Original subtitles

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

Teitel: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE UNIVERSE

IS A TINY FRACTION OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY OUT THERE.

Narrator: IN THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS,

IT LAUNCHES ITS SCIENTISTS INTO SPACE,

ITS CRAFT BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

Lee: WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S OUT THERE.

THERE MIGHT BE DANGERS LURKING IN THE DARKNESS.

WE'VE RUN ACROSS MORE MYSTERIES THAN DISCOVERIES.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA THROW AT US NEXT.

Narrator: EVIDENCE OF LIFE ON A FROZEN MOON...

McKay: WHEN WE SAW THIS ACTIVITY ON ENCELADUS,

I STOPPED CALLING IT A MOON.

I STARTED CALLING IT A WORLD.

Narrator: ...A MYSTERIOUS OBJECT FLIES ON A COLLISION COURSE

WITH A DANGEROUS ASTEROID...

SO WHAT IS IT? IS IT AN ALIEN SPACECRAFT?

...AND CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL KIND.

Oberg: THE GUY WHO SAW AND REPORTED THE UFO

WAS THE FUTURE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

Narrator: THESE ARE...

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

DISASTER STRIKES RUSSIA'S MIR SPACE STATION.

HE'S COMING IN WAY TOO FAST.

IMMEDIATELY START YELLING, "BRAKE, BRAKE, BRAKE!"

HE SLAMS INTO THE SOLAR PANELS.

THE IMPACT RIPS A HOLE IN THE HULL.

OXYGEN IS LEAKING FROM THE STATION.

IT'S A SERIOUS, SERIOUS PROBLEM.

Ferreira: THEY'VE GOT MINUTES TO FIND THE BREACH

AND FIX IT, OR THEY'RE DEAD.

Narrator: IN 1997, NASA ASTRONAUT MIKE FOALE JOINS

TWO COSMONAUTS ON A JOINT U.S./RUSSIA MISSION

ON BOARD THE MIR SPACE STATION.

MIR IS THE PRIDE OF THE RUSSIAN SPACE PROGRAM.

IT'S ALSO THE ONLY OPERATIONAL MANNED SPACE STATION.

Narrator: THOUGH THE COLD WAR IS OVER,

THE RUSSIANS KEEP TIGHT CONTROL

ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE MISSION.

IN SECRET, THEY DECIDE TO TRY OUT SOMETHING

THEY HAVE NOT TOLD NASA ABOUT.

ON THIS MISSION, RUSSIA DECIDES

ON ITS OWN, UNILATERALLY,

TO TEST ITS MANUAL DOCKING SYSTEM.

Narrator: MOSCOW'S MISSION CONTROL ORDERS

MIR'S CREW TO TURN OFF THE AUTOMATED DOCKING SYSTEM

ON THE RESUPPLY VEHICLE AND ATTEMPT

TO RE-DOCK IT MANUALLY.

THEY'RE PUTTING THE MIR IN DANGER.

MICHAEL FOALE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

Narrator: COSMONAUT VASILY TSIBLIYEV

IS TASKED WITH THE PROCEDURE.

HE DECOUPLES THEIR UNMANNED CARGO SHIP, PROGRESS,

AND SENDS IT OUT INTO SPACE

BEFORE TRYING TO STEER IT BACK REMOTELY.

ON THE PROGRESS VESSEL, THERE'S A CAMERA.

SO YOU'RE SEEING THE VIEW

AS IF YOU'RE SITTING IN THE PROGRESS SPACE SHIP

AS IT COMES IN.

Narrator: IN ADDITION TO THE CAMERA,

A RADAR FEED GIVES TSIBLIYEV SPEED

AND DISTANCE READINGS FROM THE INCOMING CRAFT.

BUT THE GUIDANCE SYSTEM IS RUDIMENTARY.

THE FEED FROM THE CAMERAS KEEPS CUTTING OUT.

RUSSIAN MISSION CONTROL DECIDES

THAT THE RADAR IS INTERFERING WITH THE VIDEO FEED.

THEY'RE ASKED TO TURN IT OFF.

BUT THE RADAR THE THING THAT IS CALCULATING THE SPEED

AND DISTANCE FROM THE MIR.

Narrator: WITHOUT THE RADAR,

TSIBLIYEV MUST DEPEND ENTIRELY ON THE POOR VIDEO FEED.

THE VIDEO FEED ISN'T EXACTLY HD.

Narrator: THE ANGLE OF THE APPROACH MEANS

THAT, ON PROGRESS' CAMERA,

MIR APPEARS INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE CLOUDS BELOW.

HE'S REALLY NOT QUITE SURE IF HE'S LOOKING AT THE SPACESHIP

OR IF HE'S LOOKING AT A CLOUD.

IT'S A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TASK.

AND I TELL YOU, I DON'T WANT TO BE DOING THAT TASK.

IT'S WAY, WAY TOO DIFFICULT FOR MOST PEOPLE TO HANDLE.

HE'S BASICALLY FLYING BLIND.

Narrator: FOALE AND THE OTHER COSMONAUT

TRY TO ASSIST TSIBLIYEV BY POINTING MANUAL RANGE FINDERS

OUT THE STATION'S WINDOWS.

Linenger: HE'S TRYING TO DRIVE IT IN FROM A DISTANCE --

FIRING THRUSTERS, PEOPLE LOOKING OUT PORTHOLE WINDOWS

TRYING TO TELL HIM HOW THE VEHICLE'S REACTING.

Narrator: BUT THEIR VIEW OF THE APPROACHING SHIP

IS BLOCKED BY MIR'S SOLAR PANELS.

Linenger: THE PROGRESS VEHICLE'S COMING IN,

COMING IN, COMING IN.

Jurek: ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S RIGHT ON TOP OF THEM.

IMMEDIATELY START YELLING, "BRAKE, BRAKE, BRAKE!"

IT'S TOO LATE TO DO ANYTHING.

Linenger: THE PROGRESS HITS A SOLAR PANEL.

THAT IMMEDIATELY GETS THE SPACE STATION SPINNING.

