Original subtitles

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

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.

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.

AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT IS ON A COLLISION COURSE

WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS DEBRIS.

BUT DEBRIS DOESN'T MOVE THAT FAST.

IT COULD HIT YOU WITH THE FORCE OF AN ARTILLERY SHELL.

Narrator: ASTRONAUT CHRIS HADFIELD

TAKES DESPERATE MEASURES AFTER GOING BLIND IN SPACE.

THE LAST THING AN ASTRONAUT WANTS TO DO

IS ACTUALLY PUT A HOLE IN HIS SUIT.

Narrator: AND AN UNKNOWN FORCE DECIMATES THE OUTER REACHES

OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

IT'S SOMETHING BARRELING TOWARDS US,

SOMEDAY MAYBE EVEN HITTING EARTH.

IT'S LIKE SCIENCE FICTION, BUT COMING TRUE.

NASA's MISSIONS HAVE UNCOVERED DISTURBING ANOMALIES...

OKAY. WE'RE SEEIN' THREE OR FOUR OBJECTS.

NOW, THERE ARE, UH, THERE ARE THREE OBJECTS.

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

THESE ARE "NASA's UNEXPLAINED FILES."

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

NASA's RADAR WARNING SYSTEM DETECTS AN OBJECT

ON A COLLISION COURSE

WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

IF THE I.S.S. TAKES A BIG HIT,

THE WHOLE THING IS JUST GONNA BE TORN APART.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL ORDERS AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION.

THIS IS A CASE WHERE YOU JUST DROP EVERYTHING.

Narrator: THE OBJECT IS MOVING AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS

OF 28,000 MILES PER HOUR.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS DEBRIS.

BUT DEBRIS DOESN'T MOVE THAT FAST.

JULY 16, 2015.

AT 6:30 A.M. EASTERN TIME, NASA MISSION CONTROL

RECEIVES A WARNING

THAT AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT IS APPROACHING THE I.S.S.

THERE'S A POTENTIAL OBJECT THAT --

THAT THEY CAN TRACK THAT LOOKS

LIKE IT'S GONNA POKE A HOLE IN OUR SPACESHIP.

IF IT HITS YOU WITH A HIGH SPEED,

IT COULD HIT YOU WITH THE FORCE OF AN ARTILLERY SHELL.

Narrator: THE MYSTERY OBJECT IS ABOUT TO ENTER

THE SPACE STATION'S DANGER ZONE,

AN AREA ASTRONAUTS CALL THE PIZZA BOX.

THE PIZZA BOX IS A 30-BY-30-BY-1 MILE REGION

AROUND THE I.S.S. THAT IS A KEEP-OUT ZONE.

ANYTHING ENTERING THE PIZZA BOX IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY THREAT.

Bowersox: IF AN OBJECT IS GONNA ENTER THAT DANGER ZONE,

THEN THE CREW AND THE GROUND TEAM

TAKE ACTION TO MINIMIZE ANY RISK TO THE CREW AND THE STATION.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL ORDERS THE I.S.S. CREW

TO PREPARE FOR EVASIVE MANEUVERS.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN DO IS MOVE THE SPACE STATION.

THE GROUND CONTROL TEAM

CAN SEND COMMANDS TO THE SPACE STATION

AND ESSENTIALLY DRIVE IT TO HELP US AVOID THAT OBJECT.

Narrator: BUT THE OBJECT IS TRAVELING TOO FAST

FOR THE SPACE STATION TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.

THIS OBJECT IS GOING TO REACH THE SPACE STATION AT 8:01 A.M.

THAT'S LESS THAN AN HOUR AND A HALF AWAY.

THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO MOVE THE SPACE STATION

OUT OF THE OBJECT'S PATH.

Narrator: NASA CLOCKS THE OBJECT

AT AN ASTONISHING 28,000 MILES PER HOUR.

IF IT HITS THE SPACE STATION,

THE EFFECTS WILL BE CATASTROPHIC.

IF IT CONTACTS YOU AT THE RIGHT ANGLE,

IT CAN DO A LOT OF DAMAGE.

IF THE I.S.S. TAKES A BIG HIT,

THE WHOLE THING IS JUST GONNA BE TORN APART.

Narrator: THE NIGHTMARE SCENARIO IS A DIRECT HIT

ON THE COOLING SYSTEM.

THE WAY THE COOLING SYSTEM ON THE I.S.S. WORKS,

IT'S GOT THESE BIG RADIATORS FILLED WITH AMMONIA

THAT RADIATE HEAT OUT INTO SPACE.

IF A RADIATOR IS STRUCK BY A BIG ENOUGH PARTICLE,

THE TUBES

THAT CARRY THE AMMONIA COOLANT WOULD BE RUPTURED,

AND THE AMMONIA WOULD LEAK OUT.

IF IT WERE TO LEAK INSIDE THE SPACE STATION,

IT'D BE CATASTROPHIC.

THAT -- IT'S A POISONOUS SUBSTANCE.

HUMANS CAN'T BREATHE IT.

Narrator: NASA CAN'T RISK THE LIVES OF THE CREW.

MISSION CONTROL ORDERS THEM TO INITIATE FLIGHT RULE B4-101.

THEY MUST PREPARE TO ABANDON SHIP.

Stott: GO TO YOUR SOYUZ. GET OUTTA THERE.

JUST DROP EVERYTHING, LET YOUR TOOLS GO

AND YOU FLOAT QUICKLY TO YOUR ESCAPE VEHICLE.

THE CREW MEMBERS SCRAMBLE INTO THE RUSSIAN BUILT SOYUZ CAPSULE,

WHICH ACTS AS A LIFE BOAT AND EMERGENCY SHELTER.

Stott: IT'S THREE PEOPLE SITTIN' SIDE BY SIDE.

YOU'RE STANDIN' BY FOR A CALL FROM THE GROUND

TO SAY STAY OR GO.

Bowersox: WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING COMING

CLOSE TO THE SPACE STATION,

YOU -- YOU JUST DON'T REALLY BELIEVE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

Narrator: THE CREW BRACES FOR IMPACT.

ALL THEY CAN DO IS WAIT

AS THE SECONDS COUNT DOWN TO 8:01.

[ COUNTDOWN BEEPING ]

THE OBJECT HAS RIPPED PAST THE SPACE STATION,

MISSING IT ONLY BY A MILE AND A HALF.

Narrator: THE CREW OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

LIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.

BUT A MYSTERY REMAINS.

HOW DID A POTENTIALLY LETHAL OBJECT

SLIP THROUGH THE EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS PROTECTING THE STATION?

THE I.S.S. IS PROTECTED

BY THE MOST SOPHISTICATED RADAR SENSING SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.

IT'S VERY RARE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO SLIP BY.

