Original subtitles

♪♪

Narrator: NASA'S MISSION IS TO EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN.

Kavelaars: THERE'S MORE THAT WE DON'T KNOW THAN WE DO KNOW.

THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE UNIVERSE.

Narrator: IN THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS,

IT LAUNCHES ITS SCIENTISTS INTO SPACE,

ITS CRAFT BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

Williams: TAKING RISK IS PART OF MAKING DISCOVERIES.

SPACE EXPLORATION IS LIKE LIGHTING A MATCH.

AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT LURKS IN THE SHADOWS.

THERE COULD BE ANYTHING OUT THERE.

Narrator: NEIL ARMSTRONG FACES A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL.

WITHOUT MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION WITHIN A FEW SECONDS,

THEY WERE GOING TO DIE.

Narrator: A SKYDIVER SURVIVES A DANGEROUS CLOSE ENCOUNTER.

IT'S SOME SORT OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL OBJECT

THAT'S FALLING DOWN INTO THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.

Narrator: AND DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS REVEAL PLANS

FOR A U.S. MILITARY BASE ON THE MOON.

IT SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT IT'S THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE.

Narrator: NASA'S MISSIONS HAVE UNCOVERED DISTURBING ANOMALIES...

MAN #1: Okay, we're seeing three or four objects.

MAN #2: Yeah, there are three objects.

...THAT CONTINUE TO PERPLEX OUR FINEST SCIENTIFIC MINDS.

THESE ARE "NASA'S UNEXPLAINED FILES."

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

200 MILES ABOVE EARTH,

A GEMINI SPACECRAFT LURCHES OUT OF CONTROL.

THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO GO THROUGH.

THE SPACECRAFT WAS LITERALLY BEGINNING TO TUMBLE.

Narrator: WHAT SHOULD BE A ROUTINE MISSION

BECOMES A NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE

FOR THE MOST FAMOUS ASTRONAUT OF ALL TIME.

Orwall: IT'S GETTING WORSE AND WORSE.

IT'S LIKE THE FAIRGROUND RIDE FROM HELL.

WITHIN MINUTES, GEMINI 8 WILL TRANSFORM

FROM A PERFECT MISSION TO A STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL.

Narrator: MARCH, 1966.

ASTRONAUTS NEIL ARMSTRONG AND DAVE SCOTT

TAKE A VITAL STEP IN THE RACE TO THE MOON.

GEMINI 8 WAS DESIGNED TO PRACTICE ONE

OF THE PROCEDURES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO GO TO THE MOON,

AND THAT WAS TO DOCK IN SPACE.

Narrator: THE TARGET FOR THE DOCKING MANEUVER

IS AN UNMANNED AGENA ROCKET BOOSTER.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SPACECRAFT

WILL ACTUALLY DOCK TOGETHER.

Narrator: ARMSTRONG AND SCOTT ARE BOTH ROOKIE ASTRONAUTS,

AND THE MISSIONS TAKE THEM INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY

FOR SPACE FLIGHT.

THE GEMINI SPACECRAFT AND THE AGENA

ARE BOTH TRAVELING AT OVER 17,000 MILES AN HOUR.

Oberg: THAT'S 300 MILES A MINUTE, 5 MILES A SECOND.

AND YOU'RE NOT SURE OF WHERE YOU ARE BECAUSE THE ROCKET NEVER

PUTS YOUR PRECISELY WHERE YOU'RE AIMING.

Narrator: THE FUTURE OF THE U.S. SPACE PROGRAM

HANGS ON THE SUCCESS OF THIS MISSION.

THERE'S NOTHING AUTOMATIC ABOUT MAKING A DOCKING.

Orwall: ONE WRONG MANEUVER,

AND THESE TWO SPACECRAFTS COULD CRASH TOGETHER.

THAT'S CATASTROPHIC.

YOU CAN DO A VERY, VERY TINY, LITTLE MANEUVER.

YOU DON'T MAKE ANY BIG MOVES.

THEY PUSH ON IN, PUT THE NOSE INTO THE COLLAR

ON THE AGENA AND LATCH.

Narrator: INITIALLY, IT APPEARS

THE MISSION IS GOING LIKE CLOCKWORK.

INSIDE THE CABIN OF GEMINI 8,

NEIL ARMSTRONG TURNED TO DAVE SCOTT,

AND HE SAID, "IT'S EASY."

HISTORIC MOMENT HAS PASSED.

MISSION CONTROL CHEERS.

BUT IT'S THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM.

Narrator: SHORTLY AFTER DOCKING, ARMSTRONG AND SCOTT

LOSE CONTACT WITH MISSION CONTROL.

Orwall: THEY DO THEIR LAST RADIO CHECK

WITH MISSION CONTROL, AND EVERYTHING SEEMS A-OKAY.

THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO GO THROUGH.

Narrator: JUST MINUTES LATER,

DAVE SCOTT MAKES A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.

DAVE HAPPENS TO GLANCE AT A PARTICULAR INSTRUMENT

ON THE CONTROL PANEL.

AND HE SAID TO NEIL -- HE SAID, "WE'RE IN A BANG."

THEY WEREN'T FLYING LEVEL ANYMORE.

FOR SOME REASON, THEY WERE DIPPED.

Chaikin: THE SPACECRAFT WAS LITERALLY BEGINNING TO TUMBLE.

WITHIN MINUTES, GEMINI 8 WILL TRANSFORM

FROM A PERFECT MISSION TO A STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL.

Narrator: CUT OFF FROM MISSION CONTROL,

ARMSTRONG AND SCOTT HAVE TO FIGURE OUT

WHY THEY HAVE STARTED TO ROLL BY THEMSELVES.

THEIR FIRST THOUGHT WOULD BE,

"IT MUST BE THAT UNMANNED THING WE DOCKED WITH.

OUR SPACECRAFT HAS BEEN WORKING GREAT SINCE LAUNCH."

Orwall: THEY'VE GOT TO SEPARATE THE TWO SPACECRAFT.

BOTH OF THEM ARE SPINNING FAST.

IF THEY SO MUCH AS TOUCH DURING THE UNDOCKING MANEUVER,

THE IMPACT WILL DESTROY BOTH OF THEM.

Narrator: ARMSTRONG INITIATES THE EMERGENCY UNDOCKING PROCEDURE.

NEIL SAID TO DAVE, "ARE YOU READY?

PUSH UNDOCK."

Oberg: THEY BACKED AWAY FROM THE AGENA,

BUT TO THEIR HORROR, THE ROLL RATE INCREASED.

Narrator: INSTEAD OF CORRECTING THE GEMINI SPACECRAFT'S ROLL,

UNDOCKING FROM THE BOOSTER

ACCELERATES IT INTO A VIOLENT SPIN.

THEY WERE SPINNING IN ALL DIRECTIONS,

AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHY.