BUT THEN A LARGE CLUNK SOUND

AS IT LITERALLY HITS A MODULE

AND THEN FINALLY CAREENS OFF INTO SPACE.

SUDDENLY, THE DECOMPRESSION ALARM GOES OFF,

WHICH MEANS THAT THE MIR HAS BEEN PUNCTURED AND AIR

IS ESCAPING INTO SPACE.

Narrator: THE CREW REALIZE THEY ARE IN MORTAL DANGER.

PRECIOUS AIR IS HISSING OUT INTO SPACE THROUGH THE BREACH.

Linenger: RIGHT AWAY, YOU DO A QUICK CALCULATION.

IS THIS A SMALL LEAK? DO WE HAVE 24 HOURS

BEFORE IT'S GONNA BE LIFE-THREATENING?

WHEN THEY DID THAT CALCULATION,

THEY'VE GOT LESS THAN 5 MINUTES.

Narrator: THE CREW SCRAMBLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK.

THE LIFE-SUSTAINING ATMOSPHERE IS BLEEDING OUT.

THEY ONLY HAVE MINUTES TO REPAIR IT OR THEY'RE DEAD.

Narrator: THE TEAM DISCOVER THE AIR IS WHISTLING OUT OF A TEAR

IN THE SIDE OF THE SPEKTR SCIENCE MODULE.

THEIR ONLY CHOICE IS TO SEAL OFF THE MODULE AND TO DO IT QUICKLY.

Carey: THERE'S A LOT OF WIRES GOING THROUGH THE HATCH.

Narrator: MIR'S WIRING IS A MESS OF POORLY-RIGGED CABLES,

SNAKING BETWEEN MODULES,

BLOCKING THE AIR-LOCKED DOORS.

IF THEY TAKE THE TIME TO UNPLUG IT, THEY'RE DEAD.

FINALLY HAD TO CUT IT, YOU KNOW, SPARKS FLYING.

Narrator: THE CREW CLOSE THE HATCH,

PRESERVING THEIR PRECIOUS OXYGEN SUPPLY.

NOW THEY HAVE A WHOLE NEW SET OF PROBLEMS.

THE CRAFT IS SPINNING UNCONTROLLABLY.

THE SOLAR PANELS THAT POWER THE STATION

AREN'T CATCHING THE SUN.

CRITICAL EQUIPMENT IS STARTING TO SHUT DOWN.

POWER IS RUNNING OUT.

THE CREW HAS NO WAY OF CONTACTING GROUND CONTROL.

THEY'RE CUT OFF FROM ALL HELP.

MIR IS OUT OF POWER.

IT'S STARTING TO GET DANGEROUSLY COLD.

IT'S EFFECTIVELY DEAD IN SPACE.

Narrator: UNABLE TO POWER MIR'S THRUSTERS,

THE CREW HAS NO WAY TO STABILIZE

THE SPINNING CRAFT.

THEY'VE GOT TO STOP THAT SPIN, OR IT'S ALL OVER.

Narrator: JUNE 1997.

AN EXPERIMENTAL DOCKING MANEUVER

INVOLVING THE MIR SPACE STATION HAS GONE BADLY WRONG.

THE COLLISION LEAVES IT SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL.

NASA ASTRONAUT MIKE FOALE AND HIS RUSSIAN CREW MATES

COME UP WITH A DESPERATE PLAN.

THEIR ONLY OPTION IS TO FIRE THE THRUSTERS

OF THE SOYUZSHUTTLE TO COUNTER

THE SPIN OF THE STATION.

USING A SOYUZCAPSULE IS A HUGE GAMBLE.

IT'S THEIR ONLY RIDE HOME.

IF THEY USE TOO MUCH FUEL, THEY'LL NEVER GET HOME.

Narrator: IF THEIR PLAN DOESN'T WORK,

THEY'RE STRANDED IN SPACE.

WITH ABSOLUTELY NO GUIDANCE EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE,

FOALE HAS TO GO OLD SCHOOL

AND USE NAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE AND THE STARS

TO GUIDE HIM AND CALCULATE THE SPIN RATE OF THE STATION.

Narrator: FOALE HOLDS HIS THUMB TO THE VIEWING PORT

AS A MEASURING STICK TO GAUGE THEIR RATE OF SPIN

AGAINST THE HORIZON.

FOALE IS SHOUTING THESE MEASUREMENTS TO HIS COLLEAGUE,

WHO IS CONTROLLING THE SOYUZTHRUSTERS.

AND OVER A COURSE OF 4 HOURS OF TRIAL AND ERROR,

THEY'RE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO STABILIZE THE MIR

AND GET THE SOLAR PANELS PARTIALLY WORKING AGAIN.

Narrator: AS MIR FINALLY COMES TO REST,

THE SOLAR CELL BEGINS TO CHARGE, POWERING UP THE STATION

AND REPLENISHING THEIR PRECIOUS OXYGEN SUPPLY.

THE CREW ARE SAFE.

BACK ON EARTH, NASA DEMANDS AN EXPLANATION

FOR THE NEAR CATASTROPHE.

NASA DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS MANUAL DOCKING WAS TAKING PLACE.

AND THEY'RE NOT HAPPY THAT THEIR ASTRONAUT'S LIFE

WAS PUT IN DANGER.

Narrator: THE RUSSIANS TRY TO PLACE THE BLAME

ON THEIR COSMONAUT, TSIBLIYEV.

BUT NASA IS DEEPLY SUSPICIOUS.

IT LAUNCHES AN INVESTIGATION

HEADED UP BY SPECIAL AGENT JOE GUTHEINZ.

OUR INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THERE

WERE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE MIR

AND THE RUSSIAN SPACE PROGRAM.

Narrator: THOUGH THE COLD WAR IS OVER,

IT IS CLEAR THAT THE RUSSIANS

HAVEN'T BEEN TOTALLY OPEN WITH NASA.

IT APPEARS THAT THE RISKY DOCKING PROCEDURE

WAS A CRAZY SCHEME TO CUT COSTS.

