Original subtitles

Recovery 1, this is Control.

Initiate APU pre -start procedure.

Over.

Roger, Recovery 1. Power APUs now.

APU fuel tank valves open. Roger.

Fuel tank open.

Run APU Control 1.

Roger. APU 1, start.

T -minus two minutes. All systems go.

H2 is pressurized.

Go for launch.

Recovery one, this is control.

You are looking good and are go for launch, over.

Roger, go for launch.

You ever wonder what it's like sitting on top of six million pounds of truck?

Reading steel failure in E .T. Liquid hydrogen leak imminent.

Aboard launch.

Recovery one, you have external tank failure. Abort immediately. I repeat,

immediately. Over.

Roger. Aborting out. All right, everyone, let's move.

Baskett 2 away.

30 seconds until tank rupture.

Baskett 2 recovered.

Baskett 1 away.

Basket one recovered.

Mission specialist on ground. What's he waiting for?

His shuttle command.

Okay.

Do you fly like that every time you go up, sir, or are you just showing off?

Your first time shooting a sonic, Lieutenant?

No, sir. Just my first time with a lawyer.

How do I rate?

Could have done without the snaffles.

I'd have to leave an impression.

Then you could have used a little more runway.

You want a long roll, I'll fly the Air Force.

Ooh, careful, Harm. We're in their territory.

There are a lot of friendlies around here, Meg. The space program likes Navy

pilots. We make their best astronauts.

Right. I think I read that somewhere in Kepler's laws of planetary motion.

Hey, all I need to say is the first American in outer space was not an Air

jock. They put up a man who knew how to make a trap.

And why was the first man in orbit a marine?

I didn't know the Navy had such a budget surplus.

They transport their JAG officers and jet fighters.

Our Admiral told us to get here ASAP, sir.

You take a joyride back and tell him we've got it under control.

Can't do that, Lieutenant Commander Atkinson's Navy, sir.

Assigned to the Military Space Agency.

I understand that, Colonel, but investigating his death still lies

jurisdiction.

We try to avoid politics, Commander. That's why we use Vandenberg to launch

military missions, sir.

Understood, sir, but I have my orders.

All I can tell you, Commander, is Atkins fell to his death during an emergency

evacuation drill when the cable failed.

We adjusted the capture bar. It was an alignment problem.

Good. Have you concluded why the cable failed, sir? Not yet. Mr. Gallant is

analyzing that. Which reminds me, I need to check on the stress test results.

And I'm on an accelerated schedule, so if you'll excuse me, I have a launch in

48 hours.

You're going ahead with the launch, sir?

It must be an awfully important mission.

Need to know, Commander.

The backup pilot passed his physical, sir. Good. Let him know he's on.

Any further questions, you can direct to my assistant, Captain Tang.

Sir, Lieutenant.

Looks like I get to deliver some good news for a change.

Where are they?

Simulator on final approach.

Initiate pre -flare.

Roger. Adjusting glide slope.

Looking good.

That's a steep approach.

Well, it starts at 19 degrees, about six times steeper than commercial aircraft.

And there are no pull -ups. With the 200 ,000 -pound glider, we call it the

flying brick.

Yes, sir.

I'd like to go up to the launch structure, take a look at the egress

Yes, sir. I'll try to arrange something for this afternoon.

Recovery one, gear down.

Over. Gear down and locked.

Over.

I know that voice.

He's good.

He just feels like a backup quarterback called into the Super Bowl.

You train all season, but you never expect to play. Recovery one, main gear

ten feet.

Then suddenly it's, okay, Laurie, you're up.

Pull it out for us. Lieutenant Commander Mark Lowry.

Yes, sir. Three feet. Two feet.

One.

Touchdown. Perfect.

I guess you're right.

Navy does make the best astronauts.

Excuse me, sir.

You've passed your physical.

Congratulations. Thank you.

Commander?

Lieutenant Rob.

What are you doing here?

Actually, it's Lieutenant Commander.

So it is.

Congratulations. Thanks, you too. Sorry I couldn't be under better

circumstances.

So you're still flapping your wings, or did she fly you in?

No, I managed all right on my own.

So how's Jag?

Keeps me busy.

I bet.

All those legal briefs to file.

You have to excuse me.