[ BEEPING ]

Orwall: THE SITUATION IS PERILOUS.

THEY MADE IT UP TO 60 REVOLUTIONS A MINUTE.

IT'S SPINNING ABOUT ONCE PER SECOND,

LIKE BEING INSIDE A WASHING MACHINE.

THIS THING IS GOING CRAZY ON THEM.

Narrator: WHAT LOOKED LIKE A ROUTINE MISSION

HAS BECOME A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL.

IF THE SPIN RATE JUST KEEPS GETTING FASTER

AND FASTER AND FASTER, THEY WILL LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS.

IF YOU BLACK OUT, YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOUR CRAFT.

YOU'RE LOST IN ORBIT.

THEY WILL HAVE NOTHING TO STOP THIS SPACECRAFT

JUST SPINNING COMPLETELY UNTIL IT BREAKS APART.

Narrator: SCOTT AND ARMSTRONG USE MUSCLE-TENSING TECHNIQUES

TO RESIST THE EFFECTS OF G-FORCES ON THEIR BODIES,

BUT THE SPIN IS MORE INTENSE

THAN ANYTHING THEY'VE TRAINED FOR.

[ BEEPING ]

Oberg: THEY'RE SPINNING SO FAST

THAT THEY'RE BEGINNING TO LOSE THEIR VISION.

Chaikin: DAVE SCOTT SEES HIS VISION

HAS BEGUN TO CLOSE IN FROM THE G-FORCES.

Narrator: DISORIENTED AND STRUGGLING TO SEE,

ARMSTRONG REASONS THE GEMINI'S MANEUVERING THRUSTERS

MIGHT BE CAUSING THE SPIN.

HE DECIDES TO SHUT THEM DOWN.

IT'S A SITUATION IN WHICH YOU CAN'T COUNT

ON YOUR BRAIN WORKING RIGHT.

YOU CAN'T COUNT ON YOUR HAND WORKING RIGHT.

YOU KNOW WHERE ALL THE SWITCHES ARE.

GETTING TO THEM COULD BE A PROBLEM.

ARMSTRONG HAS TO, BY MEMORY AND TOUCH,

FIGURE OUT WHICH SWITCHES TO THROW.

Worden: YOU'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO GET THE RIGHT SWITCH.

Narrator: ARMSTRONG FIGHTS AGAINST THE G-FORCE

TO TURN OFF THE MANEUVERING THRUSTERS,

BUT THE GEMINI CRAFT IS STILL SPINNING.

WITHOUT MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION

WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, THEY WERE GOING TO DIE.

YOU'VE GOT TO STOP THAT ROTATION.

Narrator: HE REALIZES THEY HAVE ONE LAST SHOT AT SURVIVAL --

THE UNUSED REENTRY THRUSTERS.

HE KNEW THE ONLY THING HE HAD WAS THE REENTRY CONTROL SYSTEM.

MAYBE THAT WOULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO STOP IT.

HE'S PURELY FLYING BY THE SEAT OF HIS PANTS AT THAT POINT.

Narrator: IF ARMSTRONG CAN FIRE THE REENTRY THRUSTERS

IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE SPIN,

HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO STOP IT.

THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS PANIC.

YOU ANALYZE THE SITUATION

AND YOU TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION AND YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN.

IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, YOU DIE.

Oberg: ARMSTRONG TURNS ON THESE REENTRY THRUSTERS

AND BEGINS VERY CAREFULLY TO FIRE THRUSTERS

AGAINST THE ROTATION OF THE GEMINI.

AND IT BEGINS TO WORK.

Chaikin: HE GETS THE SPIN STOPPED, AND HE SAVES THEIR LIVES.

BUT IT TOLD THEM NEVER LET DOWN YOUR GUARD,

BECAUSE SOMETHING CAN STRIKE AT ANY MOMENT.

Narrator: FIRING THE REENTRY THRUSTERS SAVES THEIR LIVES,

BUT IT CREATES ANOTHER PROBLEM.

HE USED UP ALL OF HIS FUEL TO STOP THE ROTATION,

AND THEN THEY HAD TO COME BACK TO EARTH.

Chaikin: UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S THE END OF THE MISSION.

THEY HAVE TO COME HOME.

Narrator: NASA'S FLIGHT CONTROLLER ABORTS THE 3-DAY MISSION,

AND JUST OVER 10 HOURS AFTER THEY LAUNCHED,

ARMSTRONG AND SCOTT SPLASH DOWN IN THE PACIFIC

500 MILES OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN.

THEY HAVE ESCAPED. THEY'VE CHEATED DEATH.

AND THE BEST FEELING OF ALL IS WHEN YOU OPEN A HATCH

AND YOU SMELL THAT SOUTH PACIFIC AIR

FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Narrator: NASA LAUNCHES AN URGENT INVESTIGATION

INTO THE CAUSE OF THE NEAR-FATAL SPIN.

IT'S LATER FOUND THAT ONE OF THE MODULE'S THRUSTERS

HAS BASICALLY MALFUNCTIONED

AND GOT STUCK IN THE ON POSITION,

MEANING IT CONTINUED TO FIRE

WHEN IT SHOULD'VE BEEN SWITCHED OFF.

THE CREW DIDN'T HAVE INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THRUSTERS ON.

NO ONE HAD THOUGHT THAT THE WIRES

COULD SHORT-CIRCUIT IN THAT WAY.

Narrator: NASA'S FUTURE MISSIONS CORRECTED THIS DEADLY OVERSIGHT.

AND 3 YEARS LATER, NEIL ARMSTRONG

BECOMES THE FIRST MAN ON THE MOON.

Worden: NEIL'S A PRETTY COOL GUY.

HE DOESN'T GET RATTLED.

HE WAS SUCH THE PERFECT GUY TO MAKE THAT FIRST LANDING.

Armstrong: IT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN,

ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.

Man: YA-HOO!

Narrator: UP NEXT, NASA INVESTIGATES

A SCANDINAVIAN SKYDIVER'S CLOSE ENCOUNTER.

IT'S SOME SORT OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL OBJECT.

Amundsen: I WAS JUST MIND-BLOWN. IT WAS FANTASTIC.

I WAS SO CERTAIN THAT THIS WAS A METEORITE.

Narrator: A NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE 12,000 FEET UP...

A FEW INCHES CLOSER, THAT WOULD'VE HIT HIM.

Narrator: ...TURNS INTO A SCIENCE MYSTERY THAT GOES VIRAL.

WHERE DID IT COME FROM, AND HOW CAN IT BE GOING THAT FAST?

Narrator: NASA SCIENTISTS LOOK DEEP INTO SPACE

TO GRAPPLE WITH THE MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE.

SOMETIMES, THE MYSTERIES COME TO THEM.

JUNE 17th, 2012.

WOO-HOO-HOO!