FROM A CREW POINT OF VIEW, WHAT'S FRIGHTENING IS THE FACT

THAT, UM, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE

TO TRACK EVERY SINGLE PARTICLE

THAT MIGHT BE A THREAT TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

SO THERE COULD BE SOMETHING UP THERE

THAT IT CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT.

Narrator: NASA DESCRIBES THE OBJECT

AS A PIECE OF SPACE DEBRIS.

BUT IT WAS MOVING FAR FASTER THAN ANY ORDINARY SPACE JUNK.

TYPICAL SPEED IN LOW EARTH ORBIT IS ABOUT 17,000 MILES PER HOUR.

THIS PIECE OF SPACE JUNK

IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT'S MOVING TWICE AS FAST.

Narrator: NASA SCIENTISTS SPECULATE HOW THE MYSTERY OBJECT

COULD BUILD UP THAT SPEED.

ONE POSSIBILITY IS THE OBJECT

MIGHT HAVE PREVIOUSLY COLLIDED WITH SOMETHING ELSE

AND GAINED SPEED FROM THE RICOCHET.

IN THEORY, IT IS FOR AN OBJECT'S SPEED AND TRAJECTORY

TO CHANGE AFTER A COLLISION.

BUT THE OBJECT THAT HIT IT WOULD HAVE

TO BE GOING EXTREMELY FAST ITSELF.

SO WHAT COULD MAKE THIS KILLER OBJECT BE MOVING THAT QUICKLY?

[ TYPING ]NEWS OF THE CLOSE ENCOUNTER

ATTRACTS THE INTEREST OF THE UFO COMMUNITY.

THEY DRAW ATTENTION TO TWO SPOTS OF BRIGHT LIGHT,

WHICH APPEARED ON THE I.S.S. LIVE FEED

JUST 24 HOURS BEFORE THE NEAR MISS.

THE DAY BEFORE THIS EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE,

TWO OBJECTS

SEEM TO BE KEEPING PACE WITH THE STATION.

THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE TRACKING IT FOR SOME REASON.

IT'S CURIOUS BECAUSE GENERALLY, SPACE DEBRIS

DOESN'T FOLLOW THE I.S.S. IN FORMATION.

THEY CHANGE DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER

AND THE SPACE STATION.

AND THEY START MOVING VERY QUICKLY.

IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE CONTROLLED.

Narrator: NASA DOES NOT COMMENT ON SPECULATION

SURROUNDING THE EVENTS

LEADING TO THE UNPLANNED EMERGENCY MANEUVER OF THE I.S.S.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE'RE GETTING THESE KIND OF, UH,

DEBRIS AVOIDANCE MANEUVERS MORE FREQUENTLY.

Birnes: WHAT IS GOING ON IN ORBITAL SPACE?

ARE THERE SIMPLY TOO MANY THINGS UP THERE?

OR ARE THERE TOO MANY THINGS UP THERE

THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT?

COMING UP, A NASA SPECIAL AGENT SETS UP A $5 MILLION STING

TO RECOVER A MISSING MOON ROCK.

WE HAD CON ARTISTS SELLING BOGUS MOON ROCKS

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND I DECIDED, I'M GONNA GO AFTER THAT.

THE APOLLO MISSIONS BRING BACK THE MOST VALUABLE ROCKS

IN HUMAN HISTORY.

BUT THE PRICELESS ARTIFACTS

GO MISSING UNDER STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE OUR MOON ROCKS ARE.

Narrator: TRACKING DOWN NASA's LOST LEGACY

BECOMES ONE MAN'S QUEST.

I'M NOT GONNA REST

UNTIL WE TRACK THOSE MOON ROCKS DOWN.

THE APOLLO MISSIONS

SPURRED UNPRECEDENTED ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY.

IT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN...

ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.

[ BEEP ]

THE GIANTS OF AMERICAN INDUSTRY

MADE MILLIONS SUPPLYING NASA.

AND SOME TRIED IN OTHER WAYS

TO MAKE MONEY OFF THE BACK OF THE MOON PROGRAM.

JULY 24, 1969.

NEAL ARMSTRONG, BUZZ ALDRIN

AND MICHAEL COLLINS RETURN TO EARTH AFTER MAKING HISTORY.

[ CROWD CHEERING ]

THEY CARRY WITH THEM 50 POUNDS OF MOON ROCK,

THE FIRST OF MORE THAN 2,000 PRECIOUS LUNAR SAMPLES

FROM THE APOLLO PROGRAM.

PRESIDENT NIXON DECIDED AFTER THE FIRST MOON LANDING

AND THE LAST MOON LANDING

THAT HE WOULD GIFT MOON ROCKS

TO 135 NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD

AS WELL AS THE 50 STATES

AND THE U.S. PROPERTIES.

EACH ROCK WAS THEN EMBEDDED IN LUCITE,

MOUNTED TO A PLAQUE WITH THE FLAG OF THE RECIPIENT NATION.

AND THOSE SAMPLES BECAME KNOWN AS THE GOODWILL MOON ROCKS.

THESE LITTLE PIECES OF ROCK

CAN BE WORTH $20,000 PER OUNCE.

SO THE GOODWILL ROCKS, THEY CAN BE WORTH MILLIONS.

Narrator: DESPITE THEIR VALUE, MANY OF THE GOODWILL ROCKS

ARE NOT TREATED AS NATIONAL TREASURES.

ALASKA'S APOLLO 11 MOON ROCK IS LOST IN A FIRE.

1976, DELAWARE'S APOLLO 11 MOON ROCK

IS STOLEN FROM A DISPLAY.

1977, IRELAND'S APOLLO 11 MOON ROCK

IS THROWN AWAY IN A DUMP.

Narrator: THE DISAPPEARANCES SPAWN A SHADOWY ILLEGAL TRADE.

Pearlman: IN THE 1990s,

NASA's INVESTIGATIVE ARM BECAME AWARE

THAT THERE WAS A RASH OF SALES OF FAKE MOON ROCKS.

WE HAD CON ARTISTS SELLING BOGUS MOON ROCKS

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Narrator: NASA ASSIGNS SPECIAL AGENT JOE GUTHEINZ

TO CLAMP DOWN ON THE ILLEGAL TRADE.

I DECIDED, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M SICK AND TIRED OF CON ARTISTS,

UH, FLEECING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR LIFE'S SAVINGS

WITH BOGUS MOON ROCKS AND DUST."

AND I DECIDED, "I'M GONNA GO AFTER THEM."

Narrator: GUTHEINZ GETS AN ABANDONED BUNKER

ON THE NORTH SIDE OF NASA's JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

TO USE AS HIS OPERATIONAL HQ.

HE SPENDS MONTHS CHASING DOWN LEADS.

BUT AFTER ONLY A FEW ARRESTS, HE DECIDES TO CHANGE TACTICS.

I THOUGHT, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE SHOULDN'T BE WAITING FOR THE VICTIMS TO COME TO US.

