All language subtitles for NASAs.Unexplained.Files.S04E06.Did.Earth.Have.Two.Moons.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-BATMAN_track3_[eng]

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 RUN ACROSS MORE MYSTERIES
THAN DISCOVERIES.

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

Narrator: IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE
HUMANS ARE NOT FROM THIS WORLD?

IT'S NOT COMPLETELY IDIOTIC
TO SAY,

"MAYBE WE ALL COME FROM VENUS."

Narrator: A RUNAWAY SATELLITE
PUTS ASTRONAUTS IN DANGER.

THEY NOW HAVE A ROGUE SATELLITE
IN LOW EARTH ORBIT.

THEN WE ALL BEGAN
TO -- TO WORRY.

Narrator: AND TWO MOONS
IN THE SKY FORESHADOW DISASTER.

THE EFFECTS ON EARTH
WOULD BE DEVASTATING.

YOU'D HAVE TSUNAMIS.

YOU'D HAVE GIANT TIDAL WAVES.

THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE.

Narrator: THESE ARE
NASA's UNEXPLAINED FILES.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

MYSTERIOUS DARK PATCHES
IN THE CLOUDS OF VENUS

SPARK A FLURRY OF SPECULATION.

SOMETHING'S GOING ON
IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS.

Narrator:
AND NOTHING CAN BE RULED OUT.

IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE
THAT THERE'S AN ECOSYSTEM

IN THE CLOUDS OF VENUS.

Narrator: COULD LIFE HERE
HAVE STARTED THERE?

ARE WE ALIENS ON OUR OWN PLANET?

Narrator: FOR CENTURIES,
ASTRONOMERS THOUGHT THAT VENUS

WAS A GARDEN OF EDEN.

VENUS AND EARTH ARE ACTUALLY
REMARKABLY SIMILAR PLANETS --

BOTH ABOUT THE SAME SIZE,

ABOUT THE SAME PLACE
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM,

MADE OF BASICALLY
THE SAME STUFF.

SO IT'S REASONABLE
TO IMAGINE EARLY VENUS

AS AN OCEAN PLANET
VERY MUCH LIKE THE EARTH,

WARMER SOMEWHAT BECAUSE
IT WAS CLOSER TO THE SUN.

Narrator: BUT WHEN A SPACE PROBE
ARRIVES IN THE EARLY '60s,

IT DISCOVERS A LIVING HELL.

IF YOU WERE
TO SET FOOT ON VENUS,

YOU WOULD DIE
IN SO MANY WAYS SO FAST --

SULFURIC ACID
DRIPPING OUT OF THE CLOUDS,

TEMPERATURE HOTTER
THAN YOUR OVEN,

CRUSHING ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.

THAT'S WHY
THE LONGEST-LIVED SPACECRAFT

ON THE SURFACE OF VENUS
HAS ONLY BEEN 2 1/2 HOURS.

IT IS NOT A PLACE FOR LIFE.

Narrator: UNTIL, IN 1979,

A NEW MISSION
CHANGES EVERYTHING.

NASA's PIONEER ORBITER
SENDS BACK

THE MOST DETAILED IMAGES

OF VENUS HUMANS HAD EVER SEEN.

ITS ADVANCED ULTRAVIOLET
CAMERA REVEALS STRANGE,

DARK STREAKS WITHIN THE CLOUDS.

TO THE EYE, VENUS
IS A BLAND YELLOW BALL.

BUT IF WE LOOK ONLY
AT THE ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

THAT'S COMING BACK,

WE NOTICE THAT THERE'S GAPS,
THERE'S DARK AREAS.

Narrator: SOMETHING UNKNOWN
IN THE DARK PATCHES

IS ABSORBING UV LIGHT
INSTEAD OF REFLECTING IT BACK.

SO, SOMETHING IS GOING ON
IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS

UP IN THE CLOUD LEVEL.

SOMETHING
THAT WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND.

Narrator: ASTRONOMERS FIRST LOOK
FOR A CHEMICAL EXPLANATION

THAT COULD CAUSE
THIS KIND OF EFFECT.

VENUS IS FULL OF SULFUR
IN DIFFERENT FORMS.

AND ONE TYPE OF SULFUR
CAN REALLY ABSORB WELL

IN THE ULTRAVIOLET.

SO PERHAPS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT IS JUST A FORM OF SULFUR.

IN FACT, A PURE FORM OF SULFUR

THAT CAN CREATE
SOLID PARTICLES.

Narrator:
ON EARTH, MUCH OF THE SULFUR

IN OUR ATMOSPHERE COMES
FROM INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES.

AS FAR AS WE KNOW,
NO ONE IS BUILDING FACTORIES

ON VENUS RIGHT NOW.

BUT ANOTHER SOURCE
OF THE SULFUR COMPOUNDS

COULD BE VOLCANIC ACTIVITY.

Narrator: BUT THE TYPE OF SULFUR
FOUND IN VENUS' UPPER ATMOSPHERE

IS UNLIKELY TO BE VOLCANIC.

Baines: BUT WHEN WE GO
AND LOOK AT THE EXACT COLORS

OF THE SULFUR PARTICLES
AND COMPARE IT TO THE COLORS

THAT WE SEE
ON VENUS IMAGES AND SPECTRA,

WE FIND THAT'S NOT
AN EXACT MATCH.

IN FACT, THE MATCH
IS A LITTLE BIT OFF.

SO IT HAS US VERY CONCERNED THAT
THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON.

Narrator: THE MYSTERY DEEPENS
WHEN NASA DISCOVERS TRACES

OF TWO INCOMPATIBLE ELEMENTS
IN THE ATMOSPHERE --

HYDROGEN SULFIDE
AND SULFUR DIOXIDE.

WHEN YOU PUT THESE TWO
CHEMICALS TOGETHER, THEY REACT.

THEY CAN'T
JUST EXIST SIDE BY SIDE.

BUT SOMEHOW,
IN THE VENUSIAN ATMOSPHERE,

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.

SO, HOW DO YOU HAVE BOTH
OF THESE MOLECULES

COEXISTING AT THE SAME TIME
ON VENUS?

Narrator: THE ONLY EXPLANATION
IS THAT SOMETHING

IS CONTINUALLY
PRODUCING THE TWO GASES.

SO, THAT MEANS WE'RE SEEING
BRAND-NEW MOLECULES

ALL THE TIME BEING CREATED
BY SOME UNKNOWN PHENOMENA

IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS.

Narrator: ON EARTH,

WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PRODUCES
THESE CHEMICALS.

BUT ON VENUS, THEIR PRESENCE
WOULD BE SHOCKING.