HIGH ABOVE THE NORWEGIAN COUNTRYSIDE,

SKYDIVER ANDERS HELSTRUP IS FALLING THROUGH THE AIR

AT MORE THAN 100 MILES PER HOUR...

...WHEN HE FEELS AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT WHIP PAST HIM.

YOU'RE FALLING THROUGH THE SKY, AND SOMETHING WHIZZES PAST YOU.

THAT WOULD REALLY GET YOUR ATTENTION.

Narrator: BACK ON EARTH,

ANDERS REVIEWS THE FOOTAGE FROM HIS HELMET CAM

TO FIND OUT WHAT ALMOST HIT HIM.

IT LOOKS LIKE A ROCK,

BUT ANDERS STRUGGLES TO IDENTIFY WHERE IT COULD'VE COME FROM.

HIS FIRST IDEA IS THAT IT COULD'VE FALLEN FROM THE PLANE.

MAYBE IT WAS ATTACHED UNDERNEATH TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE.

Narrator: BUT NO ONE SAW ANYTHING FALL OUT.

THE NEXT THEORY IS THAT SOMEONE THREW IT TOWARDS HIM.

EVEN IF THE PLANE HAD BEEN JUST OUT OF THE FRAME,

IT WOULD'VE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE

TO TIME THE THROW JUST RIGHT.

Narrator: IN SEARCH OF ANSWERS, ANDERS REACHES OUT

TO A NASA SCIENTIST BASED IN OSLO, HANS AMUNDSEN.

AMUNDSEN ANALYZES THE FOOTAGE FRAME BY FRAME

AND COMES TO ASTONISHING CONCLUSION

THE OBJECT IS A METEORITE -- A ROCK FALLING FROM SPACE.

Amundsen: I WAS MIND-BLOWN.

I THOUGHT, "THIS MUST BE A METEORITE."

I WAS JUST -- "WOW."

IT WAS, LIKE, LIGHT GRAY ON THE CLEAR, FRESH SURFACE.

AND THEN SORT OF DARKISH GRAY, BLACK

AROUND THE SURFACE, WHICH IS WHAT A METEORITE

IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE WHEN IT BREAKS UP.

Narrator: USING THE FOOTAGE,

AMUNDSEN ESTIMATES THE SIZE OF THE METEORITE.

ANDERS IS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.

Amundsen: WE ENDED UP WITH THE ROCK BEING

AROUND THE SIZE OF AN ORANGE OR A GRAPEFRUIT.

AND IF THAT KIND OF ROCK AT 150 MILES AN HOUR HITS YOU,

YOU'RE DEAD.

Narrator: COULD ANDERS HAVE JUST HAD

HIS VERY OWN CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH A ROCK FROM OUTER SPACE?

Genge: METEORITES USUALLY ARRIVE AS A REALLY BRIGHT,

IMPRESSIVE FIREBALL SOMETIMES ASSOCIATED

WITH SONIC BOOMS AND ELECTRICAL CRACKLINGS.

Narrator: BUT THE OBJECT IN THE VIDEO IS DULL AND DARK.

IT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE A TYPICAL METEOR.

ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SAW THIS SAID, "OH, IT'S NOT GLOWING.

IT CAN'T BE A METEORITE."

Narrator: BUT AMUNDSEN THINKS THIS COULD BE A METEOR

IN THE LAST STAGES OF FLIGHT, WHEN THE GLOW STOPS.

THE METEORS YOU SEE IN THE SKY THAT REALLY GLOW,

THEY COME IN AT, YOU KNOW,

MAYBE FIVE TIMES THE SPEED OF A RIFLE BULLET.

BUT THEN IT HITS THE ATMOSPHERE, AND THAT'S THE GLOWING YOU SEE.

IT'S THE FRICTION. IT PUTS ON THE BRAKES.

Genge: IT'S ALREADY SLOWED DOWN IN THE ATMOSPHERE,

SO IT'S NOW SIMPLY FALLING.

IT'S WHAT WE CALL DARK FLIGHT.

A METEOR IN DARK FLIGHT IS JUST A ROCK DROPPING TO EARTH

AT ABOUT 200 TO 300 MILES PER HOUR.

Narrator: THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME

ANYONE HAS EVER WITNESSED A METEOR IN DARK FLIGHT,

BUT NOT EVERYONE BUYS AMUNDSEN'S THEORY.

NASA PUTS THE ODDS OF THIS HAPPENING AT 1 IN 500 BILLION.

THAT MAKES IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

Narrator: THE ONLY WAY FOR AMUNDSEN

TO PROVE HIS THEORY IS TO FIND THE METEORITE.

IF IT REALLY IS THE GRAPEFRUIT-SIZED ROCK

THEIR CALCULATION SUGGESTS,

IT COULD BE WORTH MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.

METEORITES ARE RARE, AND THEY'RE WORTH A LOT OF MONEY.

THIS PARTICULAR METEORITE WOULD HAVE BEEN

THE FIRST ONE EVER FILMED DURING DARK FLIGHTS.

IT WOULD BE A CELEBRITY, SO IF WE FOUND IT,

WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WORTH A LOT.

Narrator: FOR A WHOLE YEAR, TEAMS OF PEOPLE

SCOUR AN AREA OF NORWEGIAN COUNTRYSIDE

NOT MUCH BIGGER THAN A CITY BLOCK.

Amundsen: WE TRIED EVERYTHING.

WE SEARCHED IN THE RIVER

WITH, YOU KNOW, LIKE, DIVING EQUIPMENT.

WE SEARCHED WITH METAL DETECTORS.

AND WE LOOKED AND WE LOOKED AND WE LOOKED,

AND WE FOUND NOTHING.

Narrator: FINALLY, THE TEAM DECIDES TO RELEASE THE VIDEO

TO THE WIDER PUBLIC.

I THINK THAT PHOTO JUMPS UP

TO LIKE 5 MILLION HITS IN A FEW DAYS.

YOU COULD FOLLOW THE TIME ZONES AS IT WENT AROUND THE WORLD.

EVERYONE WAS TRYING TO SOLVE WHAT THIS WAS.

Narrator: ONE OF THE 5 MILLION IS NASA PHYSICIST PHIL METZGER.

Metzger: AS SOON AS I READ ABOUT IT,

I KNEW THAT THE SOFTWARE THAT I HAD DEVELOPED AT NASA

OVER THE PREVIOUS 10 YEARS WOULD BE ABLE TO SOLVE THIS.

Narrator: METZGER'S CUTTING-EDGE SOFTWARE

IS USED DURING NASA'S SHUTTLE LAUNCHES

TO DETERMINE THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF ANY DEBRIS.

IT CAN CALCULATE THE FLIGHT PATH OF AIRBORNE PARTICLES

WITH INCREDIBLE ACCURACY.

HE APPLIES IT TO ANDER'S VIDEO EVIDENCE.

