of dollars.

MAN
Just anchors to the water.

No power. Anchors to the water.

With a multitude
of moving parts,

the Panama Canal is a complex
machine that never stops.

And for the largest ships,

tugboats are what
get this machine started.

Can I proceed now?

Cocoli Locks Control Tower:
Yes, yes, go ahead, pick up.

Tugboats are an
essential part of the canal.

Ships don't have brakes.

It's not a big deal
in open water,

but in shallow, narrow areas,
like harbours or locks,

it can be a real issue.

A lock usually consists
of a watertight basin.

known as a lock chamber,

which is used to raise or lower
the water levels and boats,

as needed, by filling
or emptying the chamber.

Most locks are
gravity-fed systems,

connected to natural waterways.

There are several sets of locks
throughout the Panama Canal,

and they are all essential

for moving ships
from ocean to ocean.

Ships and boats trying to get to
the opposite side of the world,

using the Panama Canal
from either ocean,

must use the 64-kilometre,
about 40-mile-long system

that features four
massive sets of locks

separated by an
enormous man-made lake.

And the vessel must
ascend and then descend

25 metres or 85 feet on either
side of the canal to do it.

The tugs take on
the job of manoeuvring,

steering, and stopping the ships

while they're in transit
at the Panama Canal.

While tugboats
have always been used

for canal operations,

they were introduced to the
Cocolí and Agua Clara Locks

in 2016, when these
locks were completed.

I have been tug captain here
in the Panama Canal

for almost 14 years.

Okay, w're going to send two
lines.

One line on each side.

The tugboats use
massive ropes or lines

to connect them to the ship.

It's the job of the seamen on
deck to manage these lines.

It's a connection that will last
until the ship has cleared

the final lock on
this side of the system.

We're ready, Jeff.

Excellent, excellent.

It's the link between the vessel
and us.

The tugboats need
complete control when navigating

ships through this lock.

We've just entered the first
chamber of the Cocoli Locks.

The Cocolí Locks are the next
part of the canal system.

It's a three-level
lock that begins

or ends at the Pacific Ocean.

The Cocolí Locks

and their sister system
on the Atlantic side,

the Agua Clara Locks,

are the major artery
of the Panama Canal.

They are open to 79%

of all cargo carrying
ships on the planet.

Unlike most
gravity-fed locks,

the Cocolí Locks
use nearby basins

as a three-step lateral
filling and emptying system

that recycles water
to fill the chambers,

lifting and lowering
ships as needed.

This water is supplemented

by the lake at
the centre of the system.

A ship is floated to the
water level of the next lock,

and so on,

ascending three levels
before reaching Gatun Lake.

It takes 26 million
gallons of water

to raise and lower one ship.

Okay, now the chamber gate is
sliding open, to proceed to the
next chamber,

Esta correcto, numero uno.

Operators
in the control towers

are in constant communication
with ground crews

and tugboat captains.

They open and close gates and
valves and adjust water levels,

as needed, for the gears of the
machine to keep turning.

There are a total
of 16 rolling gates

that cap and seal
the new lock chambers

on the Atlantic and
Pacific end of the canal.

Their construction required
over 50,000 tons of steel.

Each gate
is opened and closed by two

300-horsepower
electric motors.

The motors spin
the drums that ultimately wind

and unwind the steel wire
connected to the upper

and lower carriages of the gate.

They use an automatic wire rope
hydraulic tensioning system

to pick up
the slack on the cables.

The rolling gates keep the
machine of the canal moving.

When they're open,
the niche they roll into

functions as a drive dock to
give maintenance crews

access to the floodgate
with zero impact

on the operation
of the chambers.

With thousands of
ships crossing the Panama Canal

every year,
keeping the canal powered

and moving is a top priority.

It's an economic machine
that's responsible

for around $270
billion of cargo annually

for the US alone.

There's nothing more
important than maintaining

the flow of traffic
through the Panama Canal.

A shutdown
is not only catastrophic

to the operation of the canal,
but it has a direct impact

on the global economy.

, full stop,
in line, no power.