WE SHOULD REACH OUT

AND HAVE THE CON ARTISTS APPROACH US DIRECTLY."

I PUT AN AD IN U.S.A. TODAY,

TITLED "MOON ROCKS WANTED."

AND I BASICALLY DIRECTED THE CON ARTISTS TO COME TO ME.

Narrator: ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, GUTHEINZ GETS A BITE.

GUTHEINZ GETS A CALL FROM ALAN ROSEN,

A MIAMI BUSINESSMAN

WHO SAYS HE HAS A REAL MOON ROCK TO SELL.

GUTHEINZ IS OBVIOUSLY SKEPTICAL,

AND SAYS, "WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE?"

HE DIRECTED ME TO A WEB PAGE ADDRESS.

AND ON THAT WEB PAGE ADDRESS WAS A 10-BY-14-INCH PLAQUE

WITH A LUCITE BALL,

A THE FLAG OF THE RECIPIENT COUNTRIES.

AND I IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THAT

AS A POSSIBLE APOLLO 17 GOODWILL GIFT.

THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

WE WEREN'T DEALING WITH A CON ARTIST SELLING US DIRT.

WE WERE DEALING WITH A SELLER SELLING US THE THE REAL THING.

A MOON ROCK.

IT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

Narrator: GUTHEINZ MUST PLAN HIS NEXT MOVE CAREFULLY

TO PREVENT ROSEN FROM GOING UNDERGROUND

AND TAKING THE MOON ROCK WITH HIM.

I DECIDE, WE'RE GONNA SET UP A MEETING.

AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO BRING OUT THE MOON ROCK

SO THAT WE COULD SEE IT AND SEIZE IT.

Narrator: KNOWING THAT THE SELLER IS LIKELY TO BE WARY

OF A STING, HE CREATES A BACKSTORY

THAT MAKES HIM SEEM LIKE A GENUINE BUYER.

I CREATED A FICTITIOUS COMPANY.

WE CALLED IT "JOHN'S ESTATE SALES."

I BROUGHT IN A, UH, POSTAL INSPECTOR

BY THE NAME OF BOB CREGGER.

AND I MADE HIM THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY, JOHN MARTA.

I TOOK ON THE UNDERCOVER NAME OF TONY CORIASSO.

AND I BECAME THE CHIEF SALESMAN OF THE COMPANY.

Pearlman: HE AND CREGGER, AS THEIR ALTER-EGOS,

SET UP A MEETING WITH ALAN ROSEN

TO INSPECT THIS MOON ROCK

AND, FROM ROSEN'S PERSPECTIVE, SEAL THE DEAL.

Narrator: GUTHEINZ AND HIS PARTNER ARRIVE AT THE RESTAURANT

AND WAIT FOR THEIR CONTACT.

I WAS WEARING A LOOSE JACKET WITH, UH,

WITH MY GUN TUCKED INTO MY BELT IN THE BACK.

Narrator: ROSEN ARRIVES ALMOST AN HOUR LATER.

HE IMMEDIATELY GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS.

ALAN ROSEN TELLS ME HE WANTS $5 MILLION

FOR THE MOON ROCK.

THERE WAS ONE PROBLEM -- WE DIDN'T HAVE $5 MILLION.

ROSEN WAS NOT GONNA GO AHEAD WITH THE DEAL.

HE WAS NOT GONNA DO IT UNLESS WE HAD PROOF

THAT WE HAD HIS ASKING PRICE.

Narrator: THE MOON ROCK IS SLIPPING THROUGH HIS FINGERS.

GUTHEINZ NEEDS TO FIND THE MONEY, AND FAST.

Gutheinz: GETTING THE $5 MILLION WAS A PROBLEM.

I'LL ASK NASA.

NASA DIDN'T HAVE THE $5 MILLION.

WE'LL ASK DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE $5 MILLION.

Narrator: WHAT GUTHEINZ NEEDS IS A FINANCIAL BACKER.

SOMEONE WITH DEEP POCKETS

WHO'D BE WILLING TO FRONT HIM THE CASH FOR NO REWARD,

OTHER THAN PATRIOTIC DUTY.

HE TURNS TO TWO-TIME PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

AND BILLIONAIRE, ROSS PEROT.

WITH TIME RUNNING OUT, GUTHEINZ PICKS UP THE PHONE.

[ PHONE RINGS ]

AT FIRST, THE ONLY RESPONSE HE GETS

IS A PROMISE FROM A SECRETARY TO PASS ON THE MESSAGE TO PEROT.

[ PHONE RINGS ]JUST AS HE'S GETTING READY

TO GIVE UP ON THE MONEY, JOE GETS A CALL.

THE PHONE RINGS. I PICK UP THE PHONE.

HE SAYS, "HELLO, JOE.

THIS IS ROSS PEROT.

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?"

I SAID, "UH,

WE WOULD LOVE TO GET $5 MILLION FROM YOU

IN ORDER TO, UM,

GET A MOON ROCK BACK IN A STING OPERATION."

"NO PROBLEM, JOE. GLAD TO HELP."

Narrator: WITHIN A FEW HOURS, PEROT

TRANSFERS THE MONEY INTO GUTHEINZ'S ACCOUNT,

TURNING HIM INTO A MILLIONAIRE OVER NIGHT.

A PRINTED BANK BALANCE GIVES HIM THE PROOF

HE NEEDS TO SHOW HE'S A GENUINE BUYER.

WHEN HE REQUESTS A SECOND MEETING WITH ROSEN

TO DISCUSS THE DEAL, THE SELLER

SUGGESTS THEY MEET AT A BANK VAULT.

ROSEN GOES INTO THE BANK.

HE MEETS WITH THE ALLEGED BANK OFFICIAL,

WHO'S REALLY A CUSTOMS AGENT.

THE CUSTOMS AGENT TAKES HIM INTO THE VAULT

AND OPENS UP A CONTAINER.

AND IN THAT CONTAINER IS THE MOON ROCK.

Narrator: AGENTS FROM THE U.S. CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT

PUT ROSEN UNDER ARREST.

GAME OVER. WE WIN.

Narrator: THE MOON ROCK HE WAS TRYING TO SELL

IS STILL IN ITS ORIGINAL PRESENTATION CASE.

EXAMINING THE ROCK, NASA

DETERMINES IT'S THE APOLLO 17 GOODWILL MOON ROCK

THAT WAS PRESENTED TO HONDURAS IN 1973.

Narrator: ROSEN BOUGHT THE ROCK

FROM A RETIRED HONDURAN ARMY OFFICER

AFTER IT MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED

FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.

AFTER A LENGTHY COURT CASE,

THE MOON ROCK WAS RETURNED TO THE PEOPLE OF HONDURAS.