I've got a mission to prep for.

Certainly.

What was that about?

What? Come on, Harmon. I know a cockfight when I see one.

He was in my first Tomcat squad.

What'd he do?

Outfly you?

Never. Then?

There's a hot shot.

Hot, aggressive,

hyper -competitive.

Kind of like you?

Sir?

Why would MSA let him fly the shuttle?

Maybe because he's good at it.

Gee, thanks.

Looks a lot bigger in person, doesn't it?

Who would have ever thought we'd be this close to it?

Speak for yourself, Lieutenant.

July 20th, 1969.

The Apollo moon landing?

Watched it with my mom.

I remember seeing Armstrong roaming around up there, wondering if he stopped

right then and looked up at the Earth.

He'd see me and my dad in Vietnam at the same time.

I bet there were a lot of future astronauts recruited that night.

Yeah, I bet there were.

What do you remember about him?

Nothing. He was a baby.

Lieutenant Commander Raff, Lieutenant Austin, this is our mission shuttle

commander, Major Russell.

Major? He was the closest man to Atkins when the cable broke.

Thanks for your time, Major. I hope we're not taking too much of it. Not at

It's a pretty straightforward system.

Steel baskets connected to the slide wires.

The astronauts jump in, release the brake, slide to the entrance of

bunkers at the landing zone.

When did you know Commander Atkins was in trouble?

I didn't.

I was late coming out of the hat.

Atkins waited until he saw me before he started down.

I was at my basket when I heard this snap.

I looked up. He was already falling.

Did the cable show signs of strain before?

It was brand new. They put it up right after the blue team's run through that

morning.

Just this once?

Apparently it was frayed at one end.

Who noticed it?

I believe it was Lieutenant Commander Lowry.

Mission Specialist 1 away.

Mission Specialist 2 reaches the basket.

Number 2 away.

Commander Atkins waits for the Major.

He sees him.

Major orders him to go.

Atkins pops in the basket.

30 feet down, he falls.

It's not as high profile as the Challenger accident, but the end result

same. The astronaut died.

Doesn't look real somehow.

Even watching too many action movies.

They shoot those things from eight different angles, repeat the action,

back in slow -mo. Cuts people's reactions.

An accident like this in real life happens.

Do you realize what was happening?

Play it back at quarter speed.

Yes, sir.

It's ironic, actually.

Billions of dollars we spend on systems needed for manned space flight.

We lose an astronaut because of a faulty piece of cable.

Here you go, sir.

Stop. Go back.

Come on, dear.

Did you flick between this frame and the one before?

I assumed that it broke at one end.

What would cause it to snap in the middle like that?

I must admit, I was somewhat baffled at first. I couldn't imagine what would

cause it to break so cleanly right in the middle.

Until I noticed a small circular pattern along the break in the seat that

surrounds the cable.

Where? Right there.

There may have been a tiny hole there before the break.

What does that mean?

Well, not a lot by itself.

But it made me go back and check the cable at each end of the break for

vaporized steel deposits.

Just like that.

Saying the cable was cut by a laser?

Not just cut.

They hollowed it out by carefully rotating it.

The outside looked normal, except for the very tiny hole.

It was sabotage.

Clever sabotage.

There was just enough math left around the perimeter of the hole to support the

basket during the test run.

Add the weight of an astronaut, and nah.

Near the top. Not the major, but I thought I should tell somebody.

I mean, I didn't know the replacement cable would be defective.

More like sabotage.

Cable was rigged to break.

Atkin was murdered.

By who?

I don't know.

Who would have the most to gain?

Oh, wait a minute. I don't think I like where you're going with this. Look, this

is awkward.

Because you and I don't get along.

But right now, it doesn't look too good for you.

Hey, look.

I want my chance just as much as the next guy, but I wouldn't kill for it. I

hope not.

But I'm afraid I'm going to have to have you pulled from this mission until we

know for sure.

You do that, and you're just about guaranteed that I never get another

Sorry, it's not personal.

The hell it isn't. Hey, you think this is a game?

We're not nuggets on our first mission. I know what's at stake. Yeah, my career.

Don't come after mine just because you flushed yours down the toilet. I'd stop

it right there, Commander.

Why? Let's be honest.