THE TEAM IN NORWAY HAD CALCULATED

THAT IT WAS ABOUT THAT BIG,

WHICH MEANT IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT ROCK.

THE SOFTWARE WE USE FOR NASA REDID THOSE CALCULATIONS

USING A LOT MORE DETAILS IN THE PHYSICS.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO REFINE THE ESTIMATE

OF THE SIZE OF THE PARTICLE.

Narrator: THE NASA SOFTWARE REVEALS THE ROCK IS MUCH SMALLER

THAN THE NORWEGIAN TEAM HAD INITIALLY THOUGHT.

IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GRAPE, NOT A GRAPEFRUIT.

Metzger: THE NEXT QUESTION WAS, COULD WE EXPLAIN THE TIMING OF IT?

WHY DID IT HAPPEN TO GO BY THE SKYDIVER RIGHT WHEN IT DID?

Narrator: METZGER LOOKS AT THE SKYDIVER'S FLIGHT PATH FOR CLUES.

Metzger: THE SKYDIVER WAS USING A WINGSUIT.

SO HE WAS FLYING HORIZONTALLY LIKE A BAT.

WHEN THE SKYDIVER OPENED HIS PARACHUTE,

THAT STOPPED HIS HORIZONTAL FLIGHT,

AND HE BEGAN FALLING VERTICALLY.

Narrator: THE VIDEO SHOWS THAT THE ROCK

FLEW PAST ANDERS 12 SECONDS AFTER HE OPENED HIS PARACHUTE.

Metzger: ACCORDING TO OUR CALCULATIONS,

A ROCK THAT HAD COME OUT OF THE PARACHUTE

WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TRAVELING HORIZONTALLY

UNTIL IT SLOWED DOWN.

AND THEN IT WOULD'VE FALLEN STRAIGHT VERTICALLY

AND FALLEN RIGHT WHERE THE SKYDIVER WAS.

Narrator: THE NASA SOFTWARE POINTS TO ONE CONCLUSION --

ANDERS' CLOSE ENCOUNTER WAS NOT A ROCK FROM OUTER SPACE.

IT WAS A PIECE OF GRAVEL FROM HIS OWN PARACHUTE.

Metzger: IT WAS RELEASED WHEN THE PARACHUTE OPENED,

AND BECAUSE OF THE AERODYNAMIC FORCES,

IT FLEW RIGHT PAST THE CAMERA.

Amundsen: I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FOUND THAT OUT.

"OH, MY GOD.

EVERYBODY IS GOING TO THINK THAT ME AND EVERYBODY ELSE

WORKING ON THIS ARE TOTALLY JUST STUPID IDIOTS."

BUT NO.

THE MATHEMATICS THAT THE NORWEGIAN TEAM DID

WAS ENTIRELY CORRECT.

THE ONLY REASON WE WERE ABLE TO GET

A MORE ACCURATE CALCULATION IS BECAUSE NASA

HAD SPENT 10 YEARS DEVELOPING THIS SOFTWARE.

SO WE WENT OUT IN THE END AND SAID, "OKAY, WE WERE WRONG.

IT'S GRAVEL. NASA SOLVED IT."

AND PEOPLE WERE APPLAUDING.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT -- YOU KNOW, GOOD SCIENCE.

YOU WERE WRONG. YOU ADMITTED IT.

HEY, THIS IS COOL.

Narrator: STILL TO COME, A DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENT

REVEALS DETAILED PLANS TO BUILD A MILITARY BASE ON THE MOON.

THIS WAS A PLACE FROM WHICH WE MIGHT BE ABLE

TO BOMBARD OUR ENEMIES ON EARTH WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

IT SOUNDS CRAZY,

BUT THE U.S. ARMY DIDN'T THINK SO.

Narrator: AN APOLLO 17 PHOTOGRAPH CAPTURES

A STRANGE TRIANGLE ON THE MOON.

Orwall: SUDDENLY, OUT OF A DARK SPACE,

YOU START TO SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A PYRAMID.

Narrator: AND RECENTLY, DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS REVEAL

U.S. MILITARY PLANS FOR A SECRET LUNAR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

A MILITARY SPACE PROGRAM CAPTURED ON CAMERA.

IT SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT IT'S THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE.

Narrator: NASA WAS FOUNDED AS A CIVILIAN AGENCY

FOR THE PEACEFUL EXPLORATION OF SPACE,

BUT THE SPACE AGENCY'S TIES

TO THE U.S. MILITARY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CLOSE.

DECEMBER, 1972.

Man: OKAY, STAND BY FOR PITCH OVER.

OH, ARE WE COMING IN.

Narrator: THE APOLLO 17 LUNAR MODULE

TOUCHES DOWN IN AN UNEXPLORED REGION OF THE MOON

KNOWN AS THE TAURUS LITTROW VALLEY.

APOLLO 17 WAS THE LAST MANNED MISSION TO THE MOON.

IT WAS GOING INTO DARK TERRITORY.

Man: THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST PROUD MOMENTS

IN MY LIFE.

Narrator: GEOLOGIST HARRISON SCHMITT IS THE FIRST AND, TO DATE,

ONLY SCIENTIST TO SET FOOT ON THE LUNAR SURFACE.

WE WERE VERY AWARE

THAT THIS WAS THE LAST OF THE APOLLO MISSIONS.

WE DID AN AWFUL LOT OF TAKING PICTURES.

Narrator: WITH FOUR CAMERAS, THEY CAPTURED THOUSANDS

OF IMAGES OF A PLACE NEVER BEFORE SEEN BY HUMAN EYES.

[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING ]

BASED ON THE PHOTOGRAPHY WE HAD AT THE TIME,

THE APOLLO PHOTOGRAPHS ARE REALLY QUITE REMARKABLE.

Narrator: SOME OF THE IMAGES THEY TAKE BECOME ICONIC.

OTHERS FADE INTO OBSCURITY FOR DECADES.

EVERY NOW AND THEN,

A PHOTO SHOWS UP THAT REALLY STANDS OUT AS ODD.

THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

Narrator: IN 2008,

AMATEUR INVESTIGATORS UNCOVER ONE IMAGE

FROM APOLLO 17 THAT SEEMS BLANK...

UNTIL THEY LOOK CLOSER.

Orwall: SUDDENLY OUT OF A DARK SPACE,

YOU START TO SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A PYRAMID.

Narrator: IMAGE ANALYST MARK D'ANTONIO

HAS STUDIED THE MYSTIFYING PHOTOGRAPH.

HERE'S THE FAINT OUTLINE THAT LOOKS LIKE THE PYRAMID.

NOW WE CAN ACTUALLY MODIFY THIS PHOTO,

INCREASE THE CONTRAST, AND CHANGE SOME PARAMETERS.

NOW WE SEE THIS A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY.