Narrator: A U.S. DISTRICT COURT FINDS THAT ALAN ROSEN'S ATTEMPT

TO SELL THE ROCK WAS NOT ILLEGAL,

AND HE FACES NO CHARGES.

TODAY, JOE GUTHEINZ

CONTINUES TO HUNT FOR THE GOODWILL MOON ROCKS.

Gutheinz: THERE ARE 158 MOON ROCKS

THAT WE GAVE AWAY TO THE NATIONS

OF THE WORLD THAT ARE STILL MISSING.

AND I'M NOT GONNA GIVE UP UNTIL I FIND THOSE.

COMING UP, CHRIS HADFIELD

LOSES VISION IN BOTH EYES

ON HIS FIRST SPACE WALK.

IT RENDERED HIM BLIND OUTSIDE THE SPACE STATION,

FLOATING IN SPACE.

ASTRONAUT CHRIS HADFIELD

STEPS INTO THE VACUUM OF SPACE ON HIS FIRST SPACE WALK.

MOMENTS AFTER LEAVING THE SPACE STATION,

HE LOSES VISION. -THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED.

WE'VE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO AN ASTRONAUT BEFORE.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL IS POWERLESS TO HELP.

WHEN YOU'RE ON A SPACE WALK, UH,

YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH DEPENDENT ON YOURSELF.

IT'S VERY SIMPLE.

IF YOU LOSE YOUR COOL, YOU DIE.

Narrator: APRIL 22, 2001.

THE CREW OF THE I.S.S. IS 3 DAYS INTO MISSION 6A.

CHRIS HADFIELD IS PREPARING TO WALK IN SPACE

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS ASTRONAUT CAREER.

THESE WERE THE RELATIVELY EARLY DAYS

OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PROGRAM.

AND WE WERE AT THE STAGE OF MAJOR ASSEMBLY,

WHICH MEANT A LOT OF SPACE WALKS WERE GONNA BE REQUIRED.

CHRIS ISN'T A CELEBRITY JUST YET.

NOBODY HAS SEEN HIM SINGING DAVID BOWIE SONGS

OR HIS FUNNY LITTLE SCIENCE PROJECTS.

THE WATER SORT OF HAS IT STICK TO MY HAND.

Narrator: HADFIELD'S JOB IS TO INSTALL

THE COMPONENT CALLED THE CANADARM2.

THIS BIG ROBOTIC ARM... IT'S, LIKE, A BIG, WHITE CRANE.

WE COULD NOT HAVE BUILT THE SPACE STATION

OR DONE A LOT OF THE --

THE SPACE WALKS THAT WE HAVE HAD TO DO

AND WILL DO WITHOUT THAT ARM.

Narrator: HADFIELD IS ABOUT TO MAKE

A PIECE OF NATIONAL HISTORY

AS THE FIRST CANADIAN TO LEAVE A SPACECRAFT.

Major: THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A SPACE WALK.

THAT IS THE -- THE PINNACLE

OF ALMOST EVERY ASTRONAUT'S EXPERIENCE.

THEY'RE FLOATING 260 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH

AT 17,500 MILES AN HOUR.

YOU'RE ANXIOUS. YOU'RE EXCITED.

BUT THE THING THAT REALLY IS GOIN' THROUGH YOUR HEAD

IS, "I KNOW I HAVE THESE THINGS TO DO OUT THERE.

I WANNA MAKE SURE I DO 'EM RIGHT."

Narrator: WITHIN MOMENTS OF BEGINNING IS E.V.A.,

HADFIELD IS IN TROUBLE.

HE GETS THIS SUDDEN BURST OF PAIN IN HIS LEFT EYE,

AND TEARS START TO FLOW.

Narrator: THE ASTRONAUT ATTEMPTS TO PUSH THROUGH THE PAIN

AND KEEP WORKING.

BUT THE SITUATION GETS WORSE.

IN MICROGRAVITY, TEARS DON'T FALL.

THEY DON'T RUN DOWN YOUR FACE LIKE THEY DO HERE ON EARTH.

IT JUST FORMED A BALL OF MOISTURE AND LIQUID

ON HIS EYE.

Narrator: HIS LEFT EYE IS BLIND AND SNAPPED SHUT.

AND THE PROBLEM IS SPREADING.

IT RAN ACROSS HIS NOSE AND WENT INTO HIS OTHER EYE

AND JUST RENDERED HIM BLIND OUTSIDE THE SPACE STATION,

FLOATING IN SPACE.

Narrator: TRAPPED INSIDE HIS OWN SUIT,

HADFIELD IS POWERLESS TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

WHEN YOU'RE OUT ON A SPACE WALK, IN YOUR SPACE SUIT, YOU --

YOU CAN'T REACH UP AND JUST WIPE YOUR EYE

IF SOMETHING GETS INTO IT.

Narrator: HADFIELD CONTACTS MISSION CONTROL IN HOUSTON.

TECHNICIANS IMMEDIATELY START TO BRAINSTORM

WHAT COULD BE GOING WRONG.

SO ONE OF THE FIRST THOUGHTS OF WHAT COULD CAUSE

THIS EYE IRRITATION WAS POSSIBLY

LITHIUM HYDROXIDE, WHICH IS A CHEMICAL

THAT WE USE AS PART OF THE SUIT

TO SCRUB THE CARBON DIOXIDE OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

Narrator: LEAKS OF THIS HIGHLY CAUSTIC CHEMICAL

HAVE CAUSED PROBLEMS ON PREVIOUS NASA MISSIONS.

DURING GEMINI 10 IN 1966, UH,

JOHN YOUNG AND MIKE COLLINS DID HAVE THIS PROBLEM

WHERE LITHIUM HYDROXIDE DID GET INTO THEIR HELMETS.

AND THEY HAD TO TERMINATE THE E.V.A. EARLY.

Narrator: NASA TECHNICIANS FEAR THE SITUATION COULD GET WORSE

UNLESS THE ASTRONAUT TAKES IMMEDIATE ACTION.

LITHIUM HYDROXIDE IS A VERY CAUSTIC CHEMICAL.

AND SO IF IT GETS INTO THE SUIT ENVIRONMENTS,

IT'S CAUSE FOR GREAT CONCERN.

Narrator: IF THE SUBSTANCE REACHES THE LUNGS,

IT COULD CAUSE VIOLENT CHOKING AND EVENTUAL SUFFOCATION.

MISSION CONTROL ORDERS HADFIELD TO OPEN HIS SUIT

TO THE VACUUM OF SPACE

IN AN ATTEMPT TO FLUSH OUT THE DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE.

THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A NORMAL PROCEDURE.

THE LAST THING AN ASTRONAUT WANTS TO DO

IS ACTUALLY PUT A HOLE IN HIS SUIT.

HE STILL CAN'T SEE. AND HE HAS HIS VENT, HIS OXYGEN,

GOING OUT TO SPACE.