While traveling
the Cocolí Locks,

it's the job of the tug
to keep the ships steady

as water levels change
and the gates open.

While huge ships move forward
and backward with ease,

they can struggle to move
sideways or adjust in smaller,

narrower waterways
like the Panama Canal.

Tugboats are an essential

safety measure
of the Panama Canal.

Sometimes when the cargo vessel
is coming out of the locks,

the bow has a tendency to move
away from the wall roughly.

So to avoid that, the tugboat
push the bow against the wall.

In order to keep the cargo
vessel flat on the wall as
possible.

And that way you avoid that the
stern hit the wall.

These tugboats might
look small next to the enormous

ships they tow, but don't be
fooled; they are mighty.

The hulls are
basically built around

two eight-cylinder engines

that put out 6,000 horsepower,
enough energy to provide

the brute force they need
to counter the weight

of some
of the world's largest ships.

You have to have
a good day, good transit.

MAN
Thank you very much.

While the biggest
ships use the Cocolí

and Agua Clara Locks,

to keep up with the
level of ship traffic

through this huge machine,
all the channels and every lock

must be working
around the clock.

And that's the way
it's always been

since the
Panama Canal was created.

Near the end of
the 19th century,

the French began
building the canal.

The French were ill-prepared

for the tropical conditions
and intensive

labour requirements
that Panama presented.

They failed,
taking a heavy human toll

along the way due to disease

and the harsh environment.

Eight years of
building the canal cost

tens of thousands of lives,

and the project
was abandoned in 1889.

The U.S. salvaged
the project in 1904

by reimagining
the approach to the problem.

They built
railroad-bounded steam shovels,

enormous steam-powered cranes,

and giant hydraulic rock
crushers to make lighter work.

Instead of digging through
mountains and rainforests,

they decided to
flatten certain areas

and use water to lift
ships up and over the land.

It was genius.

In 1913,

President Woodrow Wilson
initiated the final stage

of the canal project.

While seated in the
comfort of the Oval Office,

he pressed a button that
carried the detonation signal

from more than
6,700 kilometres away.

In four seconds,
Wilson set off a dynamite charge

that obliterated the last land
blockage of the Gamboa Dike

standing in the canal's way.

At the time,

it was the largest construction
project in history.

It literally moved mountains

to finally link the
major oceans of the world.

To date, there have been few

engineering projects
on this scale,

which is why the
Panama Canal is still listed,

over a century later,

as one of the Seven Modern
Wonders of the World.

Once ships have cleared
their first set of locks,

they are released
into Gatun Lake,

the centre of the lock system

and the heart of
this massive machine.

It makes up 33 kilometres
of the journey to the ocean.

Gatun Lake is one of the largest
artificial lakes in the world,

and the cruise across it
can take a few hours

of the eight to
ten-hour total trip.

Here, it's as though

the intricate system
has been paused.

Ships traveling
in either direction

gather in the scenic lake as
they wait for their scheduled

time to enter
the last set of locks.

When it's the ship's time,
the locking process they began

continues in reverse.

The water levels of
the Agua Clara Locks

will be lowered to descend
the ship back to sea level,

where it is released
into the Atlantic Ocean

to continue its journey.

Water is the key to
the canal running smoothly.

It's the crux of the operation.

And making that
33-kilometre journey

across the lake wouldn't be
possible without the Gatun Dam.

We are looking at Gatun Dam.

Gatun Dam began build in 1906

and completed in 1910.

We dammed the Chagres River
to create the Gatun Lake

for canal operations.

Without a steady flow of water,

the machine that is the
Panama Canal cannot operate.

Water is the gasoline
of this machine.

The purpose of Gatun Dam

is control the water level
of the Gatun Lake.

The Gatun Dam
keeps the lake level

between 26 and 27 metres
above sea level

to maintain all channels and
locks of the canal system.

Without this dam,
the canal does not operate.

The heart of
Panama Canal is Gatun Dam.

Rain or shine, the
Panama Canal is processing

thousands of vessels a year,

successfully moving
some of the world's

largest cargo ships overland
to connect the Atlantic

and Pacific Oceans.