WHAT EVER IS THAT?

Oberg: WE SEEM TO HAVE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE

SUGGESTING PYRAMIDAL STRUCTURES ON THE MOON.

HOW COULD THERE BE ARTIFICIAL STRUCTURES ON THE MOON?

AND WHO OR WHAT WOULD BE CAPABLE OF PUTTING THEM THERE?

Narrator: AN INTRIGUING EXPLANATION

COMES IN JULY, 2014, WHEN THE U.S. MILITARY

DECLASSIFIES A DOSSIER OF TOP-SECRET DOCUMENTS.

ONE OF THEM IS A 118-PAGE REPORT CALLED PROJECT HORIZON.

IT REVEALS A DETAILED PLAN TO BUILD A FORTRESS ON THE MOON.

Birnes: THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST COLD WAR STORIES

THAT WE'VE EVER HEARD.

Oberg: AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT SHOWING INTENTIONS

TO PUT A MILITARY BASE ON THE MOON.

Narrator: THE PLAN IS THE BRAINCHILD

OF A U.S. ARMY GENERAL, ARTHUR TRUDEAU.

IN 1959, HE SUBMITS THE DOCUMENT FOR PENTAGON APPROVAL.

HE SAYS, "IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE

FOR US IN THE UNITED STATES

IF THE SOVIET UNION MILITARY COULD RAIN MISSILES

DOWN ON THE UNITED STATES FROM THE MOON.

NO! THIS CANNOT BE.

WE MUST FORTIFY THE MOON FIRST."

WE'VE GOT A U.S. ARMY DOCUMENT

SAYING THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LUNAR BASE

SHOULD BE AS MUCH OF A PRIORITY

AS THE MANHATTAN PROJECT WAS DURING WORLD WAR II.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

WHEN A U.S. MILITARY MAKES SOMETHING A PRIORITY

LIKE THEY DID WITH THE MANHATTAN PROJECT,

THERE'S REALLY NOTHING THEY CAN'T DO.

Narrator: TRUDEAU WRITES THAT IT CAN BE DONE IN JUST 7 YEARS.

THE CONCLUSION SAYS THAT, "THE UNITED STATES

CAN ESTABLISH AN OPERATIONAL LUNAR OUTPOST BY 1966."

YOU HAVE TO ASK, "HOW FAR DID THIS PROJECT GO?"

Narrator: OFFICIALLY, THE SENATE

REFUSES TO FUND TRUDEAU'S AMBITIOUS PLAN.

WHAT WE KNOW OR BELIEVE WE KNOW

IS THAT PROJECT HORIZON WAS SHELVED.

IT NEVER HAPPENED.

WHAT IF THAT'S NOT TRUE?

Narrator: AT THE SAME TIME THAT NASA IS FLYING

ITS FINAL MISSIONS TO THE MOON, THE U.S. MILITARY

IS BUILDING HIGHLY-CLASSIFIED PYRAMID STRUCTURES ON EARTH.

THE NEKOMA MISSILE SITE IN NORTH DAKOTA

WAS HOME TO 46 NUCLEAR WARHEADS.

COULD THIS TECHNOLOGY BE TRANSPLANTED TO THE MOON?

IT'S RIGHT THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE.

"THERE ARE NO KNOWN TECHNICAL BARRIERS

TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MANNED BASE ON THE MOON."

Narrator: A SECRET MILITARY MOON BASE

COULD'VE OFFERED A DECISIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE COLD WAR.

Nichols: THE IDEA OF PUTTING A BASE ON THE MOON WOULD MAKE SENSE.

IT'S A VERY TYPICALLY MILITARY IDEA.

A PLACE FROM WHICH WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BOMBARD

OUR ENEMIES ON EARTH WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

Narrator: THE DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS

PROVIDE A COMPELLING VISION OF A MILITARY MOON BASE,

BUT DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE APOLLO 17 PICTURE

REFUTES THE IDEA THAT THE BASE EVER GOT

BEYOND THE PLANNING STAGE.

THE PYRAMID PHOTOGRAPH IS ONE OF A SERIES

OF PHOTOS TAKEN CONSECUTIVELY.

IF WE LOOK AT OTHERS IN THE SEQUENCE,

WE ALSO SEE SHAPES LIKE THIS.

HERE'S A SQUARE PIECE RIGHT THERE.

Narrator: SEEN IN CONTEXT, THERE IS ONLY ONE CONCLUSION.

THIS IS A PIECE OF THE LUNAR ROVER.

Narrator: THE PYRAMID APPEARS TO BE JUST A DARK SHADOW

ACROSS THE SEAT OF THE ROVER.

WITH APOLLO 17, WE HAD TO DEPLOY THE LUNAR ROVER.

AND WE DROVE FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 32 KILOMETERS.

D'Antonio: THESE ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME SEQUENCE.

ONE IS JUST A BADLY-TAKEN, UNDEREXPOSED PHOTO.

Narrator: THE PROJECT HORIZON BASE NEVER BECAME A REALITY.

BUT NASA HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON THE IDEA

OF A PERMANENT PRESENCE ON THE MOON.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO.

WE KNOW WE CAN DO IT.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN.

NASA COMMISSIONED A NEW STUDY IN JULY, 2015,

TO LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY

OF ESTABLISHING A PERMANENT LUNAR OUTPOST.

WHAT THEY FOUND IS, AT BEST CASE,

THE OUTPOST WOULDN'T BE FINISHED UNTIL 2030.

SO WE'RE A LONG WAY OFF.

Narrator: COMING UP, NASA ASTRONAUTS DISCOVER

A LIFE-FORM THAT HAS TAKEN OVER A RUSSIAN SPACE STATION.

ONCE IT STARTS, IT MAY MUTATE, IT MAY GROW FAST.

AND IT MAY BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP.

[ BEEP ]

Narrator: A NASA ASTRONAUT FINDS A SPACE STATION OVERRUN

WITH LIFE-FORMS THAT THREATEN THE ENTIRE SPACE PROGRAM.

THERE ARE THINGS GROWING ALL OVER THE SPACE STATION.

IT'S OUT OF CONTROL, AND NOBODY KNOWS WHY.

Narrator: JANUARY 15th, 1998.

[ BEEP ]

NASA ASTRONAUT DAVE WOLF

IS ONBOARD RUSSIA'S MIR SPACE STATION.

HE'S COLLECTING ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES

TO CHECK FOR BACTERIA AND PARASITES.

NASA IS STARTING TO BUILD ITS OWN SPACE STATION.

AND THEY NEED TO KNOW IF MICROORGANISMS

POSE A THREAT TO THE ASTRONAUTS.

SO THEY LOOK TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING

ON THE MIR SPACE STATION,

BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S IN STORE FOR THEM.

Narrator: WHEN THE CREW OPENS A RARELY-USED SERVICE PANEL,

WHAT THEY FIND IS TERRIFYING.