AND I THINK IS JUST HOPING

THAT THIS VENT TO SPACE WILL WORK FOR HIM.

Narrator: AFTER 30 MINUTES OF BLINDNESS AND PAIN,

THE EMERGENCY VENT APPEARS TO WORK.

HADFIELD'S VISION RETURNS.

INCREDIBLY, HE THEN CONTINUES WITH HIS ASSIGNED TASK,

WORKING NONSTOP OUTSIDE THE SPACE STATION

FOR ALMOST 8 HOURS.

THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF HOW ASTRONAUTS ARE.

WE'RE -- WE'RE NEVER QUITTERS.

WE WANNA GET THE JOB DONE.

AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP GOING.

ASTRONAUTS, BY THEIR NATURE,

HAVE TO SUPPRESS THEIR FEAR

BECAUSE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS INHERENTLY SCARY.

NASA CONDUCTS AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT.

THERE IS NO SIGN OF THE LITHIUM HYDROXIDE LEAK

THEY'D SUSPECTED.

SO THEY LOOK FOR OTHER CAUSES.

THEY FIRST INVESTIGATE A MEDICAL CONDITION CAUSED

BY LOW GRAVITY, KNOWN AS PAPILLEDEMA.

PAPILLEDEMA, AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS

THAT WE'VE SEEN, COULD BE CAUSED

BY ELEVATED LEVELS OF INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE,

OR THE PRESSURE INSIDE OF YOUR HEAD.

Narrator: PAPILLEDEMA CAN CAUSE PAIN AND TEARS.

BUT THE SYMPTOMS TAKE SEVERAL HOURS TO MANIFEST.

HADFIELD'S BLINDNESS STRUCK WITHIN SECONDS.

EVENTUALLY, NASA's INVESTIGATION

ARRIVES AT A SIMPLER EXPLANATION.

THEY WERE GOING OVER ALL THE POSSIBILITIES

AT MISSION CONTROL

WHEN CAPCOM SAID,

"CHRIS, DID YOU REMEMBER TO USE YOUR ANTI-FOG STUFF?

WE DON'T THINK YOU USED IT PROPERLY.

ARE YOU SURE YOU GOT IT ALL OFF?"

JUST LIKE WHEN YOU GO OUT AND GO SCUBA DIVING,

YOU USE A LITTLE SOAP OR SPIT TO CLEAN YOUR MASK

TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS CLEAR AND DOESN'T FOG UP.

WE DO THE SAME THING. WE HAVE A --

A DETERGENT SOLUTION

THAT WE RUB ON THE INSIDE OF THE VISOR.

AND AS IT TURNED OUT, THERE WAS JUST A LITTLE RESIDUE OF SOAP.

AND SO CHRIS GOT SOAP IN HIS EYE.

Narrator: THE EXPLANATION SOLVES THE MYSTERY

OF HADFIELD'S SUDDEN SPACE BLINDNESS.

BUT IT DOESN'T IMPRESS THE ASTRONAUT HIMSELF.

HE SAID, "REALLY? WE'RE USING DETERGENT?

NO MORE TEARS WASN'T AN OPTION?"

STILL TO COME...

MYSTERIOUS ORBS OF LIGHT APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE

AND ENTER PEOPLE'S HOMES.

IT MOVED TOWARDS HER. SHE SCREAMED.

AND IT EXPLODED.

[ THUNDER RUMBLING ]

ALL OVER THE WORLD, WITNESSES REPORT TERRIFYING ENCOUNTERS

WITH EERIE SPHERES OF GLOWING LIGHT.

THEY APPEAR OUT OF THIN AIR.

THEY SEEM TO MOVE PRETTY MUCH AT RANDOM.

AND THEY'RE DANGEROUS.

Narrator: THEY SEEM TO DEFY THE LAWS OF NATURE.

IT CAN EVEN PASS THROUGH SOLID OBJECTS.

Narrator: A NASA SCIENTIST INVESTIGATES.

THEY KIND OF LOOK LIKE LIGHTNING.

BUT THEY DON'T ACT LIKE LIGHTNING.

SO WHAT COULD THEY BE?

[ THUNDER CRASHES ]

MARCH 19, 1963.

EASTERN AIRLINES FLIGHT 539

ENCOUNTERS A VIOLENT THUNDERSTORM

AS IT NEARS THE AIRSPACE OF NEW YORK CITY.

THIS IS NO ORDINARY STORM.

A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR OF ELECTRONICS

WAS FLYING ON AN INTERNAL FLIGHT OVER THE UNITED STATES.

HE HEARD A LOUD CRASH.[ CRASHING ]

AND IMMEDIATELY, A BLUE BALL ABOUT THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL

APPEARED IN FRONT OF HIM,

TRAVELING PAST HIM

ALL THE WAY DOWN THE FUSELAGE,

AND PASSED THE AIR STEWARDESS

WHERE IT DISAPPEARED WITH A LOUD EXPLOSION.

[ CRASHING SOUND ]

Narrator: THIS STRANGE ENCOUNTER IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE

OF THE PHENOMENON SCIENTISTS CALL BALL LIGHTNING.

[ CRASHING ]

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REPORTING THIS PHENOMENON FOR CENTURIES.

THERE MUST BE THOUSANDS OF WITNESSES,

BUT WE STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

Narrator: THE TERRIFYING SPHERES CAN STRIKE IN ANY CONDITION

WITHOUT WARNING.

A VERY INTERESTING BALL LIGHTNING CASE

THAT I INVESTIGATED TOOK PLACE IN 1975 IN THE WEST MIDLANDS.

Narrator: THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND,

WAS IN THE GRIP OF A FIERCE LIGHTNING STORM

WHEN ONE OF THE BALLS APPEARED INSIDE A HOUSE.

A LADY WAS IN THE KITCHEN OF HER HOME.

SUDDENLY, A BALL APPEARED IN FRONT OF HER

ABOUT 4 INCHES, 5 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

IT MOVED TOWARDS HER. SHE SCREAMED

AND INSTINCTIVELY BRUSHED THE BALL AWAY WITH HER HAND.

AND IT EXPLODED.

Narrator: THE STRANGE GLOWING ORB INFLICTS SEVERE BURNS,

THEN MAKES A SOUND LIKE A GUNSHOT AS IT VANISHES.

WHEN SHE EXAMINED HER CLOTHING, SHE REALIZED THERE WAS A HOLE

THAT HAD BEEN MADE IN HER TIGHTS

AND IN HER DRESS.

AFTER CENTURIES OF SPECULATION, A NASA SCIENTIST

UNDERTAKES THE FIRST SERIOUS INVESTIGATION

INTO BALL LIGHTNING.

WARREN RAYLE CARRIED OUT A SYSTEMATIC STUDY

BY COLLECTING REPORTS OF BALL LIGHTNING

FROM EMPLOYEES OF ONE OF THE NASA LABORATORIES.