WHEN WE FIND
THESE CHEMICALS ON EARTH,

THEY'RE USUALLY BEING PRODUCED
BY LIVING CREATURES.

SO, COULD THIS MEAN THAT
MAYBE THERE'S LIFE ON VENUS?

Narrator: ALTHOUGH CONDITIONS
ON THE SURFACE ARE BRUTAL,

COULD LIFE IN THE CLOUDS
BE POSSIBLE?

Bell: IF YOU TRAVEL UP
IN THE ATMOSPHERE, HIGH ENOUGH,

THERE ARE ZONES
IN THE ATMOSPHERE

THAT ARE ACTUALLY
QUITE EARTH-LIKE

IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

D'Antonio: AND SOME SCIENTISTS
HAVE THEORIZED

THAT MAYBE THESE ARE AREAS

WHERE THERE MIGHT BE MICROBIAL
LIFE IN VENUS' ATMOSPHERE.

Narrator: IF THEY'RE RIGHT,
THE MYSTERIOUS DARK PATCHES

ARE BLOOMS
OF VENUSIAN LIFE-FORMS

PHOTOSYNTHESIZING ENERGY
FROM THE SUN.

IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT
THERE'S A MICROBIAL ECOSYSTEM

IN THE CLOUDS OF VENUS

HARVESTING SUNLIGHT,
PRODUCING BIOMASS,

CYCLING THAT BIOMASS,

AND HAPPILY LIVING
IN CLOUD DROPLETS.

THAT WOULD BE
A FASCINATING FIND.

♪♪

Narrator:
EARLY IN THE PLANET'S HISTORY,

VENUSIAN OCEANS HAD
ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR LIFE.

BUT AS THE SUN GOT HOTTER,
THE OCEANS EVAPORATED.

Baines:
BEING CLOSE TO THE SUN,

THE OCEAN STARTED BOILING
AWAY, UH, TURNING INTO STEAM,

WHICH ACTUALLY THEN CREATED
A RUNAWAY GREENHOUSE EFFECT.

McKay: ORGANISMS ARE GOING
TO MOVE WITH THE WATER

AND INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

AND THEY'RE GONNA TAKE UP
LIFE IN THE CLOUDS.

THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE
ON THE SURFACE ANYMORE.

Narrator: AND THAT OPENS UP
A FASCINATING POSSIBILITY.

IF LIFE ORIGINATED ON VENUS,

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT IT FOUND
ITS WAY TO EARTH

AND KICK-STARTED LIFE
ON OUR OWN PLANET?

D'Antonio:
ARE WE ORIGINALLY FROM EARTH?

I KNOW THAT SOUNDS
LIKE A WEIRD QUESTION.

BUT SCIENTISTS ARE ACTUALLY
CONSIDERING THAT POSSIBILITY.

♪♪

Narrator: INTRIGUING EVIDENCE
INDICATES THAT ROCKS

MAY HAVE CARRIED
LIVING CREATURES

BETWEEN THE PLANETS.

Bell: PLANETS TRADE MATERIALS
BACK AND FORTH

OVER THE HISTORY
OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

ASTEROIDS AND COMETS
SMASH INTO THE SURFACE,

THROWING A HUGE AMOUNT OF
MATERIAL UP INTO THE ATMOSPHERE,

SOME OF IT ESCAPING,
TRAVELING AROUND

AND IMPACTING OTHER PLANETS.

Baines:
SO, PERHAPS AN ASTEROID

BLASTED AWAY
SOME OF THE SURFACE,

AND MAYBE SOME OF THOSE
SINGLE-CELL LIFE-FORMS

ACTUALLY THEN TRAVELED TO EARTH.

Narrator: UNTIL VERY RECENTLY,
VENUS WAS BELIEVED TO BE

ONE OF THE MOST UNLIKELY PLACES

IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
TO HARBOR LIFE.

COULD IT BE THAT THIS HELLISH
WORLD WAS LIFE'S NURSERY?

COULD WE REALLY BE VENUSIANS?

IT'S NOT COMPLETELY IDIOTIC
TO SAY,

"MAYBE WE ALL COME FROM VENUS."

VENUS MAY HAVE BEEN
THE WARM INCUBATOR

IN THE COLD, EARLY SOLAR SYSTEM.

Narrator: COMING UP, A
MYSTERIOUS SATELLITE MALFUNCTION

PUTS NASA's ASTRONAUTS
IN DANGER.

IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT THEY MISSED
RETRIEVING THE SATELLITE.

BUT THE PROBLEM'S WORSE.

THEY NOW HAVE A ROGUE SATELLITE
IN LOW EARTH ORBIT.

Narrator:
A SATELLITE IN ORBIT

SUFFERS
AN UNEXPLAINED MALFUNCTION,

FORCING NASA TO MAKE
A LIFE-OR-DEATH DECISION.

YOU'RE ALWAYS WEIGHING,
"IT'S A VALUABLE PIECE OF GEAR,"

VERSUS, "HOW MUCH RISK
IS THERE TO IT

CAUSING A CATASTROPHE
WITH THE CREW?"

Narrator: CAN NASA PULL OFF THE
MOST AUDACIOUS RESCUE MISSION

IN THE HISTORY
OF SHUTTLE FLIGHT?

WE WEREN'T SURE WE WERE GOING
TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

♪♪

Narrator: NOVEMBER 1997.

COLUMBIASPACE SHUTTLE
FLIGHT STS-87

LAUNCHES
FROM CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA.

Man: AND LIFT-OFF
OF SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA.

WE'RE PUSHED BACK INTO THE SEAT,
THREE TIMES OUR BODY WEIGHT

AND WATCHING THE MACH TAPES.

WE'RE GOIN' FASTER
THAN MACH 2, MACH 5, MACH 6.

WE WENT FROM ZERO
TO 17,500 MILES PER HOUR

IN ONLY 8 1/2 MINUTES.

Woman: COUNTDOWN PAUSE
WILL RESUME ON MY MARK.

Narrator:
COLUMBIA'SMISSION --

TO LAUNCH
A $10-MILLION SATELLITE,

CODE NAMED SPARTAN,

THAT WILL STUDY SOLAR FLARES.

THE MISSION'S SUCCESS
WILL RELY ON THE STEADY HAND

OF THE SHUTTLE'S
ROBOT-ARM OPERATOR.

EVERY SHUTTLE
HAS A 50-FOOT ROBOT ARM ON IT.

AND WHAT IT ALLOWS US TO DO
IS TO MOVE LARGE DEVICES, UH,

FROM THE SPACE-SHUTTLE
PAYLOAD BAY OUT INTO ORBIT.

Narrator: ROOKIE ASTRONAUT

MISSION SPECIALIST
KALPANA CHAWLA

TAKES CONTROL
OF THE REMOTE DEPLOYMENT.