You got your ticket pulled and you can't handle seeing me with a chance to walk

in space.

Hey, that's your dream, not mine. Yeah, right.

What do you think, Meg? You think I'm making this personal?

What are you going to do?

Justify your feelings by protecting him?

Yeah, but do I have to take him down?

Arm, you don't have a choice.

Out of the question. We need Lowry. He's the only other pilot we have trained

for this mission.

I beg your pardon, Colonel, but wouldn't Prudence suggest delaying the mission

entirely, sir? We're going to launch on schedule, Commander.

It's not open for debate.

Sir, it's my duty to summon a board of inquiry, in which case the Navy will

simply not allow Commander Lowry on that spaceship.

Shut the door, Captain.

I can't let you do that, Commander.

And the boys upstairs won't let you. Mission is that critical, sir?

Captain?

Until recently, the U .S. was monitoring eastern China and the Asian Pacific

with a recon satellite in a geosynchronous orbit, giving us real

the region.

Twenty -six days ago, we lost all contact with it.

They think the power cells failed.

Aren't there other satellites that can pick up the coverage?

Only intermittently. We're blind over 90 % of the time.

It's not a very good percentage, given China's recent show of force.

You don't have a replacement satellite, sir?

Launched two weeks ago on a Titan rocket.

Unfortunately, the third stage booster failed, never made it to proper orbit.

We've got to go up and fix it. We have to change Recovery One's mission profile

and push up the launch.

That's why I have a last -minute training.

Lowry will perform the capture procedure.

The second satellite could fall out of orbit and burn up.

If we don't retrieve it within the next three to four days. Which means I have a

day and a half to launch.

Then that gives us 36 hours to determine exactly what happened, sir.

Very well, Commander.

Dismissed.

Bye, sir.

Excuse me, sir. What was Recovery One's original mission profile?

High -energy light experiments.

You mean testing lasers, sir?

on lasers?

Of course. Both crews.

Did they include the type you used in your demonstration?

Yeah. Why? You suspect an astronaut?

We're just covering all possibilities.

Where are the lasers kept when they're not in use?

The training facility.

So astronauts have unrestricted access.

Of course.

Sir, I checked the security system to the storage facility where the cable was

housed. Apparently, Lieutenant Commander Lowry's access card was used to gain

entrance. At 23 .07 hours the night before the accident.

He reported his car missing the next morning.

Did he say he lost it?

No, he thought it was stolen.

I think it's time we had a talk with him again.

It will have to wait, sir.

He's scheduled for a last -minute practice landing in the STA at 0730.

STA? Shuttle Training Aircraft. It's a G2. Ready to fly like the shuttle. Which

runway? 15.

I think we're good.

Morning, Rav. Lieutenant.

What are you doing here so early? I thought lawyers kept bankers' hours.

You'll have to postpone your flight. You and I need to have a little chat.

Oh, well, as much as I'd like to do that, I'm on a strict schedule.

As far as I know, I'm still on this mission.

I'm supposed to finish this run and then head back to the pre -launch holding

area. You still may not be going anywhere.

You relaying an order?

Not yet.

Well, do you want to talk to me?

You either head back to the holding area or you take a ride. It's your choice.

But I have to warn you, it gets a little rough.

You drop at 250 feet per second.

No problem.

Great. Sir, we're balanced for two.

That's all right, Captain. You take a break. My pal here will help me out.

Are you serious, sir?

Yeah. You heard what he said.

We have to have a talk.

Yes, sir, but he's not trained on this aircraft.

Don't you worry about it.

He's the best damn pilot in JAG.

All right.

Your call, sir.

You'll have to do the honors on the way up, Rav.

It's not my show till we head down.

Looks like you get a break, too, Lieutenant.

Farm, I thought you were trying to keep this from being personal.

I'll see you back in line.

45 ,000 feet.

Ring around to 250.

Roger, 250.

You must be clocking a lot of flight time.

I get my shit.

So what's on your mind?

You neglected to tell me you trained on lasers for your original mission.

Me and seven other astronauts.

Yeah, but you're the only astronaut whose stolen access card was used to

the storage facility that housed the sabotaged cable.

Excuse me? The night before Atkins was killed.

Somebody might be trying to set me up.

Then who would that be?

I don't know.