HE WAS QUITE SURPRISED TO FIND

HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE SAID THEY'D SEEN BALL LIGHTNING.

Narrator: THE DATA LEADS RAYLE TO SOME INTRIGUING OBSERVATIONS.

RAYLE FINDS THAT THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF BALL LIGHTNING.

ONE THAT'S FORMED CLOSED TO THE GROUND AND STAYS THERE.

THE SECOND IS FORMED UP IN THE AIR

AND SLOWLY DRIFTS AROUND.

Narrator: DESPITE COLLECTING HUNDREDS OF EYEWITNESS REPORTS,

RAYLE IS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN THE NATURE OF THESE STRANGE ORBS.

THE PROBLEM WITH BALL LIGHTNING IS THAT FOR A LONG TIME,

THE ONLY EVIDENCE WE HAD IS HUMAN OBSERVATIONS.

AND IN SCIENCE, A HUMAN OBSERVATION

IS JUST NOT RIGOROUS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN INSTRUMENT MEASUREMENT.

PART OF THE REASON IT'S SO DIFFICULT

TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT BALL LIGHTNING IS,

IS BECAUSE IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO CAPTURE IT ON CAMERA.

Narrator: IN 2012, A CHANCE ENCOUNTER IN QINGHAI, CHINA,

SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON THE CENTURIES-OLD MYSTERY

OF BALL LIGHTNING.

Genge: CHINESE SCIENTISTS ARE RECORDING A THUNDERSTORM

USING A SPECTROMETER.

THEY'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE BALL LIGHTNING.

IT SEEMED TO BE ABOUT 15 FEET ACROSS.

AND IT TRAVELED A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 45 FEET.

Narrator: IT'S THE FIRST TIME SCIENTISTS

HAVE ENCOUNTERED BALL LIGHTNING

WITH THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT TO ANALYZE IT.

Stenhoff: THEY WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A SPECTRUM FROM THIS,

WHICH GAVE THEM SOME INDICATION

OF THE ELEMENTS THAT WERE PRESENT,

ELEMENTS CONSISTENT WITH MATERIAL FOUND IN ORDINARY SOIL.

[ WIND WHISTLING ]

THE ANALYSIS REVEALS THE BALL OF LIGHTNING CONTAINS

TRACES OF SILICONE, CALCIUM, AND IRON.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE. WE KNOW WHAT IT'S MADE OF.

Narrator: THIS AMAZING DISCOVERY

PROVIDES THE FIRST CONCRETE EVIDENCE

OF THE WEIRD GLOWING BALL'S COMPOSITION.

SO THIS SEEMS TO PROVE

THAT AT LEAST THIS KIND OF BALL LIGHTNING

IS PRODUCED BY LIGHTNING HITTING THE GROUND,

VAPORIZING ROCK AND SOIL TO PRODUCE THESE ELEMENTS.

WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES THE GROUND,

SOME OF THE MATERIAL IN THE GROUND BECOMES IONIZED.

Narrator: THE ATOMS AND PARTICLES

OF SOIL THROWN INTO THE AIR BY THE LIGHTNING STRIKE

HAVE THEIR ELECTRONS STRIPPED AWAY.

THESE TINY BITS OF DIRT BECOME POSITIVELY CHARGED.

SO IT'S GONNA DRAW ANY ELECTRONS IN THE AREA TO IT.

AND WHEN THOSE ELECTRONS RECOMBINE WITH THAT ION,

LIGHT WILL BE EMITTED.

Narrator: IT'S THIS BREAKING AND REFORMING OF PARTICLES

BY A LIGHTNING STRIKE

THAT CREATES THE STRANGE GLOWING BALLS.

IT'S A COMPELLING THEORY,

BUT IT DOESN'T EXPLAIN SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS SIGHTINGS.

Stenhoff: WHILE THIS MIGHT WORK AS AN EXPLANATION

FOR BALL LIGHTNING THAT'S SEEN IN THE OPEN AIR,

IT DOESN'T WORK VERY WELL

WHEN YOU TRY TO EXPLAIN BALL LIGHTNING WITHIN A BUILDING

OR SEEN WITHIN AN AIRCRAFT.

SOME OF THESE GLOWING BALLS ARE APPEARING IN CLEAR SKIES.

NO THUNDER OR LIGHTNING.

SO THEY CAN'T BE MADE FROM LIGHTNING.

SOMETHING ELSE MUST BE HAPPENING.

Narrator: IT SEEMS THAT, FOR NOW,

THE ENIGMA OF BALL LIGHTNING INDOORS.

Stenhoff: THE FACT THAT BALL LIGHTNING HAS BEEN STUDIED

FOR NEARLY 200 YEARS

AND THERE'S STILL NO REAL SOLUTION

TO WHAT IT MIGHT BE MAKES IT ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING MYSTERIES

OF SCIENCE.

UP NEXT...

SOMETHING IS TEARING A HOLE IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

THERE ARE FORCES AT WORK HERE.

AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS HAPPENING.

SCIENTISTS DETECT SIGNS OF A DESTRUCTIVE FORCE

ON THE FRINGES OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

IT APPEARS MASSIVE ENOUGH TO CAUSE DAMAGE.

IT'S GOING AROUND THE SUN,

STIRRING UP THIS REGION, TURNING IT INTO DUST.

Narrator: DID ANCIENT ASTRONOMERS PREDICT ITS COMING?

IT'S LIKE SCIENCE FICTION, BUT COMING TRUE.

AUGUST 30, 1992.

SCIENTISTS AT THE MAUNA KEA OBSERVATORY IN HAWAII

DISCOVER AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT

BEYOND THE KNOWN LIMITS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

BEFORE 1992, WE HADN'T FOUND ANYTHING PAST PLUTO.

AND WE HADN'T EXPECTED ANYTHING TO BE THERE.

Narrator: ANOTHER DISCOVERY SOON FOLLOWS.

THEN ANOTHER,

UNTIL SCIENTISTS REALIZE THEY ARE LOOKING AT MILLIONS

OF OBJECTS IN THE OUTER REACHES OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

WE START TO SEE THESE ENORMOUS POPULATIONS OF OBJECTS.

THIS VAST RESERVOIR.

THESE ICY OBJECTS MAKE UP A BAND AROUND 2 BILLION MILES DEEP,

KNOWN AS THE KUIPER BELT.

THEY MAY OFFER CLUES ABOUT HOW THE SOLAR SYSTEM BEGAN.

THESE ARE PRIMORDIAL PIECES

THAT TELL US ABOUT THE COMPOSITION

AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE MATERIAL

FROM WHICH OUR SOLAR SYSTEM FORMED.

THIS BELT OF ROCKY OBJECTS REPRESENTS THE LEFTOVERS

OF THE BIRTH OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

Narrator: BUT AS ASTRONOMERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

LOOK DEEPER INTO THIS GIANT ASTEROID BELT,

THEY DISCOVER SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED.