Linenger: THE RUSSIANS WANTED TO SAVE A LITTLE MONEY.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO EQUIP THIS THING

WITH THIS AUTOMATIC DOCKING DEVICE,

WHICH WAS BUILT IN THE UKRAINE AND COST THEM HARD CASH.

Ferreira: THE ENTIRE DOCKING MANEUVER WAS A FAILURE FROM THE START.

IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED.

AND IT CERTAINLY SHOULD HAVE HAD A GROUND SIMULATION FIRST,

EVEN IF IT WAS ATTEMPTED.

IT WAS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN.

WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS THEY WERE EXPERIMENTING IN SPACE

WITH ALREADY A VERY SHAKY

AND UNRELIABLE MIR SPACE STATION.

IT WAS CRAZY.

Narrator: NASA ONLY ALLOWS ITS ASTRONAUTS

TO CONTINUE TRAINING ON MIR ON THE CONDITION

THAT IT HAS GREATER OVERSIGHT OVER THE MISSIONS.

ALTHOUGH THE AGED SPACE STATION

STILL POSES A RISK TO ASTRONAUT LIVES,

THE EXPERIENCE THEY GAIN PAVES THE WAY FOR THE NEXT STEPS

IN THE MANNED EXPLORATION OF SPACE.

A NASA PROBE DIVES DOWN TO A WORLD

IN SEARCH OF ALIEN LIFE.

McKay: WHEN WE SAW THIS ACTIVITY ON ENCELADUS,

I STOPPED CALLING IT A MOON.

I STARTED CALLING IT A WORLD.

Narrator: COULD EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL LIFE

HAVE BEEN IN OUR OWN BACKYARD ALL ALONG?

THE MISSION HAS NEW GOALS NOW.

THE MISSION IS GOING TO STUDY ENCELADUS.

Narrator: IN 2005, NASA'S BILLION-DOLLAR PROBE, CASSINI,

IS ON A FLYBY PAST SATURN WHEN IT CAPTURES IMAGES

OF SOMETHING UNUSUAL ON THE ICY MOON, ENCELADUS.

THERE ARE WHAT SEEM TO BE

BRIGHT LIGHTS COMING FROM ENCELADUS' SOUTH POLE,

SHINING OUT INTO SPACE.

Narrator: ENORMOUS PLUMES OF A MYSTERIOUS VAPOR

ARE JETTING FROM THE FROZEN MOON'S SOUTH POLE.

THEY LOOK SO LIKE THE GEOTHERMAL ERUPTIONS FOUND ON EARTH

THAT SCIENTISTS IMMEDIATELY CALL THEM GEYSERS.

THERE WERE GEYSERS SHOOTING OUT

FROM THE SIDE OF THIS TINY LITTLE MOON.

Narrator: THE PLUMES ABOVE ENCELADUS

ARE MORE THAN 8,000 TIMES LARGER

THAN ANY GEYSER FOUND ON OUR PLANET.

SO HERE WE HAVE THESE GEYSERS SPEWING 150 MILES INTO SPACE,

WHICH IS THE DISTANCE FROM SAN DIEGO TO LOS ANGELES.

McKay: WE KNOW RIGHT AWAY THAT ENCELADUS IS AN ACTIVE WORLD.

SPECTACULAR.

Narrator: THIS IS A HUGE DISCOVERY.

IF THERE IS WATER FLOWING ON ENCELADUS,

IT BECOMES A WORLD WHERE LIFE CAN EXIST.

NASA RIPS UP CASSINI'S ORIGINAL MISSION PLAN.

ONCE NASA SCIENTISTS SEE

WHAT'S HAPPENING ON ENCELADUS, EVERYTHING CHANGES.

THE MISSION HAS NEW GOALS NOW.

THE MISSION IS GOING TO STUDY ENCELADUS.

Narrator: THE NEW MISSION BRINGS NEW PROBLEMS.

CASSINIWAS DESIGNED TO OBSERVE PLANETS

FROM DISTANT ORBITS,

NOT TO COLLECT SAMPLES

AND ANALYZE UNIDENTIFIED SUBSTANCES.

THE CASSINITEAM BASICALLY REDESIGNED THE MISSION

SO THAT THEY COULD FLY THROUGH THE PLUMES.

Narrator: CASSINIIS 800 MILLION MILES FROM EARTH.

TO MAKE THIS WORK, NASA'S MISSION

CONTROL MUST COMPLETELY REBUILD ITS SOFTWARE REMOTELY.

McKay: BY REPURPOSING THE INSTRUMENTS

THAT WERE ON THE SPACECRAFT,

WE'VE REALLY ADAPTED THE SPACECRAFT

TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING

THAT WE NEVER REALLY INTENDED IT TO DO.

THEY'RE GOING TO BUZZ THE SURFACE OF ENCELADUS,

FLY RIGHT THROUGH THE PLUMES

AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE MADE OUT OF.

Narrator: NASA'S MANTRA IN THE QUEST FOR LIFE

ANYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE IS "FOLLOW THE WATER."

COULD THESE MYSTERIOUS PLUMES BE MADE OF WATER?

AND COULD THIS WATER HARBOR ALIEN BIOLOGY?

WHERE THERE'S LIQUID WATER,

THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY STEPS TO FINDING POTENTIAL LIFE.

Narrator: THE SCIENTISTS ARE LOOKING FOR THREE KEY CONDITIONS

THAT LED TO LIFE ON EARTH --

LIQUID WATER,

A HIGH SALT CONTENT,

AND EVIDENCE OF A HOT ACTIVE CORE

DEEP BENEATH THE SEA.

AFTER 3 YEARS OF INTENSE REPROGRAMMING,

THE PROBE IS FINALLY READY TO SKIM

THE SURFACE OF SATURN'S SIXTH LARGEST MOON.

NASA'S BILLION-DOLLAR PROBE

COULD FINALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION

OF WHETHER THERE IS LIFE BEYOND EARTH,

IF IT SURVIVES THE CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH ENCELADUS.