IT IS A PROUD MOMENT

FOR THE FIRST
INDO-AMERICAN IN SPACE.

SHE LIFTS IT UP OUT OF THE BAY.
IT LOOKS GOOD.

WE'RE ALL THERE
AT THE WINDOWS, WATCHING.

AND AS SHE RELEASED IT,

UH, WE NOTICED
THAT THE SATELLITE

WAS SUPPOSED
TO PERFORM A ROTATION,

WHICH WE CALL
THE PIROUETTE MANEUVER.

WELL, SPARTAN DIDN'T PIROUETTE.

AND THEN WE ALL BEGIN
TO -- TO WORRY.

Narrator:
FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON,

THE SATELLITE IS DEAD IN SPACE.

THE ONLY THING THEY CAN DO NOW
IS RECOVER IT.

AND AS OUR ARM OPERATOR BEGAN
TO DRIVE THE ROBOT ARM IN,

SHE STOPPED AND PAUSED
FOR A MOMENT.

AND WHAT CAUGHT
MY ATTENTION WAS THE ARM.

THE END OF THE ARM BOUNCED
UP AND DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

THE BOUNCING CAUSED HER
TO MISS THE GRAPPLE.

RETRIEVING
A SATELLITE FROM SPACE

WITH A ROBOTIC ARM
IS NOT AN EASY TASK.

YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SHOT.

AND ON CHAWLA'S ONE SHOT,

UNFORTUNATELY,
SHE BUMPS IT INTO A SPIN.

SO, YOU GOT
TO PICTURE THIS, NOW.

THIS IS
A 3,000-POUND SATELLITE

ABOUT THE SIZE
OF A SMALL CAR

VERY SLOWLY TURNING IN SPACE.

Narrator: LOSING
A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR SATELLITE

WOULD BE A DISASTER.

SO THE CREW DO ALL THEY CAN
TO GET IT BACK.

FOR THE NEXT HOUR,
THE CREW VALIANTLY TRIES

TO RETRIEVE THE SATELLITE.

THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUEL
ABOARD TO CHASE IT FOR LONG.

THE MORE FUEL THEY BURN,

THE GREATER THE CHANCE
THEY'RE GONNA BE STUCK IN ORBIT.

[ RADIO CHATTER ]

Narrator: THE ASTRONAUTS
CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY

OF CATCHING
THE SATELLITE BY HAND.

BUT IT'S AN OPTION
THAT IS FRAUGHT WITH DANGER.

Linenger: SPACE WALK HAS, YOU
KNOW, NATURAL INHERENT RISKS.

THEY HAVE MORE DANGER

THAN WHEN YOU'RE SITTIN' BACK
INSIDE THE SPACECRAFT.

Narrator: BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,
SPARTAN IS WORTH $10 MILLION.

RECOVERING SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
YOU'RE ALWAYS WEIGHING,

"IT'S A VALUABLE PIECE OF GEAR.

WE WANT TO BRING IT BACK,"
VERSUS,

"HOW MUCH RISK IS THERE
TO IT HITTING THE SPACE SHUTTLE

OR TO IT CAUSING
A CATASTROPHE WITH THE CREW?"

Jurek: IT'S HARD TO QUANTIFY
THE LENGTH OF TIME

THAT GOES INTO BUILDING
SOMETHING LIKE A SATELLITE.

IT TAKES YEARS, DECADES,
SOMETIMES WHOLE CAREERS.

AND HERE, IN AN INSTANT,

THIS ONE IS POTENTIALLY
SLIPPING AWAY.

Narrator:
170 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH,

WINSTON SCOTT
AND HIS COLLEAGUE TAKEO DOI

PREPARE FOR
THEIR LAST-DITCH RESCUE MISSION.

ALL SPACE WALKS ARE RISKY.

BUT THIS ONE IS EVEN
MORE DANGEROUS THAN USUAL.

WE WERE IMPROVISING,
UH, ON THE FLY.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG
IT WAS GOING TO TAKE.

Narrator:
TO CATCH THE SATELLITE,

THE ASTRONAUTS NEED BOTH HANDS.

THEY ARE FORCED TO TRY AN
INCREDIBLY HAZARDOUS MANEUVER.

WE CAN'T ANCHOR OURSELVES
WITH OUR HANDS.

WE NEED OUR HANDS FREE
TO CATCH THE SATELLITE.

SO WE ANCHOR OUR BOOTS
INTO FOOT RESTRAINTS

ON THE SIDE OF THE SHUTTLE.

Narrator: ONE MISTAKE,
AND THE ROGUE SATELLITE

COULD KNOCK SCOTT
OR DOI TUMBLING INTO SPACE.

FLIGHT COMMANDER KEVIN KREGEL

EDGES THE SHUTTLE SLOWLY
TOWARDS THE SATELLITE.

Scott: I CAN RECALL
CALLING OUT TO KEVIN,

"OKAY, THE SATELLITE
IS AFT ABOUT 5 FEET."

HE WOULD FIRE THE JETS
AND MOVE US BACK A LITTLE BIT.

"OKAY. HOLD.
STABILIZE."

Narrator: KREGEL INCHES
THE SHUTTLE ALONGSIDE SPARTAN.

IT IS NOW WITHIN
TOUCHING DISTANCE.

I THEN GAVE TAKEO THE CUES
THAT WE HAD PRACTICED.

INSTANTLY, YOU CAN FEEL
ALL OF THAT MASS.

I KNEW I HAD A HAND FULL

OF 3,000 POUNDS' WORTH
OF STRUCTURE.

Narrator: SCOTT AND DOI
MAY HAVE HOLD OF THE SATELLITE,

BUT IT IS FAR
FROM UNDER CONTROL.

Scott: BUT NOW WE HAVE
TO CHANGE OUR HAND POSITION

SO THAT WE CAN MANIPULATE
THIS SATELLITE

TO THE ONE ORIENTATION

THAT WOULD ALLOW US
TO LOCK IT INTO THE BAY,

BECAUSE 3,000 POUNDS OF MASS

COULD EASILY
GO OUT OF CONTROL ON YOU.

Narrator: INCH BY INCH,
THEY ROTATE IT INTO PLACE.

IT TAKES THREE HOURS

BEFORE IT IS SECURE
INSIDE THE PAYLOAD BAY.

WE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY
SHIED AWAY FROM IT.

BUT THAT WASN'T HIS NATURE.
THAT'S NOT MY NATURE.

THAT'S NOT THE NATURE
OF ASTRONAUTS.

Narrator:
A POST-FLIGHT INVESTIGATION

EXONERATES ROOKIE ASTRONAUT
KALPANA CHAWLA OF ANY BLAME.