JUST A YOU'RE COMING TO THE PART OF THE KUIPER BELT

THAT HAS THE MOST MATERIAL, IT STOPS.

IT ENDS. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE BEYOND IT.

THERE SHOULD BE AN ENORMOUS RESERVOIR OF MATERIAL

AS YOU GO FATHER OUT.

AND IT'S JUST NOT THERE.

Narrator: EVERYTHING WE KNOW TELLS US

THAT THE VAST RING OF ROCKS SHOULD EXTEND DEEP INTO SPACE.

BUT INSTEAD, IT STOPS DEAD LIKE A CLIFF EDGE

WITH TOTAL EMPTINESS BEYOND.

NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN IT. THERE SHOULD BE

LOADS OF ASTEROIDS HERE, BUT THERE'S NOT.

WHY DID IT JUST STOP SO SUDDENLY?

Narrator: PERHAPS THE MOST INTRIGUING THEORY

TO EXPLAIN THE PURE EMPTINESS

IS THAT SOMETHING VAST

AND INVISIBLE HAS CLEARED THE AREA.

THERE COULD BE ANOTHER PLANET OUT THERE

UP TO 20 TIMES THE SIZE OF THE EARTH.

Narrator: ASTRONOMERS CALL IT PLANET X.

THERE HAVE BEEN SPECULATIONS ALWAYS

THAT THERE'S A PLANET X OUT THERE

THAT IS SCULPTING THE KUIPER BELT FROM THE OUTSIDE.

THE GRAVITATIONAL PUSHES AND PULLS FROM THIS PLANET

ARE KIND OF LIKE A BROOM SWEEPING THIS MATERIAL,

PUSHING IT TOGETHER

AND CAUSING IT TO COLLIDE, GRIND DOWN.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 10th PLANET

IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

IT'S LIKE SCIENCE FICTION, BUT COMING TRUE.

[ EERIE THEME MUSIC PLAYING ]

PLANET X, AN UNKNOWN WORLD AT THE EDGE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,

IS A SCIENCE FICTION STAPLE.

[ WOMAN SCREAMS ]

BUT THE IDEA OF THE INVISIBLE PLANET

GOES BACK TO THE VERY EARLIEST DAYS OF ASTRONOMY.

OVER AND OVER AGAIN, PEOPLE HAVE HYPOTHESIZED

THAT THERE WERE MORE THAN JUST THE PLANETS

THAT WE KNOW OF TODAY.

IN FACT, YOU CAN EVEN TO BACK TO THE TIME OF THE BABYLONIANS

WHEN THEY POSITED THE IDEA

THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME 12th PLANET

OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM ON SOME STRANGE ORBIT.

A DISTANT PLANET OUT THERE

THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SEE YET,

BARRELING TOWARDS US.

SOMEDAY MAYBE EVEN HITTING EARTH.

Narrator: TODAY, ASTRONOMERS CAN ACCESS THE LATEST DATA

FROM INFRARED OBSERVATORIES IN SPACE PROBES

IN THE SEARCH FOR PLANET X.

THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED

IN TRYING TO FIND MATERIAL

IN THE VERY DISTANT PARTS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

WE SEE STRANGE EVIDENCE

THAT INDICATES THERE'S SOME HIDDEN MYSTERY OUT THERE.

MAYBE IT'S A PLANET X.

Narrator: IN 2016,

COMPUTER MODELING BY ASTRONOMERS AT CALTECH

PROVIDES THE STRONGEST EVIDENCE YET

OF AN UNSEEN PLANET LURKING AT THE OUTER EDGE

OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

BUT TO DATE, NO ONE HAS LOCATED PLANET X.

MAYBE IT'S TOO DARK.

MAYBE WE HAVEN'T LOOKED IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

MAYBE IT'S VERY DENSE AND SMALL.

Narrator: THE SEARCH CONTINUES.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

IN 2006, NASA LAUNCHES THE NEW HORIZONS PROBE

TO ANSWER SOME OF THE MYSTERIES OF THE OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM.

ITS 3 BILLION MILE JOURNEY LASTS MORE THAN A DECADE.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR SOMETHING THE SIZE OF A PLANET

TO REMAIN UNDETECTED FOR ALL THESE YEARS?

OF COURSE IT IS. THE SKY IS ENORMOUS.

THE PLACES THAT SUCH A PLANET COULD BE HIDING ARE VAST.

Narrator: ON AUGUST 28, 2015,

NEW HORIZONS GETS A NEW TARGET.

HUBBLE TELESCOPE IMAGES INDICATE THE PRESENCE

OF AN UNKNOWN OBJECT DEEP WITHIN THE KUIPER BELT.

NEW HORIZONS SHOULD MAKE CONTACT SOMETIME IN 2019.

WE'VE ONLY JUST STARTED EXPLORING THE KUIPER BELT.

WE STILL DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT OUT THERE.

STILL TO COME...

MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSIONS TURN NIGHT

INTO DAY IN THE SKIES OVER RUSSIA.

SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENED.

THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A NATURAL CAUSE.

[ DISTORTED SHOUTING ]

A HUGE FLASH LIGHTS UP THE SKIES

ABOVE A HIGHLY RESTRICTED AREA IN CENTRAL RUSSIA.

THIS HUGE EXPLOSION COVERS HALF OF THE SKY IN FRONT OF THEM.

Narrator: DASH CAM FOOTAGE OF THE TERRIFYING INCIDENT

BECOMES AN ONLINE SENSATION.

IT SCARED SO MANY RUSSIANS.

YOU COULD HEARD THEM SCREAMING AND WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES JUST DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

NOVEMBER 14, 2014.

THE NIGHT SKIES

OVER RUSSIA'S REMOTE SVERDLOVSK REGION EXPLODE INTO LIGHT.

PEOPLE WITNESS AN ENORMOUS BURST OF ORANGE LIGHT

THAT TURNS NIGHT INTO DAY.

THEY SEE THIS HUGE EXPLOSION ON THE HORIZON

THAT COVERS HALF OF THE SKY IN FRONT OF THEM.

Narrator: ON A HIGHWAY JUST OUTSIDE

THE SMALL INDUSTRIAL TOWN OF REZH,

A RUSSIAN MOTORIST CAPTURES THE EVENT ON HIS DASH CAM.

THIS TIME, WE HAVE ACTUAL FOOTAGE OF THIS

GOING ON OVER RUSSIA AND THE URALS.

IT SCARED SO MANY RUSSIANS.

AND THEY TOOK A LOT OF PICTURES OF IT.

[ PEOPLE SHOUTING, CLAMORING ]

YOU COULD HEAR THEM SCREAMING AND WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THIS HUGE ORANGE AND YELLOW FIREBALL...