Narrator: AT 32,000 MILES PER HOUR,

NASA'S CASSINIPROBE DIVES

THROUGH THE GEYSERS OF ENCELADUS

IN SEARCH FOR LIFE-GIVING WATER.

ONE OF 22 SORTIES OVER THE FROZEN WORLD.

WHEN CASSINIFLEW THROUGH THE PLUMES

THAT ARE SHOOTING OUT OF ENCELADUS,

IT ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO TASTE THESE PLUMES,

TO SMELL THEM, TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE MADE OUT OF.

Narrator: AFTER AN AGONIZING WAIT, THE DATA CONFIRMS

THAT THE GEYSERS ERUPTING FROM THE ICY MOON

ARE LIQUID WATER.

Major: THE DISCOVERY OF THESE ICY WATER VAPOR JETS

ON ENCELADUS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT

DISCOVERY OF THE ENTIRE CASSINIMISSION.

Narrator: BUT WATER IS ONLY THE FIRST INGREDIENT FOR LIFE.

THE OTHER ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS ARE SALT AND HEAT.

McKay: GOING DEEPER INTO THE PLUME,

THE SPACECRAFT COLLECTED PARTICLES AND SHOWED

THAT THEY HAD SALT IN THEM.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

SCIENTISTS BELIEVE SALT INTERACTING WITH CHEMICALS

FROM UNDERWATER VOLCANOES

COULD BE HOW ALL LIFE BEGINS.

Major: THERE'S CHEMISTRY THAT HAPPENS WHEN WATER,

ESPECIALLY SALTY WATER,

IS IN CONTACT WITH A ROCKY SURFACE.

THE WATER INSIDE ENCELADUS

THAT'S BEING SPRAYED OUT INTO SPACE HAS A SALINITY

THAT MATCHES EARTH'S OCEANS.

THAT'S HUGE.

Narrator: FURTHER READINGS REVEAL, THE OCEANS ON ENCELADUS

ARE ASTONISHINGLY SIMILAR TO OUR OWN.

THERE WERE ELEMENTS IN THE PLUME

THAT CLEARLY SHOWED THAT THE WATER

IN THE OCEAN WAS HYDROTHERMAL.

Narrator: SOMETHING WITHIN ENCELADUS IS HEATING THE WATER.

HEAT IS THE FINAL MISSING INGREDIENT

IN THE QUEST FOR LIFE,

THE CATALYST FOR THE CHAIN REACTION

THAT KICK-STARTED LIFE ON EARTH.

McKay: IT'S GOT EVERYTHING WE WERE HOPING TO FIND.

IT'S GOT EVIDENCE OF LIQUID WATER,

ORGANICS, NITROGEN, ENERGY SOURCE.

IT WAS -- IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

IT'S NOT JUST WATER, IT'S --

IT'S THE SOUP THAT WE THINK WAS CREATIVE OF LIFE.

IF THERE'S A RECIPE FOR LIFE, ENCELADUS HAS IT.

McKay: WHEN WE SAW THIS ACTIVITY ON ENCELADUS,

I STOPPED CALLING IT A MOON.

I STARTED CALLING IT A WORLD.

Narrator: IT IS NOW POSSIBLE

THAT WE WILL ENCOUNTER ALIEN LIFE ON ANOTHER WORLD,

ONE ACCESSIBLE WITH EXISTING HUMAN TECHNOLOGY.

BASED ON THE HISTORY OF LIFE ON EARTH,

WE SHOULD HAVE EVERY REASON TO EXPECT

THAT THERE SHOULD BE LIFE ON ENCELADUS.

Narrator: BUT ENCELADUS IS A VERY DIFFERENT WORLD FROM OUR OWN.

WE CAN ONLY SPECULATE WHAT FORM LIFE WILL TAKE THERE,

AND HOW ADVANCED IT MAY BE.

THESE OCEANS WOULD BE DARK AND FOREBODING.

THERE MAY BE CREATURES, IF THEY'RE LIVING IN THERE,

THAT LIGHT UP.

CREATURES THAT PROTECT THEMSELVES OR HUNT

WITH LITTLE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS.

OR THIS COULD BE AN OCEAN WHERE NOTHING HAS EYES.

THERE'S NO LIGHT. NOTHING CAN SEE.

BUT THERE'S OTHER WAYS THEY COULD SURVIVE.

Narrator: NASA'S PLANNING A BRAND NEW MISSION

TO SEEK OUT LIFE ON THIS STRANGE NEW WORLD.

THIS TIME, THE PROBE WILL BE DESIGNED

SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TASK.

McKay: RIGHT NOW, I SPEND MY DAYS PLANNING

FOR A MISSION TO ENCELADUS.

FOR ME, PERSONALLY,

THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF EVERYTHING I'VE DONE.

Narrator: FOR EXOBIOLOGISTS LIKE CHRIS McKAY,

IT'S HARD TO UNDERESTIMATE HOW PROFOUND

THE DISCOVERY OF LIFE COULD BE.

McKay: IN A WAY, IT FEELS LIKE ALL THE RESEARCH I'VE DONE

UP TO NOW HAS BEEN IN PREPARATION

FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S AN AMAZING POSSIBILITY THAT,

IN 10 YEARS OR SO FROM NOW,

WE'LL HAVE GONE FROM ONE TO TWO EXAMPLES OF LIFE

IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE AND TWO IS PROFOUND.

Narrator: AN ASTEROID HURTLES THROUGH OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,

HEADING TOWARDS THE EARTH.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ON A COLLISION COURSE.

IT COULD WIPE OUT SPECIES ACROSS THE BOARD.

Narrator: NASA RADAR SCANS OF THE DEADLY THREAT

REVEAL SOMETHING TOTALLY UNEXPECTED.

THERE'S AN OBJECT FLYING STRAIGHT TOWARDS THAT ASTEROID.

WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S COME OUT OF NOWHERE.

Narrator: PERHAPS NASA'S MOST IMPORTANT JOB

IS TO PROTECT PLANET EARTH FROM EXTRATERRESTRIAL THREATS.