IT WAS A SOFTWARE GLITCH.

THERE WAS NOTHING
THAT CHAWLA COULD HAVE DONE.

Narrator: SPARTAN EVENTUALLY
RETURNS TO SPACE,

WHERE IT CONTINUES
TO KEEP WATCH ON OUR SUN.

UP NEXT,
TERRIFIED ROMAN SOLDIERS

REPORT SEEING
TWO MOONS IN THE SKY.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

SO, WHAT ARE
THESE GUYS LOOKING AT?

Narrator:
WAS IT A PORTENT TO APOCALYPSE,

OR DID EARTH
REALLY ONCE HAVE TWO MOONS?

♪♪

Narrator: 217 B.C.
ITALY.

THE ROMAN REPUBLIC
IS IN THE MIDST

OF A BLOODY WAR WITH CARTHAGE.

WITNESSES AT THE ROMAN CITY
OF CAPENA

REPORT SEEING SOMETHING
THAT DEFIES BELIEF.

THERE'S REPORTS OF EYEWITNESSES

OBSERVING TWO MOONS
RISING IN THE SKY.

IF YOU SEE TWO MOONS IN THE SKY

APPEAR ALL OF A SUDDEN, UM,
YOU'RE GONNA BE PRETTY SHOCKED.

Narrator:
THE ROMANS TAKE THE SIGHTINGS

AS A PORTENT OF DOOM.

CAN YOU IMAGINE AS A SOLDIER
MARCHING INTO BATTLE

AND SEEING TWO MOONS
RISING IN THE SKY?

THAT'S A TERRIBLE OMEN.

IT COULD EASILY SPELL DISASTER.

Narrator:
SHORTLY AFTER, THE ROMANS

SUFFER THEIR WORST DEFEAT
OF THE WAR

AS TWO LEGIONS ARE AMBUSHED

AND DROWNED ON THE BANKS
OF LAKE TRASIMENE.

IT LOOKS LIKE
THE OMEN CAME TRUE.

BUT THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

Baines:
TODAY, WITH MODERN SCIENCE,

WE KNOW IT'S NOT POSSIBLE

TO HAVE HAD TWO MOONS
AT THAT TIME.

Narrator:
SO, WHAT WAS GOING ON?

SO, THE QUESTION IS,
WHAT WERE THEY SEEING?

♪♪

Narrator: MODERN SCIENTISTS
KNOW THE ANCIENT ROMANS

COULD NOT HAVE SEEN
A SECOND MOON IN THE SKY.

BUT COULD THEY HAVE SEEN
A DIFFERENT CELESTIAL BODY,

ONE LINKED TO OMENS
THROUGHOUT HISTORY?

Grazier: WELL, ONE IDEA IS,
IT COULD HAVE BEEN A COMET.

BEFORE WE UNDERSTOOD
THEIR NATURE,

COMETS WERE PORTENTS OF DOOM

BECAUSE THEY CAME
AND WENT UNEXPECTEDLY.

Narrator:
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF COMETS

MAKE THEM A PROMISING CANDIDATE.

COMETS ARE VERY BRIGHT.

THEY SHOW UP DURING DAYTIME.

AND THEY CAN GET VERY LARGE.

AS A COMET GETS CLOSER
AND CLOSER TO THE SUN,

THE RADIATION PRESSURE
FROM THE SUN HEATS IT UP

AND MAKES IT ESSENTIALLY GLOW.

IT GETS BRIGHTER
AND BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER.

THEY ALSO CAN STICK AROUND
FOR MANY DAYS.

Narrator: ALTHOUGH COMETS
HAVE A DISTINCTIVE TAIL,

IF OBSERVED
FROM THE RIGHT ANGLE,

THEY WOULD BE INVISIBLE.

IF YOU SEE THAT FROM THE FRONT,
YOU DON'T SEE THE TAIL.

WHAT YOU SEE
IS MAYBE THE NUCLEUS

AND THE GASES SURROUNDING IT.

SO, TO A ROMAN SOLDIER
OUT IN THE FIELD,

HE COULD LOOK UP IN THE SKY,
AND DURING DAYTIME,

AND SEE THE REAL MOON,

AND THEN SEE
THIS OTHER OBJECT UP THERE.

AND IT COULD LOOK
LIKE A MOON TO HIM.

♪♪

Narrator: BUT THAT WOULD MEAN
THAT THE COMET

WAS ON A COLLISION COURSE
WITH EARTH.

AND NONE OF THE REPORTS
MENTION A CATACLYSMIC IMPACT.

SO COULD THE MYSTERIOUS MOON

ACTUALLY BE A LARGER OBJECT
BUT FURTHER AWAY?

COULD IT HAVE BEEN A PLANET?

WELL, WE KNOW THAT THERE
ARE OTHER PLANETS VISIBLE

AT VARIOUS POINTS IN TIME
IN THE EVENING SKY.

COULD MARS LOOK LARGE ENOUGH

TO APPEAR TO BE A SECOND MOON?

Narrator:
IN AUGUST 2003,

MARS MADE ITS CLOSEST APPROACH

TO THE EARTH
FOR NEARLY 60,000 YEARS.

PEOPLE EXPECTED TO GO OUT
AND SEE MARS IN THE SKY

ALMOST THE SIZE
OF THE FULL MOON.

BUT SORRY.

IT WAS NOTHING LIKE THAT.

Genge: MARS DID LOOK BIGGER
THAN IT EVER HAD DONE BEFORE.

BUT IT WAS STILL JUST
A TINY SPECK OF LIGHT.

NOBODY WOULD EVER MISTAKE THAT
FOR A SECOND MOON.

Narrator:
NO PLANET IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

COULD EVER LOOK LARGE ENOUGH
TO BE MISTAKEN FOR A MOON,

EVEN BY SUPERSTITIOUS ROMANS.

BUT THE EARTH
ONCE HAVING A SECOND MOON

IS FAR FROM RIDICULOUS.

THE IDEA OF HAVING MORE
THAN ONE MOON IN THE SKY

IS ONLY ODD ON EARTH.

MANY PLANETS
HAVE MULTIPLE MOONS.

JUPITER AND SATURN
HAVE 60 MOONS.

Narrator:
IN FACT, IT IS POSSIBLE

THAT THE SPHERE
SO FAMILIAR IN OUR NIGHT SKY

STARTED OUT
AS TWO SEPARATE MOONS.

Oluseyi: THE DATA SUGGESTS
THAT IN THE ANCIENT PAST,

THE EARTH WAS HIT WITH AN OBJECT
THE SIZE OF MARS.