Maybe someone who doesn't want to see the mission go.

I'm finding this very hard to believe.

We both know why.

Look, Mark, regardless of what you might think,

I really do want to give you the benefit of the doubt, but things just keep

pointing in the wrong direction.

Harm, you know better than anybody how tough it is to give up a career as a

naval aviator.

You did because you had to, but what I did, I took a big risk.

But I thought it was worth it to get a shot at outer space, and after five

years, it was looking like I might actually go.

Now you think that I'm going to throw that away by killing my fellow astronaut

just to jump to the head of the line?

I don't think so.

Truth is, it's out of my hands.

You'll probably fly that mission.

And I'm going to believe you.

If that turns out to be a mistake, there'll be a squad of MPs waiting at

when you land that thing.

Fair enough.

You ready to rock and roll?

She's perverted to rig an aerodynamic bird like this to fly like an anvil.

One of the wonders of modern aerospace.

After the flare.

I'll return control and you take her around.

Sounds like a plan.

Vandenberg Tower, this is Niner 4 -6, ready to descend, over.

Roger, Niner 4 -6, clear for approach.

Niner 4 -6, roger.

See you in three minutes.

Get ready to release her.

Simulator engaged.

She's all mine.

You got it.

Main landing gear down.

Auto throttle engaged.

And reverse thrust.

Auto flight and ADA ads

engaged.

Away we go.

You can't make us think I'm a keeper.

No, you can't be.

What the hell?

I just lost control.

You're burned, Commander.

What? You're burned.

White side's down.

She's heavy. She won't be as soon as I get her out of shuttle mode.

Shutting down reverse thrust.

Still heavy.

Reverse thrust is stuck open. The whole system is broke.

We can't pull her out.

We've got to jump.

No time for that. Hit the fuel setup, Bill.

You're going to dead stick it? You can jump if you want.

Use valve lock.

That's better.

Better call it an emergency.

Vandenberg Tower, Niner 4 -6, declaring an emergency.

We have no power. I repeat, we have no power.

Right, Niner 4 -6. Emergency vehicles are rolling.

Run way dead ahead. Well, that's your choice of words.

We're on a tricycle -geared bird, Har.

Don't get down, please.

Those gears still in the red.

Everything's on shuttle mode.

Manual ready.

It's on your starboard side.

Grab the yoke, Mark.

You got it? I got it.

On a scale from 1 to 10, I gave you a 3.

That high?

Yeah.

Colonel,

everything froze. It had to be a software problem.

I want every computer system on that aircraft picked apart ASAP. They're

on it, sir.

Whatever it was, it was meant to look like another accident.

We'll see, Commander.

Sir. It's pretty clear whoever killed Lieutenant Commander Atkins wanted to

scrub this mission by killing the pilot and framing the only man who could take

his place.

When that didn't work, they tried to take him out, too. Six hours ago, you

thought Commander Lowry killed Atkins.

Yes, sir, I considered that a possibility, but I was wrong.

So who was it this time?

Who would want to scrub this launch? China'd benefit from the satellite going

unreplaced for as long as possible. They'd have to have someone inside.

This is getting a little far -fetched. Why?

Space technology is a primary defense element, sir. It's not unreasonable to

assume that a foreign power could have an agent in place.

So what are we going to do? What do you mean, what are we going to do? You're

going to get some rest, Commander.

You're less than 12 hours away from the start of a six -day mission. Colonel,

someone has killed one of your astronauts. They tried a second time

With respect, sir, you can't launch until we find out who's behind this.

Commander, I appreciate your concern, but this is not your concern.

That shuttle will be checked and rechecked before liftoff. It's under

security. The president himself will be apprised.

The launch is his call.

Then, sir, I'm going to formally recommend he stand down this mission.

Well, you do what you have to do, but I don't think it'll affect his decision.

President can't go.

Not without some assurances, I imagine.

Anything from Jack?

FBI did extensive background checks on everyone with any kind of clearance.

No red flags.

Anything on the FBI?

Not yet.

I don't get nervous.

Mark, I owe you an apology.

You had a lot to worry about prepping for a mission at the last minute without

me lobbing accusations at you.

Just doing your job, Harm.

I shouldn't have said anything about your ticket being pulled.