IT MONITORS SPACE FOR LARGE ASTEROIDS

THAT MIGHT DESTROY LIFE ON EARTH.

ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOOK TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED

TO THE DINOSAURS 65 MILLION YEARS AGO

WHEN AN ASTEROID HIT THE EARTH AND WIPED THEM OUT.

Narrator: THERE ARE CURRENTLY 14,000 OBJECTS

FLYING CLOSE TO THE EARTH.

THOSE THAT TRAVEL WITHIN 5 MILLION MILES

ARE CLASSIFIED AS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS.

IN JANUARY 2015,

NASA SPOTS AN ASTEROID LESS

THAN 1 MILLION MILES FROM OUR PLANET.

IT'S 1,100 FEET WIDE, THE SIZE OF A SUPERTANKER.

AN IMPACT WOULD HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS.

ASTRONOMERS GIVE THE POTENTIAL KILLER

THE DESIGNATION "2004 BL86."

Garvie: IF IT HIT THE OCEAN, IT WOULD CAUSE A HUGE TSUNAMI.

IF IT HIT THE GROUND, IT WOULD CAUSE A LARGE CRATER

AND THROW ALL THAT DUST UP INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

AND IT COULD CHANGE THE WEATHER ON THE EARTH FOR YEARS TO COME.

AN IMPACT FROM A BODY OF THIS SIZE IS EQUIVALENT

TO 750 MEGATONS OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL.

Narrator: NASA TURNS ITS GOLDSTONE RADAR

ON THE ASTEROID TO TRACK ITS TRAJECTORY.

THE DATA COMES IN.

THE ASTEROID WILL MISS THE EARTH BY A NARROW MARGIN.

WHEN SCIENTISTS FURTHER ANALYZE THE RADAR IMAGES,

THEY FIND SOMETHING TOTALLY UNEXPECTED.

THE RADAR IMAGES SHOW A STRANGE,

BRIGHT OBJECT HEADING TOWARDS THE ASTEROID.

THE OBJECT LOOKS KIND OF ELONGATED,

CIGAR-SHAPED ALMOST.

WHATEVER IT IS, IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE.

Narrator: THE MYSTERY OBJECT'S TRAJECTORY CAUSES ALARM.

IT'S FLYING STRAIGHT TOWARDS THAT ASTEROID.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ON A COLLISION COURSE.

WHAT IS IT?

Narrator: NASA RADAR SCANS HAVE DETECTED

A MYSTERIOUS OBJECT

APPROACHING THE EARTH ASTEROID 2004 BL86.

COULD IT BE ANOTHER ASTEROID?

ASTEROIDS DO RUN INTO ONE ANOTHER EVERY NOW AND THEN.

THERE ARE CRATERS ON ASTEROIDS. CLEARLY, THEY GET HIT.

AND THEY HIT EACH OTHER.

Narrator: THIS CLOSE TO THE EARTH, ASTEROIDS ARE RARE,

TYPICALLY SEPARATED BY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF MILES.

SO THE CHANCES OF US SEEING TWO ASTEROIDS

ABOUT TO COLLIDE WITH ONE ANOTHER WERE,

ESSENTIALLY, CLOSE TO ZERO.

Narrator: THE VIDEO CUTS OUT BEFORE A POTENTIAL IMPACT.

THE INITIAL RADAR SCAN ONLY CAPTURES

8 SECONDS OF FOOTAGE.

THE MYSTERIOUS OBJECT

LOOKS SUSPICIOUSLY LIKE A MISSILE

HEADING TOWARDS THE ROCK.

Major: IF NASA DISCOVERS AN ASTEROID

ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH EARTH,

ONE OF THE POTENTIAL WAYS

TO STOP IT IS TO SEND A MISSILE TO BLOW IT UP.

Narrator: BUT WHATEVER THE OBJECT IS,

IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HARM THE ASTEROID IN ANY WAY.

WE DID NOT OBSERVE A COLLISION.

THE MAIN OBJECT SEEMED TO CONTINUE ON IT'S COURSE

AFTER THE SMALLER ONE SOMEHOW DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR.

Narrator: ANALYSIS OF THE FOOTAGE PROVES

THE OBJECT CANNOT BE A MISSILE.

D'Antonio: THIS VIDEO THAT YOU'RE SEEING WAS CREATED

WITH ONLY 20 IMAGES.

AND THOSE 20 IMAGES WERE ACQUIRED OVER A FULL DAY.

SO IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A FAST-MOVING MISSILE OF ANY KIND.

IT'S ACTUALLY MOVING FAIRLY SLOWLY.

SO WHAT IS IT? IS IT A SPACECRAFT?

Narrator: NO NATIONAL SPACE AGENCY ADMITS

TO LAUNCHING A PROBE TARGETED AT THIS ROCK.

BUT NATIONALLY FUNDED SCIENCE INSTITUTIONS

ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES

WITH THEIR SIGHTS SET ON ASTEROIDS.

TO A NEW BREED OF BUSINESSES,

ASTEROIDS MEAN BIG BUCKS.

COULD THEY BE PROBING EARTH-BOUND ASTEROIDS IN SECRET?

ASTEROIDS ARE FULL OF VALUABLE ELEMENTS.

THINGS LIKE SILVER, GOLD, PLATINUM, TITANIUM.

Narrator: IT IS ESTIMATED THAT SOME ASTEROIDS COULD BE WORTH

AS MUCH AS 100 TRILLION DOLLARS.

ENGINEER GRANT BONIN IS CURRENTLY WORKING

ON AN ASTEROID MINING PROJECT CALLED DRAGONFLY.

Bonin: ASTEROID MINING ISN'T THE STUFF OF SCIENCE FICTION ANYMORE.

IN FACT, THERE IS AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY NOW OF COMPANIES

THAT ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRED

TO BEGIN TO HARVEST SPACE RESOURCES FROM ASTEROIDS,

FROM COMETS, FROM THE MOON, FOR USE IN SPACE.