AND DEBRIS WAS THROWN UP
AROUND THE EARTH

THAT LATER COALESCED
TO FORM THE MOON.

BUT IT MAY HAVE NOT COALESCED
INTO ONE OBJECT ALL AT ONCE.

WHAT IF IT COALESCED
INTO TWO OBJECTS?

Narrator:
SOME SCIENTISTS BELIEVE

THAT TWO MOONS INTO ONE EXPLAINS
WHY ONE SIDE OF THE MOON

IS FLAT
WHILE THE OTHER BULGES OUTWARDS.

WE THINK
THAT WE ENDED UP WITH A MOON

THAT'S TWO OBJECTS
THAT HAVE NOW BECOME ONE.

AND THAT'S WHY THE CRUST
ON ONE SIDE OF THE MOON

IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE CRUST
ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Narrator: BUT IF EARTH
DID ONCE HAVE TWO MOONS,

IT WAS A VERY LONG TIME
BEFORE THE ROMAN SIGHTINGS.

THIS PROCESS TOOK PLACE
4 BILLION YEARS AGO --

MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF YEARS

BEFORE THE EXISTENCE
OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC.

THERE'S NO WAY
THAT THOSE SOLDIERS

SAW ANY OF THIS.

Narrator:
AND THAT IS JUST AS WELL

BECAUSE IF THE MOON
HAD AN IDENTICAL TWIN,

THE COMBINED
GRAVITATIONAL FORCES

WOULD HAVE
HORRIFYING CONSEQUENCES.

THE EFFECTS ON EARTH
WOULD BE DEVASTATING.

YOU'D HAVE TSUNAMIS.

YOU'D HAVE GIANT TIDAL WAVES.

Baines: THE ROTATION
OF THE EARTH WOULD CHANGE.

YOU'D HAVE ATMOSPHERIC EFFECTS,
HUGE STORMS.

THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE.

Narrator:
BUT THE ROMANS ARE NOT ALONE.

THROUGHOUT HISTORY,
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS

OF TWO MOONS.

NO SINGLE EXPLANATION
HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACCOUNT

FOR THESE DRAMATIC SIGHTINGS.

THE MYSTERY REMAINS UNEXPLAINED.

COMING UP, A BOMB EXPLODES
AT THE ATLANTA OLYMPICS.

WE'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE DEAD.

WE'VE GOT OVER 100 INJURED.

WE NEED TO KNOW
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE.

Narrator: ALL POLICE HAVE
TO GO ON IS A BLURRED VIDEO.

THE FOOTAGE,
IT WAS SO POOR QUALITY,

THEY COULDN'T MATCH IT UP.

Teitel: IT'S REALLY HARD
TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

BUT THIS EVIDENCE
IS KEY TO THE INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: COULD NASA
HELP CATCH THE KILLER?

♪♪

Narrator: JULY 1996.

AND CENTENNIAL PARK, ATLANTA,
IS BUZZING.

Baker: SUMMER OLYMPICS
WERE BEING HELD IN ATLANTA.

BIG EVENT,
AS THE OLYMPICS ARE ANYTIME.

[ EXPLOSION ]

Narrator: AN EXPLOSION
RIPS THROUGH THE CROWD.

[ SIRENS WAILING ]

THE AFTERMATH IS DEVASTATING.

WE'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE DEAD.

WE'VE GOT OVER 100 INJURED.

WE NEED TO KNOW
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE.

Narrator: THE FBI IS DESPERATE
TO CATCH THE MURDERER.

Baker: THE EYES OF THE WORLD
WERE WATCHING

THE OLYMPICS IN ATLANTA.

THIS TURNED INTO ONE
OF THE BIGGEST MANHUNTS

IN THE FBI's HISTORY.

Narrator:
BUT THE CASE IS CRACKED

BY NASA's SOLAR-IMAGING TEAM.

FBI INVESTIGATORS ARE TRYING
TO TRACK DOWN THE BOMBER

WHO ATTACKED
THE ATLANTA OLYMPICS.

BUT THEY HAVE LITTLE TO GO ON.

JUST TWO SHORT, SHAKY,
HANDHELD VIDEOS

RECORDED BY TOURISTS

AT THE SCENE
BEFORE THE DISASTER.

THE FULL 13-SECOND VIDEO
REMAINS UNDER LEGAL EMBARGO.

BUT CERTAIN FRAMES
OF THE FOOTAGE

CAN STILL BE SHOWN.

IN ONE CLIP,
THEY SPOT A MAN ON A BENCH

WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE A BACKPACK.

IN ANOTHER, THEY SEE

A BACKPACK
ABANDONED UNDER THE BENCH.

BUT ARE THE TWO PACKS
ONE AND THE SAME?

AND IF IT IS, IS THE BACKPACK
CARRYING THE BOMB?

TWO OF THE CLIPS CONTAIN
SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING.

BUT NEITHER OF THE CLIPS
ARE CLEAR.

THE QUALITY OF THE IMAGES
WERE SO POOR,

THEY COULDN'T MATCH THEM UP.

Narrator: THE FBI TRIES
TO CLEAN UP THE PICTURES.

BUT ITS EQUIPMENT
JUST CAN'T HANDLE

THE POOR IMAGE QUALITY.

THE BUREAU
WILL HAVE FORENSIC CAPABILITY.

AND THAT INCLUDES TRYING TO MAKE
THE MOST OF VIDEO EVIDENCE.

BUT THEY'D TAKEN IT
AS FAR AS THEY COULD GO.

IT'S ENORMOUSLY FRUSTRATING,

FROM AN INVESTIGATIVE
STANDPOINT,

TO HAVE VIDEO EVIDENCE
THAT YOU CAN'T USE.

Narrator:
THE FBI APPROACHES NASA.

PERHAPS THEIR ADVANCED
IMAGING TECHNOLOGY CAN SUCCEED

WHERE THE FBI HAS FAILED.

NASA's IN THE BUSINESS

OF CREATING SOMETHING
FROM NOTHING.

THEY CAN LOOK
AT THE SMALLEST BIT OF LIGHT

COMING FROM A DISTANT GALAXY

AND TEASE INFORMATION
OUT OF THAT

THAT HELPS US
LEARN NEW SCIENCE.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS CONTACT

NASA ASTROPHYSICIST
DAVID HATHAWAY.

HE'S A SOLAR ASTRONOMER
WHO HAS SPENT 30 YEARS

USING TECHNOLOGY
TO IMPROVE IMAGES

OF SOLAR ACTIVITY ON THE SUN.

WE FELT IT WAS OUR DUTY.

UH, BUT WE ALSO FELT

THAT WE WERE DOING
SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT.

PEOPLE DIED HERE.