IT'S VERY LARGE, VERY BIG.

AND THEN, IT IMMEDIATELY DISBURSES TO NOTHING.

Narrator: WORD OF THE EVENT QUICKLY SPREADS.

A HUGE ORANGE LIGHT OVER RUSSIA

IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

THE SVERDLOVSK REGION IS AN AREA

ABOUT THE SIZE OF NEBRASKA DEEP IN THE RUSSIAN INTERIOR.

DURING THE COLD WAR,

THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES MADE IT TOTALLY OFF-LIMITS TO FOREIGNERS

TO PROTECT THE MILITARY SECRETS HIDDEN THERE.

IT WAS SO REMOTE, SO FAR FROM ANYTHING,

THAT YOU COULD TEST WEAPONS OF ANY KIND OUT THERE,

INCLUDING BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.

Narrator: NO OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

FOR THE STRANGE LIGHTS COMES OUT OF RUSSIA.

McGaha: THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES REFUSED TO COMMENT ON IT.

THEY JUST DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT.

Narrator: MANY LOCALS BELIEVE THE INCREDIBLE LIGHT SHOW

WAS EVIDENCE OF A METEOR STRIKE.

METEORITES ENTER THE ATMOSPHERE AT A TREMENDOUS SPEED.

THEY BURN UP AND CAN EXPLODE INTO A GIANT FIREBALL.

THE TOWN OF CHELYABINSK,

SITE OF A DEVASTATING METEOR EXPLOSION IN 2013,

IS ONLY 100 MILES AWAY.

A 20-METER METEOR STREAKED ACROSS THE SKY

AT A VERY LOW GRAZING ANGLE

AND EXPLODED WITH 25 TIMES THE EXPLOSION

THAT DEVASTATED HIROSHIMA AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II.

[ SHATTERING ]

Narrator: MANY OF THE SVERDLOVSK LOCALS

HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAUGHT IN THE BLAST.

IT BLEW OUT WINDOWS IN OVER 7,200 OFFICE BUILDINGS

IN SIX NEARBY CITIES.

[ SHATTERING ]

Narrator: NO SHOCKWAVE ACCOMPANIES

THE BIZARRE LIGHT SHOW OVER SVERDLOVSK.

BUT SOME BELIEVE IT IS ANOTHER METEOR

BURNING UP IN EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.

McGaha: IT IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF A METEOR FIREBALL.

IT'S ABOVE THE CLOUDS, SO YOU DON'T SEE THE METEOR.

YOU JUST SEE THE LIGHT.

Garvie: IT'S NOT SURPRISING

TO SEE A FLASH IN THE SKY FROM AN INCOMING METEOR.

WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 78,000 TONS OF MATERIAL

HITTING THE EARTH EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

Narrator: BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE METEOR THEORY.

I WOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED SUCH A DEEP RED, ORANGE COLOR.

METEORITES TYPICALLY EXPLODE WHITE, NOT ORANGE.

SO SOMETHING ELSE IS PROBABLY GOING ON HERE.

Narrator: WHEN FOOTAGE OF THE LIGHT FLASH GOES VIRAL,

ONLINE COMMENTATORS

SUGGEST IT COULD BE AN EXPLOSION FROM AN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT.

ONE LOCAL SITE SUGGESTED THAT THERE'S AN OLD CHEMICAL PLANT

NEARBY THAT COULD HAVE EXPLODED.

IF YOU HAVE A CHEMICAL PLANT THAT EXPLODES,

IT DEFINITELY COULD LOOK THAT BIG AND THAT YELLOW

AND THAT HOT.

Narrator: BUT LOCAL NEWS REPORTS CONTAIN NO MENTION

OF ANY SUCH INCIDENTS.

EVEN IN RUSSIA, YOU WOULD EXPECT AN EVENT

LIKE THAT TO MAKE THE NEWS.

AND IT WOULD SHOW UP ON SATELLITE IMAGERY.

WE WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON,

ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS A FLASH THAT BIG.

Narrator: OTHER COMMENTATORS SPECULATE

THAT THE COLOSSAL LIGHT FLASH

COULD BE MADE BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY.

WE EXPECT THAT THE RUSSIANS WOULD TEST THINGS

FAR FROM PRYING EYES.

AND SO WHEN SOMETHING STRANGE HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSSIA,

THERE'S AN IMMEDIATE SUSPICION

THAT THE RUSSIAN MILITARY IS UP TO SOMETHING.

WHAT COULD BE GOING ON HERE?

COULD THIS BE A ROCKET TEST, A MISSILE LAUNCH?

MISSILE TESTING CAN PRODUCE SPECTACULAR LIGHT SHOWS.

THE COLOR, THE RED COLOR,

THE ORANGE COLOR

IS CONSISTENT WITH A ROCKET MOTOR.

THE BRIGHT FLASH, THE BRIEF DURATION --

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ROCKETS EXPLODE.

THE RUSSIAN MILITARY DENIES INVOLVEMENT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

Narrator: ON MARCH 17, 2015,

THE WEAPON TESTING THEORY GAINS GROUND

WHEN CAMERAS IN RUSSIA CAPTURE

ANOTHER WEIRD LIGHT IN THE NIGHT SKY.

THIS SECOND EXPLOSION ABOUT 4 MONTHS LATER

IS VERY DIFFERENT. IT'S BLUE AND WHITE.

IT ALSO HAD SOME IMPACT ON LIGHTING

AND ELECTRONICS LOCALLY.

Narrator: MILITARY EXPERTS SPECULATE

THAT RUSSIA COULD BE TESTING A DEVASTATING NEW SECRET WEAPON.

IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THIS BLUE AND WHITE EXPLOSION

THAT WE'VE SEEN WAS, IN FACT, THE TESTING OF AN EMP WEAPON.

AN ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE, AN EMP,

CAN BE USED TO TAKE OUT AN ENEMY'S ELECTRONICS,

COMPUTERS, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE LIKE.

Narrator: THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT OFFERED

ANY OFFICIAL EXPLANATION FOR EITHER INCIDENT.

THE OFFICIAL WORD FROM RUSSIA

WAS THAT THERE IS NO OFFICIAL WORD.

Narrator: THE TWO REMARKABLE FLASHES

CONTINUE TO PROVOKE SPECULATION.

TO THIS DAY, WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS STRANGE EVENT IS.

THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A NATURAL CAUSE.

IT REMAINS COMPLETELY UNEXPLAINED.

AS WE ENTER A NEW ERA OF EXPLORATION,

WE ENCOUNTER NEW AND UNPREDICTABLE THREATS.

EVEN WITH THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY,

OUR ASTRONAUTS ARE ONLY HUMAN.

OUR OWN PLANET IS STILL A PLACE OF MYSTERY AND WONDER.

AND FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN IS NEVER FAR AWAY.