Narrator: BUT NONE OF THESE COMPANIES

WANTS TO HIDE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

IF A COMPANY COULD SUCCESSFULLY MINE AN ASTEROID,

ITS REPUTATION WOULD GO THROUGH THE ROOF.

WHY WOULD THEY KEEP THAT SECRET?

Narrator: TO DATE, NO HUMAN ORGANIZATION HAS THE ABILITY

TO CONDUCT MINING OPERATIONS IN SPACE.

WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON EXPLOITING THE RESOURCES

OF ASTEROIDS IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

Bonin: THIS IS SOMETHING THE COMPANIES ARE WORKING ON

TO ACCOMPLISH WITHIN THE NEXT DECADE.

Lee: AND SO THIS IMAGE DOESN'T SHOW US ANY NATION

OR COMPANY ON ITS WAY TO EXPLORING

THE RESOURCES OF AN ASTEROID.

Narrator: FURTHER SCANS OF THE ASTEROID SPARK A NEW THEORY

ABOUT THE MYSTERY OBJECT.

FOOTAGE FROM A LATER OBSERVATIONAL PASS SHOWS

THE OBJECT STILL IN THE VICINITY OF THE ASTEROID,

BUT APPEARING TO CROSS ITS FACE.

THIS MOVEMENT PRESENTS AN INTRIGUING NEW POSSIBILITY.

Garvie: WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THESE ASTEROIDS

ARE JUST LOOSELY-HELD RUBBLE PILES.

SO THE FASTER THEY ROTATE, THERE'S THE CHANCE

THAT ONE OF THESE LOOSELY-HELD RUBBLE PILE PIECES

WILL FLY OFF

AND THEN BECOME A MOON TO THE CENTRAL ASTEROID.

AN ASTEROID WITH ITS OWN MOONS MAY SOUND STRANGE,

BUT IT CAN HAPPEN.

Porges: WHEN WE THINK OF MOONS, WE THINK OF GIANT,

GIANT CELESTIAL BODIES.

THINGS THAT ARE BASICALLY PLANETS.

BUT IT'S REALLY COOL TO THINK THAT ASTEROIDS LIKE THIS,

THEY CAN HAVE TINY MOONS OF THEIR OWN.

Narrator: NASA CONTINUES TO MONITOR THE APPROACHING ROCK,

AND LATER FOOTAGE APPEARS TO CONFIRM THE MOON HYPOTHESIS.

VIEWED FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE,

THE OBJECT CAN CLEARLY BE SEEN ORBITING THE ASTEROID.

THE DISCOVERY OF THE MOON SOLVES THE MYSTERY.

BUT IT ALSO RAISES THE DISTURBING POSSIBILITY

THAT ASTEROIDS COULD BE MORE DEADLY

THAN ANYONE EVER IMAGINED.

Lee: SO THIS REVELATION SHOULD REALLY CAUSE US SOME GREAT CONCERN.

'CAUSE IT'S GONNA TURN A SINGLE ASTEROID IMPACT INTO SOMETHING

THAT'S NOT JUST A RIFLE SHOT.

IT'S GONNA BE A MACHINE GUN EFFECT.

THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE THREAT

THAT WE ACTUALLY FACE FROM IMPACTS FROM ASTEROIDS.

Narrator: A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

ASKS TO SEE SECRET FILES ON UFOs.

WILL YOU TELL THE TRUTH TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT UFOS?

Narrator: THE CIA REFUSES.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO EVERYTHING.

YOU HAVE NO NEED TO KNOW.

EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.

Narrator: WHY IS THE PRESIDENT SO INTERESTED IN UFOs,

AND WHAT ARE HIS AGENCIES HIDING?

OCTOBER 1969.

A YOUNG POLITICIAN IS LEAVING A FUND-RAISING EVENT IN GEORGIA

WHEN HE SPOTS A LARGE,

EERIE OBJECT GLOWING IN THE EVENING SKY.

Birnes: WHEN HE LOOKS UP IN THE SKY AND HE SEES AN OBJECT,

IT'S AN OBJECT THAT IS BIG.

IT'S BIGGER THAN THE MOON. AND HE THINKS TO HIMSELF,

"THAT'S THE DARNDEST THING I EVER SAW."

Narrator: THERE IS NO REASONABLE EXPLANATION

FOR THE STRANGE OBJECT HE IS SEEING IN THE SKY.

IT TRULY IS SOMETHING HE CAN'T IDENTIFY.

IT'S FLASHING, IT'S MOVING NEAR TO HIM

AND MOVING FURTHER AWAY.

HE'S SURE HE'S SEEN A UFO.

Narrator: THE WITNESS IS SO DISTURBED BY WHAT HE'S SEEING,

HE FILES A REPORT WITH

THE NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE ON AERIAL PHENOMENA,

NICAP, AND THE INTERNATIONAL UFO BUREAU.

THESE TWO AGENCIES, AT THE TIME,

WERE PROFESSIONAL INVESTIGATORS

MADE UP OF SCIENTISTS AND ASTRONOMERS.

AND THIS IS THE VERY TYPE OF OBJECT

THAT THEY WOULD HAVE INVESTIGATED.

Narrator: THE REPORT SOUNDS LIKE MANY OTHER UFO SIGHTINGS.

BUT IT'S NOT.

WHAT MAKES THIS REPORT

STAND OUT IS THE IDENTITY OF THE WITNESS.

YOU CAN STILL SEE THE DOCUMENT OF THE SIGHTINGS ONLINE.

AND THE WITNESS HAS SIGNED HIS NAME, JIMMY CARTER.

YEAH, THE GUY WHO SAW AND REPORTED THE UFO

WAS THE FUTURE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,

JIMMY CARTER.

Narrator: IN 1969, GEORGIA GOVERNOR

AND FUTURE U.S. PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER

CLAIMS HE WITNESSED A UFO.

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS

TO EXPLAIN THE SIGHTING.

SOME HAVE SPECULATED THAT, PERHAPS, WHAT JIMMY CARTER

SAW WAS SOME TYPE OF WEATHER BALLOON FILLED WITH HELIUM.

Narrator: IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE HAS MADE THIS MISTAKE.