AND SO WE THOUGHT
THIS WAS OUR CHANCE

TO HELP JUSTICE BE SERVED.

Narrator: THE POOR QUALITY
OF THE SHAKY FOOTAGE

PUSHES EVEN NASA's TECHNOLOGY
TO THE LIMIT.

WE HAD 13 SECONDS OF VIDEO,

400 FRAMES OF VERY DARK,
NOISY, GRAINY VIDEO.

Narrator:
THEY ENHANCE THE IMAGE QUALITY

BY ISOLATING EACH FRAME.

THEN THEY TRANSFORM
THE 400 FRAMES INTO ONE.

WE KNEW FROM ASTRONOMY
THAT THE WAY YOU DO THIS

IS TO ADD THEM TOGETHER.

YOU AVERAGE THE WAY HUBBLE DOES

WHEN IT LOOKS
AT A DISTANT GALAXY.

IT ADDS IMAGES TOGETHER
OVER DAYS AND DAYS.

SO WE WANTED
TO AVERAGE THEM TOGETHER.

AND THAT WOULD CLEAN IT UP.

Narrator:
BUT THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

IS LARGE, STABLE,
AND LOCKED ON TO ITS TARGET

WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY.

THE PROBLEM WITH THIS VIDEO

IS THAT THE CAMERAMAN
WAS MOVING AROUND.

HE WAS ZOOMING IN AND --
AND SHIFTING THE CAMERA AROUND.

AND SO WE HAD TO TAKE OUT
ALL OF THOSE MOTIONS

BEFORE WE COULD ADD
THE IMAGES TOGETHER.

Narrator:
DAVID REALIZES THAT THE TASK

IS BEYOND EXISTING TECHNOLOGY.

SO HE ASKED HIS COLLEAGUES

TO CREATE NEW SOFTWARE
TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

WE DEVELOPED
A COMPUTER PROGRAM,

A PROCESS FOR STABILIZING

AND REGISTERING THE IMAGES.

IT DID IT BY TAKING A KEY FRAME.

SO, WE DECIDE, "ALL RIGHT,
WE WANT EVERYTHING TO MATCH

WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS ONE IMAGE
IN THE MIDDLE."

AND IT GOES TO EACH IMAGE

AND SEE HOW PARTS OF THE IMAGE

ARE MOVED FROM ONE IMAGE
TO THE NEXT.

AND FROM THAT, WE CAN
FIGURE OUT MATHEMATICALLY

HOW THE IMAGE HAS GOTTEN
BIGGER OR SMALLER,

HOW IT'S ROTATED,
HOW IT'S SHIFTED.

Narrator: THEY PAINSTAKINGLY
ADJUST EACH IMAGE FOR SIZE,

POSITION, AND ROTATION
TO MATCH THE KEY IMAGE.

FRAME BY FRAME,

THEY INCH TOWARDS
A CLEARER PICTURE.

AFTER SPENDING MONTHS
TRYING TO DEVELOP THIS,

WHEN IT FINALLY WORKED

AND WE GET OUT
THIS CLEAN IMAGE,

IT WAS EXHILARATING.

Narrator: BURIED WITHIN
THE IMPENETRABLE SHADOWS

EMERGES SOMETHING THAT LOOKS
SUSPICIOUSLY LIKE A BOMB.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: NASA SCIENTIST
DAVID HATHAWAY AND HIS TEAM

HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CLEANED UP

AN IMAGE
FROM THE ATLANTA BOMBING.

THEY HOPE IT WILL HELP
THE FBI IN ITS INVESTIGATION.

THE IMAGE WAS GOOD ENOUGH

THAT THE FBI CAN NOW
NOT ONLY IDENTIFY

THAT IT WAS A BACKPACK,

BUT THAT IT WAS
A MILITARY ALICE PACK

USED BY BRANCHES
OF THE MILITARY.

Narrator: CRUCIALLY,
THEY CAN SEE WHAT'S INSIDE.

THEY WERE ABLE TO SHOW
THAT THE BACKPACK

WAS ACTUALLY
AN OPEN-TOP BACKPACK

WITH THICK WIRES COMING OUT

THAT ACTUALLY TURNED OUT
TO BE PART OF THE BOMB.

Narrator: THE BAG
IS HOLDING A 40-POUND PIPE BOMB

FILLED WITH NAILS.

NOW NASA APPLIES
THE SAME TECHNIQUE

TO THE SECOND PIECE OF FOOTAGE

THAT LINKS THE BACKPACK
TO ITS SHADOWY OWNER.

AFTER WE RAN OUR PROCESS
ON THIS VIDEO,

UH, YOU COULD
MAKE OUT THAT, IN FACT, YES,

IT'S A FIGURE
SITTING ON THE BENCH,

BACKPACK ON HIS BACK,
UP AGAINST THIS WALL.

LOOKS LIKE HE WAS
WEARING MILITARY GEAR,

THAT HE HAD A KHAKI SHIRT.

IT LOOKS LIKE
HE'S WEARING A RED BERET.

GOT DARK SHOES ON.

AND WE COULD EVEN FIGURE OUT
WHAT HIS HEIGHT WAS,

ESTIMATE HIS WEIGHT,
AND EVEN HIS SHOE SIZE.

THE INFORMATION WE PROVIDED
ABOUT THE BACKPACK WERE ENOUGH

THAT THE FBI COULD LATER
IDENTIFY WHO HE WAS,

FOUND THAT HE WAS ASSOCIATED
WITH OTHER BOMBINGS,

AND ULTIMATELY LED TO HIS ARREST
AND INCARCERATION.

Narrator: THE FBI ARREST
SERIAL BOMBER ERIC RUDOLPH.

TECHNOLOGY CREATED TO EXPLORE
THE SOLAR SYSTEM

HAS BROUGHT A DANGEROUS MAN
TO JUSTICE.

HATHAWAY AND HIS TEAM
CALL IT VISAR --

VIDEO IMAGE STABILIZATION
AND REGISTRATION.

VISAR WAS INCLUDED
ON VIDEO-IMAGING WORK STATIONS

THAT WERE SOLD TO HUNDREDS
OF LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

ACROSS THE U.S.
AND AROUND THE WORLD.

Narrator: VISAR WILL BECOME
A VALUABLE TOOL

AGAINST SERIOUS CRIME.

A PHOTO
TAKEN ON A NASA MISSION

REVEALS
SOMETHING TRULY MYSTIFYING.

WHAT KIND OF AN OBJECT
WOULD LOOK LIKE THAT?

WE DON'T KNOW.
IT'S EXTREMELY PECULIAR.

Narrator: COULD NASA BE
CONDUCTING A SECRET EXPERIMENT?