I know it wasn't your fault.

Go for it, brother.

You deserve it.

I know.

You're right. He is positive.

In his line of work, you have to read it.

Are you sure you don't want to watch from outside?

You're going to view it from the video feed. You might as well watch CNN.

I'd rather be in launch control.

Carl, it's out of our hands. They wouldn't be launching if it wasn't safe.

Colonel Fisher might be right.

We are assuming Atkins' murder was an attempt to scrub the mission.

There's no other explanation for someone trying to frame Lowry.

Well, how would someone know we'd even suspect murder?

If Gallant hadn't determined the cable was cut by a laser, we never would have

suspected Lowry.

Where's Gallant now? Must be in launch control.

That means his lab is free.

If he sabotaged the SPA, he'd have had to have written a program, right?

Are you asking me to break into his computer?

I knew you'd volunteer.

Internal systems check completed. Over.

Control to Recovery 1, all systems look good.

You are T -minus 10 minutes.

Over. Roger, Control, T -minus 10.

Less than 10 minutes.

How's it coming?

Almost there.

I'm in.

Crew, access log retreating.

Control, this is Recovery One. Event timer started.

Over. Roger, Recovery One.

This

is

interesting.

What? Nothing on the FTA, but Galant continued to work for the Air Force as a

civilian contractor since SDI was scrapped.

They were supposed to fund a superconducting magnetic ion engine he

Thinks it's the key to interplanetary travel.

Let me guess, it fell prey to defense cutbacks.

Every year for the past eight years.

That would definitely make him disgruntled.

The exact profile the Chinese would look for.

They'd scout someone on the inside who might be unhappy with the situation.

but with the ability and the access to scrub the mission.

Question is, how far would he go?

You think he'd sabotage the shuttle itself?

Recovery one.

Initiating main engine gimbal.

Recovery one. Main engine gimbal complete. Over.

Roger. H2 looks good.

T -minus two minutes.

Go for launch.

Sorry, sir, ma 'am. No unauthorized personnel allowed. Stand aside,

need to talk to Colonel Fisher.

We'll have to wait until after the launch, sir.

That may be too late.

APU is a go.

Switch to onboard computer.

Roger. Switching to onboard computer.

I have to get in there. The shuttle may be in danger. Stand aside, Sergeant.

Now!

Eight. Seventeen.

Sixteen. Fifteen.

Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve.

Eleven. Ten.

Nine. Eight.

Seven. Six.

Five. Not now, Commander. Not now.

One. Zero.

SRB ignition.

been cleared. Lift off.

120 degree roll into heads down position. Start.

Roll maneuver complete.

You look good. Recovery one.

Roger. Control.

Main engine at 65 percent. Over. Roger that. Engineers will investigate.

Step away from your station, Mr.

Gallant.

What's wrong?

Step away from your station.

In my office, now.

Recovery one, you've hit max Q. Over.

Roger, we see that.

What are you running from, Mr. DeLotte?

What's the problem, sir?

Arrest this man, Sergeant. Yes, sir.

Biko confirmed.

We're in orbit.

Congratulations, Recovery One.

I found traces of what might have been a crash program in the array sector's

computer.

It had FDA strings.

Is there any sign he did the same thing with the actual shuttle systems?

I don't see any.

What did he say, sir? What do you think? He's innocent.

Yeah, that's why he ran.

Lamjoo frightened him.

He's a civilian, so I got to call the FBI, see what they want me to do with

Colonel, if he had access to the shuttle systems, it's still in danger. I

understand that, Commander, but we're already up there. It's a military

and right now everything is going strictly by the numbers.

May I have a crack at it?

Be my guest. I have a satellite to fix.

Sorry about that.

Does it hurt?

Looks like it hurts.

You're a smart man, Mr. Gallant.

Really smart.

Don't you think so, Lieutenant?

Yes, sir.

I mean, only a smart man like Mr. Gallant could invent, uh, what is it

Superconducting magnetic ion engine.

Exactly.

Now, what I don't understand is how a smart, respected man like yourself could

sell out his country.

Is that how you'd put it, Lieutenant?

Something like that, sir.

How much did they pay you?

Nobody paid me anything.

Then why did you do it?

I want a lawyer.

Well, you're in luck. We're both lawyers.