THIS IS A VERY COMMON EXPLANATION FOR UFO SIGHTINGS.

'CAUSE THEY'RE SOMETHING WE DON'T SEE EVERY DAY.

THEY LOOK REALLY UNUSUAL.

AND THEY CAN MOVE IN QUITE UNUSUAL WAYS

AS THEY'RE RISING UP THROUGH DIFFERENT LAYERS

OF THE ATMOSPHERE.

Narrator: BUT ASPECTS OF THE SIGHTING

DON'T FIT THE WEATHER BALLOON THEORY.

CARTER'S SIGHTINGS, FILED AT NICAP

AND THE UFO BUREAU, DESCRIBE THE OBJECT CHANGING COLOR.

IT WAS THE SIZE OF THE MOON,

MOVING BIZARRELY THROUGH THE SKY

BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED.

Birnes: OH, JIMMY CARTER,

THE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA, GRADUATE FROM ANNAPOLIS

IS REALLY ONLY SEEING A WEATHER BALLOON.

A WEATHER BALLOON?

ARE WE BACK TO ROSWELL IN 1947?

WEATHER BALLOONS DON'T CHANGE COLOR.

WEATHER BALLOONS DON'T HOVER.

WEATHER BALLOONS AREN'T THAT BIG.

THIS WAS BIG. THEY RISE.

AND THEY DON'T STAY IN THE SKY.

JIMMY CARTER DIDN'T SEE A WEATHER BALLOON.

Narrator: AT THE TIME, THERE IS NO OFFICIAL EXPLANATION GIVEN

FOR WHAT JIMMY CARTER SAW.

EVEN THOUGH HE CAN'T PROVE IT,

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIGHTING STAYS WITH HIM.

Birnes: JIMMY CARTER IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

AND HE'S ASKED ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL,

"GOVERNOR CARTER, WILL YOU TELL THE TRUTH

TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT UFOs?"

AND JIMMY CARTER SAYS, "YES, I WILL."

HE'S GONNA REVEAL THE TRUTH.

Narrator: IN 1977, WHEN CARTER WINS THE PRESIDENCY,

HE DIRECTS THE CIA TO RELEASE TOP SECRET REPORTS ON UFOs

AND EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE.

THE CIA REFUSES.

JUST FLAT OUT SAY NO TO THE PRESIDENT,

THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING.

Narrator: CARTER TRIES ANOTHER WAY.

JIMMY CARTER ASKS THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE,

GEORGE H.W. BUSH,

"MR. DIRECTOR, CAN YOU TELL ME

WHAT THE CIA KNOWS ABOUT UFOs?"

AND GEORGE, A CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL,

SAYS, "MR. PRESIDENT-ELECT,

YOU HAVE NO NEED TO KNOW."

Narrator: THE CIA HAS DENIED

THE NEW PRESIDENT PERMISSION TO RELEASE

TOP SECRET INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.

IT SURPRISES PEOPLE TO FIND OUT

THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO EVERYTHING.

THE UFO SECRET IS A HIGHER LEVEL

OF TOP SECRET THAN YOU,

EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.

Narrator: BUT SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS HAPPENS.

JUST AS IT SEEMS A STANDOFF IS ON THE CARDS,

CARTER MAKES A U-TURN,

RETRACTING HIS PROMISE TO DECLASSIFY UFO DOCUMENTS

AND MAKE KEY REPORTS PUBLIC.

HE CITES A SERIOUS THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY

AS THE REASON FOR BACKING DOWN.

PRESIDENT CARTER NEVER MENTIONS THE WORD UFO AGAIN.

Narrator: WAS SOMETHING REVEALED TO THE PRESIDENT

SO SHOCKING HE HAD TO KEEP IT SECRET?

IT SOUNDS SUSPICIOUS,

BUT THERE ARE SOME VERY SENSIBLE REASONS

WHY YOU DON'T RELEASE

SENSITIVE NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION.

Narrator: NASA ASTRONAUT AND TEST PILOT

HOOT GIBSON HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN PROJECTS LIKE THESE.

I DO KNOW, AS A TEST PILOT,

THAT WE HAVE VERY HIGHLY CLASSIFIED PROJECTS

THAT ARE FLYING.

AND I'LL SAY WHERE THEY'RE FLYING FROM.

THEY'RE FLYING FROM AREA 51.

WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AND YEARS,

BECAUSE SUCH AIRPLANES AS THE SR-71 BLACKBIRD,

THE U-2, THE STEALTH FIGHTER,

THE F-117,

THOSE ALL STARTED LIFE UP

IN THAT AREA AND FLEW FROM THAT SPOT.

I WOULD BE VERY SURPRISED IF WE DON'T STILL HAVE SECRET,

TOP SECRET MILITARY PROTOTYPE AIRCRAFT FLYING FROM THERE.

Narrator: COULD SUCH TOP SECRET PROJECTS

REALLY JUSTIFY SHUTTING THE PRESIDENT DOWN?

WHAT WE KNOW IS JUST A TINY FRACTION

OF WHAT'S REALLY OUT THERE.

SO WITHOUT A NASA INVESTIGATION INTO THAT SIGHTING,

WE'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW WHAT JIMMY CARTER REALLY SAW.

Narrator: FOR NOW, THIS SECRET REMAINS UNEXPLAINED.

A NASA SPACEWALK GOES BADLY WRONG.

THE SPACE SUIT IS TURNING INTO A DEATH TRAP.

Narrator: AN ASTRONAUT IS JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM DROWNING.

YOU PANIC, THAT'S IT. IT'S OVER, YOU'RE DEAD.

Narrator: AND THE KILLER SUIT HAS STRUCK BEFORE.

WHY WOULD THE SPACE SUIT

THAT LEAKED IN 2013 LEAK AGAIN IN 2016

AFTER IT HAD BEEN FULLY INSPECTED?

Narrator: IN JULY 2013,

ASTRONAUT LUCA PARMITANO NEARLY DIED

ON A SPACEWALK OUTSIDE THE ISS.

LUCA NEARLY DROWNED IN HIS SPACE SUIT,

AND THAT'S THE CLOSEST WE'VE EVER COME TO LOSING

AN ASTRONAUT DURING A SPACEWALK.

Narrator: A NASA INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES THAT A BLOCKAGE

IN THE SUIT'S COOLANT SYSTEM

MOST LIKELY CAUSED AN OVERFLOW OF WATER

TO FILL THE SPACE SUIT'S HELMET.

THEY TOOK THE SPACE SUIT APART.

THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG,

SO THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO HAVE FIXED ITSELF.

Narrator: THREE YEARS LATER,

ASTRONAUT TIM KOPRA IS CHECKING THE SAME SUIT,

READY TO TAKE IT OUT ON A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

SPACEWALK WITH HIS PARTNER, TIM PEAKE.

KOPRA WAS CLEANING THE SUIT WHEN HE THINKS HE SEES A LEAK.

HE TAKES A PICTURE, MOPS UP THE FLUID.

BUT WHEN HE TRIES TO RECREATE THE LEAK, IT'S NOT THERE.

IT'S AS IF IT JUST DISAPPEARED.

Narrator: SUBSEQUENT TESTS SHOW NOTHING.

UNABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY FAULT,

KOPRA READIES THE SUIT FOR HIS SPACEWALK.

IT'S A DECISION THAT COULD COST HIM HIS LIFE.

JANUARY 2016.

NASA ASTRONAUTS TIM PEAKE

AND TIM KOPRA BEGIN THEIR SCHEDULED

SIX-AND-A-HALF-HOUR SPACEWALK TO REPLACE

A FAILED POWER REGULATOR

ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

Man: OKAY, GUYS. WE'RE WORKING, RIGHT NOW,

FOR TIM KOPRA OFF PAGE 13 OF THE CUFF CHECKLIST.

Narrator: FOUR AND A HALF HOURS INTO THE MISSION,

KOPRA GETS AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE.

KOPRA ALERTS MISSION CONTROL

TO THIS LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION.

Man: OKAY, TIM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU HOLD RIGHT THERE.

JUST LET US TALK SOME STUFF OUT HERE FOR A SECOND.

Birnes: MISSION CONTROL COMES UP WITH AN IDEA.

THEY SAY, "WELL, SINCE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FOR 4 HOURS

AND YOU'RE MOVING THIS HEAVY EQUIPMENT AROUND,

MAYBE IT'S SWEAT."

Chiao: WHEN YOU'RE IN THE SPACE SUIT,

YOU'RE WORKING, PHYSICALLY, VERY HARD.

AND SO YOU CAN GENERATE A LOT OF HEAT VERY QUICKLY.

Man: IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO GET A TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER --

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN MOVE IT AROUND AND GET TO THAT.

OR TO TRY TO DRINK IT AND NOTE THE TASTE.

MISSION CONTROL ORDERS HIM TO TASTE IT.

Narrator: KOPRA TRIES TO SAMPLE THE FLOATING GLOBULE.

IF IT'S WARM AND SALTY, IT COULD BE SWEAT.

IF IT'S COLD, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

THE WATER IS COLD.

THAT MEANS IT'S COMING FROM THE SUIT'S COOLING SYSTEM.

AND THERE'S MORE THAN ENOUGH WATER

IN THE COOLING SYSTEM TO DROWN AN ASTRONAUT.

Narrator: THE HELMET IS HOOKED UP TO THE COOLING PACK.

A LEAK HERE COULD BE DEADLY.

YOU'RE ONE FAILURE AWAY FROM A FATALITY.

Narrator: KOPRA'S PARTNER, TIM PEAKE, ARRIVES TO HELP.

BUT THE WATER CONTINUES TO SPREAD.

THE SPACE SUIT THAT'S DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE ASTRONAUTS

IS NOW TURNING INTO A DEATH TRAP

BECAUSE KOPRA LITERALLY COULD DROWN IN HIS OWN COOLANT.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL HAS NO CHOICE.

THEY HAVE TO GET KOPRA BACK INSIDE THE SPACE STATION.

THERE'S NO ALTERNATIVE.

THEY HAVE TO PULL THE PLUG ON THE SPACEWALK.

Man: GUYS, YOU CAN START OPENING

YOUR CUFF CHECKLIST TO PAGE SEVEN.

WE ARE IN A TERMINATE CASE.

Narrator: WHEN KOPRA FINALLY GETS THROUGH THE AIRLOCK,

HIS COLLEAGUES REMOVE HIS HELMET IN MINUTES.

Birnes: THEY PEEL OFF KOPRA'S MASK.

AND IT'S FILLED WITH WATER.

Narrator: AS THE CREW EXAMINES KOPRA'S SUIT,

A SHOCKING REALIZATION HITS THEM.

THE SPACE SUIT THAT LEAKED FOR LUCA PARMITANO

IS THE EXACT SAME SPACE SUIT

THAT LEAKED FOR TIM KOPRA.

WHY WOULD THE SPACE SUIT

THAT LEAKED IN 2013

LEAK AGAIN IN 2016

AFTER IT HAD BEEN FULLY INSPECTED?

Narrator: NASA ENGINEERS CHECK THE SUIT TO MAKE SURE

THAT THE COOLANT SYSTEM HASN'T BLOCKED AGAIN.

THEY DISMANTLE THE SUIT. THEY TAKE IT APART.

AND THERE IS NO BLOCKAGE.

THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON.

IS THIS A CURSED SPACE SUIT?

Narrator: THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC BASIS

FOR THE IDEA OF A CURSED SUIT.

BUT NASA ENGINEERS HAVE YET TO WORK OUT

WHY THIS ONE ALMOST KILLED TWO MEN.

Orwoll: CAN A SPACE SUIT BE CURSED?

NO. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

WOULD I WANT TO GO INTO SPACE IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE SUIT?

I THINK NOT.

Narrator: THE SUIT WAS RETURNED TO EARTH IN MAY 2016.

IT IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION BY NASA.