AND HERE IT IS
ON NASA's OWN PHOTOGRAPH --

FIVE DISC-SHAPED CRAFT.

Narrator: AND IF IT'S NOT NASA,
WHAT ELSE COULD BE OUT THERE?

WHAT ON EARTH
COULD THESE THINGS BE?

♪♪

Narrator: APRIL 2001.

NASA ASTRONAUTS TRAVELING
TO THE ISS PHOTOGRAPH OUR PLANET

FROM A VANTAGE POINT
HIGH IN THE EARTH'S ORBIT.

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK US
WHAT WE DO IN OUR SPARE TIME.

AND NOT THAT WE HAVE
THAT MUCH SPARE TIME,

BUT IT'S ALWAYS --
WE'RE ALWAYS AT THE WINDOWS,

LOOKING OUT
AND TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS.

Linenger:
I TOOK 10,000 PHOTOS MYSELF.

AND I'VE GOT
SOME FANTASTIC SHOTS

THAT I STILL LOOK AT.

Narrator: ONE OF THE IMAGES
SHOWS AN ANOMALY

THAT DEFIES EXPLANATION.

IT SPARKS
INTENSE INTEREST ONLINE.

ONE OF THE ASTRONAUTS
ON BOARD THE SHUTTLE

SNAPPED THIS PHOTOGRAPH.

AND IT SHOWS A VERY STRANGE,
EXOTIC-LOOKING OBJECT.

Narrator: WHEN THE IMAGE

IS SUDDENLY TAKEN DOWN
FROM NASA's WEBSITE,

THE BLOGOSPHERE
GOES INTO MELTDOWN.

THE UFO COMMUNITY
AND CONSPIRACY THEORISTS

OFTEN SAY THAT NASA

HIDES EVIDENCE
OF AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL PRESENCE.

WHEN IT DISAPPEARED,
PEOPLE ASKED THE QUESTION,

"WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO HIDE?"

Narrator: THE PHOTO REAPPEARS,
BUT IN A DIFFERENT SECTION.

PERHAPS
THESE UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS

ARE PART
OF AN ONGOING NASA PROJECT.

Pope: NASA ARE EXPERIMENTING
WITH INFLATABLE,

SEGMENTED HABITATION UNITS
FOR THE ISS.

COULD THAT BE WHAT WE'RE SEEING?

Narrator:
NASA HAS RECENTLY TESTED

THE BIGELOW EXPANDABLE
ACTIVITY MODULE,

A NEW KIND OF HABITAT IN SPACE.

THIS ISN'T A CASE OF,
"SOMEDAY WE'LL HAVE DESIGNS

THAT LOOK SORT OF LIKE THIS."

WE ACTUALLY HAVE MODULES
FLOATING IN THE SKY RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: IN FACT,
THE SHAPE OF THE OBJECTS

IN THE IMAGE
BEAR A STRIKING RESEMBLANCE

TO NASA-STYLE MODULES

USED IN CUTTING-EDGE
SPACESHIP DESIGN.

WHEN YOU LINK A FEW
OF THESE MODULES TOGETHER

AND YOU GET JUST
THE RIGHT PICTURE

WITH JUST THE RIGHT
LIGHT CONDITIONS,

WELL, IT BEGINS
TO LOOK LIKE THIS.

Narrator:
YET WHEN THE EXACT DETAILS

BEHIND THE EXPERIMENT
ARE SCRUTINIZED,

THE INFLATABLE HABITAT
THEORY DEFLATES.

THIS TECHNOLOGY
DOES NOT EXPLAIN

WHAT WE'RE SEEING
IN THIS PICTURE.

THE PICTURE SHOWS FIVE MODULES
CONNECTED TOGETHER.

WE ONLY ACTUALLY
HAVE ONE IN ORBIT.

MARK D'ANTONIO STUDIES
THE IMAGE MORE CLOSELY.

IT OPENS A NEW LINE
OF INVESTIGATION.

IF WE GO OVER TO THE OBJECT,
WE CAN SEE SOMETHING AMAZING.

THE LIGHT IS WRONG.

IT'S NOT RIGHT.

THIS MAY NOT BE
SOMETHING IN ORBIT.

Narrator: MARK HAS NOTICED
THAT THE SHADOWS

ARE IN THE WRONG PLACE

TO BE CAST BY LIGHT
FROM THE SUN.

PERHAPS THE STRANGE OBJECTS

ARE A LOT CLOSER TO THE SHUTTLE

THAN ANYONE HAD REALIZED.

D'Antonio: I THINK
THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT

IS VERY LIKELY
SOMETHING ON THE WINDOW.

NOW, WHAT COULD
THAT SOMETHING BE?

Narrator: THE ANSWER
HAS TERRIFYING IMPLICATIONS.

WELL, IF THAT WAS ACTUALLY
FROM A MICROMETEORITE

OR A PIECE OF DEBRIS IN SPACE

HITTING THE WINDOW
AT A VERY SHALLOW ANGLE,

IT MIGHT HAVE SKIPPED
ACROSS THE WINDOW

LIKE SKIPPING STONE
SKIPS ACROSS THE WATER,

LEAVING A LITTLE SERIES
OF LITTLE PITS.

THIS IS A PIECE OF DEBRIS THAT'S
NO BIGGER THAN A GRAIN OF SALT.

BUT WHEN THINGS
ARE GOING THAT FAST,

THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE VERY BIG

IN ORDER TO DELIVER A FATAL BLOW
TO YOUR EQUIPMENT.

Chiao: IN LOW EARTH ORBIT,
YOU'RE TRAVELING

AT A SPEED OF AROUND
17,500 MILES AN HOUR,

OR ABOUT 25,000 KILOMETERS
AN HOUR.

AND SO, YOU KNOW,
WHAT YOU WORRY ABOUT

ARE THE CROSSING PIECES
THAT COME AND HIT YOU.

Narrator:
IT'S AN INTERESTING THEORY.

BUT NO ONE IS SURE
IF IT'S THE ANSWER.

Pope: GIVEN THE DIFFICULTIES
OF ASSESSING

THE TRUE NATURE
OF OBJECTS IN SPACE,

JUDGING SIZES AND DISTANCE,

AND GIVEN THAT NASA HAVEN'T
COMMENTED OFFICIALLY ON THIS,

THE INCIDENT
REMAINS UNEXPLAINED.

Narrator: UP NEXT,
WHEN THE PLANET HUNTER TELESCOPE

SUDDENLY GOES OFFLINE...

Oluseyi:
KEPLER'S NOT TALKING TO ANYBODY.

FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES,
IT MIGHT AS WELL BE DEAD.

Narrator:
...COULD FOUL PLAY BE TO BLAME?