I have rights. I know I have rights.

Not with the national security of the United States, a billion -dollar

spacecraft, and four more lives in danger, you don't.

Is it over?

What?

You're a string of sabotage.

Is something going to happen to the space shuttle?

All of that.

Okay, Mark, suit it up.

Looking good, Commander.

How are you feeling?

Just groovy.

If something happens, the country will never forgive you.

I'm a visionary.

I have to look beyond the immediate future.

What do you mean? You may brand me a traitor, but history will credit me with

exploration beyond our solar system.

You don't think the military is going to build your engine now, do you? They

were never going to build it.

There's no funding for anything that doesn't fit their short -term agenda.

Maybe they just knew it would never work. Oh, it'll work. You'll see.

See? How will we see?

They promised to build your engine for you, didn't they?

You really think the Chinese are going to honor that agreement?

The United States isn't the only country interested in exploring the secrets of

space, Commander.

I need another five or six degrees to the right.

You got it.

understand you're an aerospace engineer how can you destroy the space shuttle i

never said i'd destroy it i gave my life to this program then what are you

planning to do china just doesn't want the satellite fixed maybe mr gallant

found a way to prevent that without destroying the shuttle

I can't fix it if they can't grab it, can they, Mr. Galant?

Colonel, he's got to stop.

Why? If he attempts to grab that satellite, there'll be a major

What kind of malfunction?

I'll explain. Just tell him to stop now, sir.

Almost have it.

Tell him to wait.

Recovery One, this is Control.

Have Lieutenant Commander Laurie stand by. Repeat, hold on satellite capture.

Roger that, Control.

Mark, you need to hold on a second.

What? Control needs you to hold on satellite capture and stand by.

Got it. Standing by, Control.

Delon made a deal with the Chinese government to prevent the recovery of

satellite, sir.

I think he may have sabotaged part of the capture mechanism days before the

launch as a backup plan.

Is there a problem anywhere, Mr. Tang?

No, sir.

Sir, do you remember when Lieutenant Austin and I first arrived?

Gallant approached you and informed you he'd made repairs to the capture

mechanism. Yes, he went out onto the launch pad to fix a calibration problem.

Or sabotage it, sir.

Recovery one to control. What's the problem?

Over.

Stand by, recovery one.

How would he sabotage it? I don't know, sir.

It might be the locking device.

It's the logical choice. He might have used it to set some kind of charge that

would destroy the satellite.

Sir, he's in position now.

Tell them to move Lowry away from the satellite and test the grappling

Sir?

You heard me, Captain.

Yes, sir.

Recovery 1, this is Control.

Turn Lieutenant Commander Lowry away from the satellite for a test firing of

grappling trigger.

Roger that, Control. Over.

Mark, we need to move you. Control wants us to test fire the grappling trigger

facing away from the satellite.

Did they say a why?

Control, Commander Lowry is inquiring on the reason for that. Over.

Stand by, Recovery One.

What do I tell him, sir? It's an open channel.

Commander Ramp.

Tell him the same person who modified the STA prepped the capture bar.

Recovery 1, this is Control. Tell him Lieutenant Commander Rav said the person

who modified the STA also prepped the capture bar. Over. Roger that, Control.

Over.

Mark, you know the guy who's responsible for your STA problems?

I hope not personally.

Lieutenant Commander Rav thinks he may have done something to the capture bar.

from the satellite now.

Testing grappling trigger now.

Carver 1, this is Control.

What's your status?

What's your status, Recovery One? The ticket may have been in an explosive

vault, over.

What about Lieutenant Commander Lowry?

He's a little shaken, but he's all right. He wants to know if Lieutenant

Commander Rabb is there.

That's affirmative.

He says thanks for the tip, Commander.

Okay, people, we have no capture bar.

How the hell do we get that satellite back?

Colonel, can't you just get a few more people out there?

Grab it.

Okay, people, let's get down to the business of fixing it.

Commander, thank you. Yes, sir.

Lieutenant, we'll take it from here.

Recovery one, this is control.

Roger, control.

Kind of pretty, isn't it?

Pretty as the view catapulting off an aircraft carrier, sir.

In its own way, I guess.

Still have time, sir.

First lawyer in space, maybe?

Maybe.