THEY FIND A HUGE GLOBULE, ESSENTIALLY,

OF WATER THAT'S JUST TEEMING WITH ORGANISMS.

IF YOU OPEN UP A SERVICE HATCH

AND ARE CONFRONTED WITH A BASKETBALL-SIZED LUMP

OF LIVING THING, IT WOULD FREAK YOU OUT.

Narrator: THE CREW DISCOVERS THAT THE SITUATION

IS WORSE THAN ANYONE HAD IMAGINED POSSIBLE.

THEY FIND LIVING ORGANISMS EVERYWHERE --

ON THE WINDOW GASKETS, ON THE CABLE BUNDLES, ON THE PIPES.

IN EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY, THEY FIND SOMETHING ALIVE.

Narrator: THIS RARE RUSSIAN FOOTAGE SHOT ABOARD THE MIR

SHOWS THE FRIGHTENING EXTENT OF THE INFESTATION.

SOMEHOW, THE SPACE STATION

HAS BECOME A VERITABLE ZOO OF MICROORGANISMS.

Narrator: THE PROFUSION OF LIFE FORMS ON THE SPACE STATION

POSES A THREAT TO THE ASTRONAUTS.

U.S. AND RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS STRUGGLE

TO EXPLAIN HOW MIR WAS TAKEN OVER SO QUICKLY.

WHAT'S CAUSING

THIS INCREASED ACCELERATION OF THE GROWTH, YOU KNOW?

IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME SORT OF OUTSIDE INFLUENCE

OR SOMETHING UNKNOWN THAT'S CAUSING THIS.

Narrator: SCIENTISTS POINT TO THE MIR'S LONG HISTORY

OF TECHNICAL PROBLEMS.

MIR SUFFERED POWER OUTAGES AND HAD HUGE PROBLEMS

WITH AIR TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY --

BOTH FACTORS THAT WOULD HELP THINGS GROW.

BUT IT STILL DOESN'T EXPLAIN JUST WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

Narrator: NASA NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING ON MIR.

MICROORGANISMS CAN ACTUALLY DAMAGE AND CORRODE

CERTAIN MATERIALS AND WIRES.

UNCHECKED AND UNCONTROLLED BACTERIAL GROWTH

ON A SPACE MISSION COULD COMPROMISE THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.

Narrator: 12 YEARS LATER, A NASA EXPERIMENT

PROVIDES A CLUE TO THE CAUSE OF MIR'S INFESTATION.

IN MAY, 2010, THE SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS

CARRIES AN EXPERIMENT CALLED MICRO-2

TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

AN IDENTICAL EXPERIMENT

WILL BE CARRIED OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY ON EARTH.

THE TWIN EXPERIMENTS BOTH GROW SAMPLES

OF IDENTICAL DISEASE CELLS.

THE RESULTS ARE ASTONISHING.

THE CELLS IN SPACE GROW FASTER AND BIGGER

THAN THE ONES ON EARTH.

THIS COULD HELP EXPLAIN MIR'S OUTBREAK.

YOU'D THINK THAT IF YOU TOOK THESE MICROORGANISMS

AWAY FROM THEIR NATURAL HABITAT THAT THEY'D JUST WITHER AND DIE.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'D THINK WOULD HAPPEN,

BUT YOU'D BE WRONG.

Narrator: THE ORGANISM'S RAPID AND UNEXPECTED GROWTH

MEANS THAT IF THEY WERE TO ESCAPE INTO THE ISS,

THEY WOULD POSE AN IMMINENT THREAT TO EVERYONE ONBOARD.

WHEN CONSIDERING PROLONGED MANNED SPACE MISSIONS,

THE THREAT OF A MICROORGANISM CAUSING DISEASE

BECOMES ALL THAT MORE CONCERNING.

Teitel: HUMANS ARE AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE IN SPACE.

OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN

WHEN WE LEAVE OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

Rosenzweig: IF THE ORGANISM IS MORE LETHAL,

AND THE ASTRONAUT BECOMES COMPROMISED

IN HIS OR HER IMMUNE RESPONSE, THIS IS A PERFECT STORM

AND RECIPE FOR A DISASTROUS MISSION.

Narrator: BUT THE GREATEST THREAT THE ORGANISMS POSE

IS NOT TO THE ASTRONAUTS.

IT IS TO US.

Rosenzweig: ONE OF OUR MAJOR CONCERNS HAS ALWAYS BEEN

THE POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING THAT MODIFIED

HYPER-VIRULENT ORGANISM BACK TO EARTH

AND HAVING THAT ACTUALLY CAUSE DISEASE HERE.

Teitel: IT'S LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF "THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN."

A BACTERIA ARRIVES FROM SPACE

AND OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS ARE COMPLETELY UNABLE TO HANDLE IT

AND WE ARE WIPED OUT.

Narrator: TO DATE, NASA HAS YET TO FIND A WAY

TO PREVENT THE SHUTDOWN

OF THE HUMAN IMMUNE SYSTEM DURING SPACE TRAVEL.

RESEARCH IS ONGOING.

UP NEXT, A NASA PROBE FINDS BIZARRE, MULTILAYERED OCEANS

BENEATH THE SURFACE OF ONE OF JUPITER'S MOONS.

Genge: WHENEVER YOU DISCOVER WATER ON ANOTHER PLANET,

THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF IS LIFE.

CREATURES WITH VERY SHARP TEETH

AND WIDE EYES BEAMING DOWN, AND...BAM!

[ BEEPING ]

Narrator: A SPACECRAFT SURVEYING AN ICY MOON OF JUPITER

MAKES A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.

AN ENTIRE WORLD COVERED WITH ICE,

BUT IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING.

Narrator: SOMETHING IS STIRRING BENEATH THE FROZEN SURFACE

OF THE WORLD WE CALL GANYMEDE.

LONG RIBBON-LIKE CREATURES,

PREDATORS COMING RIGHT UP BEHIND THEM AND SNAP!

Narrator: JUNE, 1996.

NASA'S GALILEO SPACECRAFT IS 6 MONTHS

INTO ITS EXPLORATION OF THE JUPITER SYSTEM.

AS IT PASSES JUPITER, ITS ELECTRONIC GAZE

TURNS TO ONE OF THE GAS GIANT'S ICE-COVERED MOONS, GANYMEDE.

THE PROBE'S MAGNETIC READINGS

REVEAL SOMETHING TOTALLY UNEXPECTED.

AN ENTIRE WORLD COVERED WITH ICE,

BUT UNDERNEATH THAT ICE -- AN OCEAN.

Genge: THE OCEAN CONTAINS MORE WATER THAN THE PACIFIC,

DESPITE THE FACT THAT GANYMEDE IS SMALLER THAN THE EARTH.