ID: COULD THERE BE SOMEONE

THAT DIDN'T LIKE KEPLER
PEEKING IN ON THEM?

♪♪

Narrator: MARCH 2009.

NASA LAUNCHES THE $600-MILLION
KEPLER TELESCOPE

TO SEARCH
FOR NEW, DISTANT WORLDS.

IT WAS DESIGNED TO FIND OUT
HOW MANY PLANETS OUT THERE,

AROUND STARS LIKE THE SUN,

ARE PLANETS
SORT OF LIKE THE EARTH?

Narrator:
NICKNAMED THE "PLANET HUNTER,"

KEPLER DISCOVERS
NEARLY 5,000 WORLDS

IN AN UNEXPLORED SECTION
OF THE MILKY WAY.

IT'S FINDING PLANETS THAT ARE
ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE EARTH

AND AT A TEMPERATURE

WHERE YOU COULD
HAVE LIQUID OCEANS,

MAYBE AN ATMOSPHERE.

Narrator:
BUT IN APRIL 2016,

THE PLANET HUNTER DOES
SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED.

Major:
ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.

KEPLER IS IN EMERGENCY MODE.

KEPLER HAS NEVER GONE
INTO EMERGENCY MODE.

AND IT'S JUST DOING
ALL IT CAN DO

JUST TO MAINTAIN COMMUNICATION.

WHEN YOU GET THAT EMERGENCY
SIGNAL AT MISSION CONTROL,

IT'S LIKE A BLACK CLOUD
HAS DESCENDED OVER IT.

THIS IS THE NEWS
NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR.

Narrator: WHY HAS NASA's
PLANET HUNTER GONE DOWN?

♪♪

STUCK IN EMERGENCY MODE,
NASA's KEPLER TELESCOPE

STARTS TO BURN THROUGH
ITS HYDRAZINE FUEL SUPPLY

AT AN ALARMING RATE.

IT'S RUNNING ON RESERVE POWER.

THAT'S NOT GONNA LAST VERY LONG.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING,
AND WE MUST SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

Narrator:
WITH TIME RUNNING OUT,

NASA COMMANDEERS
THE DEEP SPACE NETWORK.

CAN THIS CLUSTER
OF POWERFUL SATELLITES

HELP REGAIN CONTACT WITH KEPLER?

DEEP SPACE NETWORK IS BASED IN
THE MOJAVE DESERT IN CALIFORNIA,

WHERE NASA HAS ONE
OF THE LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPES

IN THE WORLD.

IT'S A 70-METER DISH.

AND IT CAN COMMUNICATE
WITH KEPLER

WHERE NOTHING ELSE CAN.

Narrator: FINALLY,
THE PLANET HUNTER ANSWERS.

BUT HOPE IS SHORT-LIVED.

KEPLER REFUSES TO BUDGE
FROM EMERGENCY MODE.

AND NASA DOESN'T KNOW WHY.

ARE SINISTER FORCES AT WORK?

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ATTEMPTS
TO INTERFERE

AND HACK INTO NASA SPACECRAFT.

JUST AS OTHER NATIONS
CAN HACK THE U.S. POWER GRID

OR OUR COMPANIES,
YOU CAN ALSO HACK SATELLITES.

Major:
DID SOMEBODY HACK KEPLER?

DID A UNFRIENDLY FOREIGN NATION

TRY TO BREAK INTO IT?

WHAT HAPPENED THAT
PUT KEPLER INTO THE POSITION

THAT IT'S IN NOW?

Narrator: SOME SUSPECT
THAT THE NEW SPACE RACE TO MARS

HAS INSPIRED THE RETURN
TO OLD COLD-WAR TACTICS.

IN 2011, WHEN THE RUSSIAN
MARS PROBE FOBOS-GRUNT

SPUN OUT OF CONTROL,

RUSSIAN SPACE CHIEF
VLADIMIR POPOVKIN

ACCUSED AMERICA OF REMOTELY
REPROGRAMMING THE PROBE.

BUT NASA ANALYSTS ARE
UNCONVINCED THE KEPLER FAULT

IS THE RESULT
OF ANY TERRESTRIAL SABOTEUR.

Porges: WHY WOULD ANYBODY WANT
TO INTERFERE WITH KEPLER?

IT'S LOOKING
DEEP, DEEP, DEEP INTO SPACE

AT FARAWAY STARS.

IT'S NOT LIKE
IT'S A MILITARY SATELLITE.

KEPLER IS DESIGNED
TO FIND ALIEN PLANETS.

COULD THERE BE SOMEONE

THAT DIDN'T LIKE KEPLER
PEEKING IN ON THEM?

GIVEN THAT KEPLER HAS FOUND
THOUSANDS OF PLANET CANDIDATES,

IT COULD HAVE FOUND
AN INHABITED ONE.

WE DON'T KNOW.

♪♪

Narrator: BURNING FUEL
AND DRIFTING DEEPER INTO SPACE,

THE PLANET HUNTER
IS RAPIDLY SLIPPING AWAY.

IF MISSION ENGINEERS
CAN'T GET KEPLER OUT

OF EMERGENCY MODE, K2 IS OVER.

KEPLER IS DEAD.

Narrator: THE ENGINEERS
HAVE ONE LAST CHANCE.

AS KEPLER'S ANTENNAE SPIN
TO FACE THE EARTH,

THEY SEND THE ABORT CODE

AND ORDER KEPLER TO PURGE
ITS TELEMETRY DATA.

THEN THEY BEGIN TO UPLOAD
A NEW COMMAND SEQUENCE.

AFTER DAYS OF HARD WORK
BY MISSION ENGINEERS AT NASA,

BALL AEROSPACE,
AND THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO,

KEPLER IS BROUGHT BACK ONLINE.

Narrator:
AS MYSTERIOUSLY AS IT WENT DEAD,

KEPLER COMES BACK TO LIFE.

AND NO ONE KNOWS WHY.

MISSION ENGINEERS TRY TO FIND
OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO KEPLER

THAT KNOCKED IT
INTO EMERGENCY MODE.

Narrator: EVEN AFTER STUDYING
ITS MISSION LOGS,

NASA IS UNABLE TO DISCOVER

WHAT WENT WRONG
WITH THE SATELLITE.

TO THIS DAY, KEPLER'S BREAKDOWN
REMAINS A MYSTERY.

BUT AT LEAST THE PLANET HUNTER

IS BACK ONLINE
AND FINDING NEW WORLDS.

KEPLER IS STILL OUT THERE,
STILL HUNTING FOR PLANETS.

WITH ANY LUCK, IT'LL BE DOING
THAT FOR YEARS TO COME.

[ RADIO CHATTER ]