Narrator: THE DISCOVERY RAISES EXCITEMENT AMONG SCIENTISTS WORLDWIDE.

Genge: WHENEVER YOU DISCOVER WATER ON ANOTHER PLANET,

THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF IS LIFE.

HOW COULD THERE NOT BE EXTENSIVE LIFE

IN THAT BIG OCEAN?

Narrator: BUT IF LIFE EXISTS IN THE DEPTHS

OF GANYMEDE'S SEAS, IT FACES MANY CHALLENGES.

GANYMEDE HAS OCEANS, BUT THEY'RE NOT LIKE THE OCEANS ON EARTH.

Narrator: PERHAPS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE LIFE THERE

WOULD FACE IS THE THICK ICE THAT COVERS THE WATER.

McKay: GANYMEDE'S A DIFFERENT WORLD.

WE IMAGINE THE HABITAT ON GANYMEDE

IS GONNA BE A THICK LAYER OF ICE --

TOO MUCH ICE AT THE TOP FOR SUNLIGHT TO GET DOWN.

PITCH BLACK. THERE'S NO SUNLIGHT.

IT'S FREEZING COLD, AND THERE'S NO OXYGEN.

HOW CAN LIFE POSSIBLY THRIVE?

Narrator: FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS

AFTER THE GALILEO PROBE'S FIRST SCANS,

SCIENTISTS BELIEVED GANYMEDE CANNOT SUPPORT LIFE.

THEN IN 2014, AN ASTONISHING DISCOVERY

IN ANTARCTICA CHANGES EVERYTHING.

MICROBIOLOGIST JILL MIKUCKI IS EXPLORING

WHAT IS PERHAPS THE MOST BIZARRE FEATURE

OF THE FROZEN LANDSCAPE --

A PLACE CALLED BLOOD FALLS.

YOU'RE ON THIS CRAGGY, CRAZY ICE COVER,

AND THEN IT JUST -- IT TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY.

Narrator: JILL DISCOVERS THAT THE FALLS HOLD A DARK SECRET.

Mikucki: THIS UNIQUE, LITTLE FEATURE OF BLOOD FALLS

WAS REALLY A WINDOW INTO A SUBSURFACE WORLD

THAT WAS MUCH DEEPER AND THAT WE COULDN'T SEE AT THE SURFACE.

SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED LIQUID WATER BURIED BENEATH THE ICE.

Narrator: THE SUBSURFACE OCEANS ARE DEEP BENEATH THE GLACIER,

WHERE THERE IS NO SUNLIGHT AND TEMPERATURES ARE DEADLY COLD.

ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES

FROM THE ICY OCEAN REVEALS SOMETHING SHOCKING.

I LOOKED AT THE SAMPLES UNDER THE MICROSCOPE,

AND THERE WERE CELLS THERE --

A WHOLE LITTLE WORLD JUST IN THIS DROP OF BRINE.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S PITCH BLACK -- THERE'S NO SUNLIGHT,

THERE'S NO OXYGEN, AND IT'S FREEZING COLD,

THEY FOUND 17 DIFFERENT KINDS OF MICROBE

LIVING IN THIS EXTREME ENVIRONMENT.

THE DISCOVERY PROMPTS SCIENTISTS TO QUESTION

HOW LIFE CAN EXIST IN SUCH EXTREME CONDITIONS.

Genge: AT BLOOD FALLS IN ANTARCTICA, LIVING THINGS

HAVE FOUND ANOTHER WAY OF SUSTAINING THEMSELVES.

THEY USE MINERAL SULFATES TO REACT WITH IRON,

AND IT'S THAT IRON THAT PRODUCES THIS BLOOD-RED COLOR.

AND THEY ESSENTIALLY FEED THEMSELVES ON MINERALS.

Narrator: THE REVELATION THAT LIFE

CAN EXIST WITH NO OBVIOUS FOOD SOURCE

IN A DARK OCEAN BURIED BENEATH THE ICE

HAS STUNNING IMPLICATIONS FOR GANYMEDE.

SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING OURSELVES IS,

"COULD THESE OCEANS ON GANYMEDE BE FULL OF MICROBES,

JUST LIKE AT BLOOD FALLS?"

MAYBE BECAUSE I STUDY LIFE IN ANTARCTICA,

I'M MORE OF AN OPTIMIST ABOUT THE ABILITY OF LIFE

TO SURVIVE HARSH CONDITIONS.

Narrator: SURPRISINGLY, GANYMEDE'S DEEPEST WATERS

OFFER THE BEST HOPE FOR FINDING LIFE.

THIS IS A WORLD THAT HAS OCEANS IN LAYERS.

IT HAS ICE, WATER, ICE, WATER, ICE, WATER.

IT LOOKS LIKE A STRIPED CAKE.

Genge: TO HAVE LIFE, YOU REALLY WANT ROCKS AND WATER TOGETHER

BECAUSE THEY PRODUCE THE ELEMENTS

THAT LIVING THINGS NEED.

WHERE YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR LIFE

IS GOING TO BE IN THAT LAST OCEAN LEVEL,

BECAUSE IT'S IN CONTACT WITH ROCK.

SO IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR LIFE ON GANYMEDE,

WE'RE GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

Narrator: WITH ALL THE ELEMENTS NECESSARY FOR LIFE PRESENT,

THERE IS GOOD REASON TO HOPE THAT THE ICE WATER OF GANYMEDE

COULD BE HOME TO MORE THAN JUST MICROBES.

WE COULD GO TO GANYMEDE EXPECTING ONLY SIMPLE LIFE,

BUT I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP OUR EYES OPEN JUST

IN CASE THERE'S SOMETHING MORE INTERESTING, AS WELL.

Aguilar: IT'S HAD 4 1/2 BILLION YEARS TO EVOLVE.

THERE COULD BE LONG, RIBBON-LIKE CREATURES

30 METERS LONG, 2 METERS WIDE MOVING ACROSS THE BOTTOM,

PREDATORS COMING RIGHT UP BEHIND THEM

SENSING THESE TRAILS MOVING AND...SNAP!

Narrator: WHATEVER FORM LIFE TAKES ON GANYMEDE,

WE COULD ENCOUNTER IT WITHIN THE NEXT DECADE.

Genge: SO THE NEXT STEP IS THE JUICE MISSION,

WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO GO AND STUDY THOSE OCEANS

OF THE ICY MOONS OF JUPITER.

Aguilar: THE TRUTH IS THERE COULD BE NO LIMIT

TO THE LIFE THAT LIVES ON GANYMEDE.

IT'S REALLY UP TO US TO GO INVESTIGATE AND FIND OUT.

[ BEEP ]

Narrator: STILL TO COME,

CAMERAS ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

CAPTURE A LASER BEAM STRIKING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE.

[ BUZZING ]

IT LOOKS A LITTLE LIKE A "STAR WARS" DEATH RAY.

IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN SCIENCE FICTION

WOULD BECOME -- OVERNIGHT -- SCIENCE FACT.

♪♪

Narrator: THE CAMERAS ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

REVEAL AN ENERGY BEAM STREAKING DOWN TOWARDS EARTH.

IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY FIRED PHASERS.

Narrator: THE IMAGES CAUSED GLOBAL EXCITEMENT.

WHERE DOES THE BEAM HIT? WHAT'S THE TARGET?

Narrator: DECEMBER 5th, 2014.

THE CREW OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

IS CONDUCTING AN EXPERIMENT

TO STUDY THE BEHAVIOR OF FIRE IN MICROGRAVITY.

BUT SOMETHING ELSE IS ABOUT TO CAPTURE THE WORLD'S ATTENTION.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WATCHING THE LIVE VIDEO FEED

FROM THE ISS SEES SOMETHING

EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENING OUTSIDE THE SPACE STATION --

SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A LASER BEAM FIRES INTO SPACE.

THIS IS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF THE MOVIES.

Narrator: THE REMARKABLE FOOTAGE POSES A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.

Orwall: WHERE DOES THE BEAM HIT? WHAT'S THE TARGET?

Narrator: NASA DOES NOT COMMENT ON THE UNUSUAL PHENOMENON.

OF COURSE IT GOES VIRAL ON THE INTERNET.

IT'S ON FACEBOOK, IT'S ON YouTube,

AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

Narrator: SOME OBSERVERS SPECULATE THAT THE FOOTAGE

COULD SHOW SPACE WEAPONRY IN ACTION.

YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A LASER BEAM,

SO IT'S NATURAL TO ASK.

IS THIS SOME SORT OF WEAPON?

Narrator: THE ISS IS HOME TO ONE

OF THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC LABORATORIES.

IT WAS BUILT TO SERVE PEACEFUL PURPOSES.

ADVANCES IN PURE SCIENCE AND ADVANCES

IN MILITARY TECHNOLOGY OFTEN GO HAND-IN-HAND.

AND OF COURSE, THE MAJOR POWERS

ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO PUSH THE FRONTIERS OF SCIENCE

TO TRY TO GAIN A MILITARY EDGE OVER EACH OTHER.

Narrator: IF THE ENERGY BEAM FROM THE ISS

WAS A TEST OF SPACE WEAPONRY, IT WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST.

DURING THE COLD WAR, THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION

LAUNCHED AN AMBITIOUS SCHEME CALLED

THE STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE,

BETTER KNOWN AS "STAR WARS."

THERE WERE IDEAS ABOUT PUTTING LASERS IN SPACE

TO DEFEND AGAINST INCOMING NUCLEAR WARHEADS.

Narrator: IN TESTS, STANDARD OPTICAL LASERS

SUCCESSFULLY SHOT DOWN INCOMING MISSILES,

BUT COULD ONLY INTERCEPT ONE MISSILE AT A TIME.

THE NEXT STEP WAS A MORE ADVANCED LASER USING X-RAYS.

THE LASER FOCUSED BEAMS OF X-RAY RADIATION

FROM A THERMONUCLEAR WARHEAD,

SHOOTING THEM IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS

TO OBLITERATE MULTIPLE TARGETS.

THE SYSTEM HAD THE POTENTIAL

TO NEUTRALIZE THE ENTIRE SOVIET NUCLEAR ARSENAL.

THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS THAT SPACE CAN

FEATURE WEAPONS OF ONE SORT OR ANOTHER.

Narrator: BUT WHILE SPACE WEAPONRY HAS BEEN WITH US FOR DECADES,

DEFENSE EXPERTS POINT OUT THAT THE ISS

IS NOT A SUITABLE LOCATION FOR WEAPONS TESTING.

IF YOU WERE GOING TO TEST A SPACE LASER WEAPON FROM EARTH,

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU AIM IT

AT OR NEAR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,

WHICH HAS CAMERAS RUNNING ALL THE TIME

AND THEREBY REVEAL WHAT YOU'RE DOING?

Narrator: AFTER DAYS OF SPECULATION,

NASA RELEASES A STATEMENT EXPLAINING

THAT THE BEAM EVERYONE SAW WAS A LASER.

BUT IT'S NOT A WEAPON.

IT'S PART OF AN ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

DEVELOPED BY THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY IN CALIFORNIA.

ITS CODE NAME -- OPALS.

Terrile: RIGHT NOW, PRIMARILY WE COMMUNICATE

WITH OUR SPACECRAFT USING RADIO WAVES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE THE INTERNET HAS GROWN --

WE STARTED OFF WITH DIAL-UP, AND NOW WE HAVE BROADBAND.

WE WANT TO DO THE SAME THING WITH OUR SPACECRAFT.

THE WAY YOU ENCODE INFORMATION IS YOU ENCODE IT ON A WAVE.

RADIO WAVES ARE QUITE LARGE.

LIGHT WAVES, HOWEVER, ARE MUCH, MUCH SMALLER.

AND THEREFORE, YOU CAN CODE FAR MORE INFORMATION ON THEM.

SO LIGHT WAVES HAVE THE POTENTIAL

FOR ENCODING FAR MORE INFORMATION.

Narrator: THE OPALS SYSTEM CAN SEND MORE DATA

AT HIGHER SPEEDS,

WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF HD VIDEO.

IN THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL TEST OF THE OPALS SYSTEM,

THE SPACE STATION SENT DOWN A VIDEO

THAT SAID "HELLO, WORLD".

USING TRADITIONAL RADIO WAVES,

THAT VIDEO WOULD'VE TAKEN 10 MINUTES TO DOWNLINK.

BUT USING OPALS, IT TOOK JUST 3 1/2 SECONDS.

Narrator: THE EXPLANATION CALMS FEARS

THAT WE COULD BE ENTERING AN ERA OF SPACE WARFARE

AND OPENS EXCITING POSSIBILITIES

FOR THE FUTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION.

Grazier: THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

WITH THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY,

WE'LL BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE VAST AMOUNTS

OF INFORMATION WITH DEEP SPACE MISSIONS

AND BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE MUCH MORE INFORMATION MUCH MORE RAPIDLY.

THIS IS A GAME CHANGER.

Narrator: MANKIND'S FIRST HESITANT STEPS

INTO SPACE ARE FRAUGHT WITH MANY DANGERS.

AND THERE ARE THINGS IN THE DARKNESS

WHICH MAY YET POSE A THREAT TO US ALL.

IN THE SPACE ABOVE OUR HEADS,

THE DREAMS OF SCIENCE FICTION BECOME REALITY.

AND WITH EACH NEW DISCOVERY,

IT BECOMES CLEARER WE HAVE ONLY BEGUN

TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF WHAT MAY BE OUT THERE.

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS