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In 1969, a group
of astronauts change the world.
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They ride the biggest rocket
ever built to the moon.
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It's the culmination
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of more than 10 years
of space pioneering
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and a foundation
for more than four decades
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00:00:29,154 --> 00:00:31,990
of exploring worlds
beyond our own.
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This is the story
of our greatest adventure.
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The very first time
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I saw the shuttle sitting
on the back of that 747,
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I thought,
"We have screwed up bad.
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This is never going to work."
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NASA prepares to test
a radical new kind of spaceship.
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The first with wings.
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Rockets will launch it
into orbit,
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00:01:09,903 --> 00:01:12,197
but it lands like a plane.
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First, they have to find out
if it can fly.
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We did something we called
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an approach-and-landing test.
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We modified a 747
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so that it could carry
the shuttle on top of it.
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Gemini and Apollo
veteran John Young
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follows the new orbiter,
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studying its every move.
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I was a test pilot out there,
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and I was flying the formation
on the 747.
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I'm the chase pilot.
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Go ahead.
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Okay, 30 seconds
to the SRT minus-one call.
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Go.
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- Network.
- Go.
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- Echo.
- Go.
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- FAO.
- Go.
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Arm.
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Houston is go for SEP.
Have a great flight.
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Stand by.
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Sideways lurch,
just like they said.
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They actually
jettisoned the orbiter from it.
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Okay, she's flying good.
39
00:02:01,705 --> 00:02:04,416
250.
Starting to flare.
40
00:02:05,667 --> 00:02:06,710
It's an awesome sight.
41
00:02:06,793 --> 00:02:08,378
Okay, 11-alpha pushing over.
42
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The world's biggest
spaceship glides through the sky
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over the California desert.
44
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Engines cause problems,
more complexity,
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right on down the line.
46
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Why don't we design it
from the very beginning
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to be an unpowered glider?
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The shuttle falls
through the atmosphere
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at 1,000 feet every 6 seconds.
50
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- ...195 and 20,000.
- You got it, Gordo.
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It has only one chance to land.
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Straight.
53
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It has no go-around capability.
54
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Standing by the gear.
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It's been related
to flying like a brick
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because it comes down so fast
and the wings don't generate
57
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all that much lift.
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200 feet...
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The shuttle lands
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only 50 miles per hour faster
than a 747.
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00:02:50,295 --> 00:02:52,965
Touch down here.
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Down.
Gear is down.
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Speed brakes are tracking.
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Touchdown
at Edwards Air Force Base
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launches a new era in America's
exploration of space.
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NASA is reinventing itself.
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A new spaceship is designed
for more practical missions --
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launching satellites,
repairs, deliveries,
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00:03:17,531 --> 00:03:21,118
and it has to fly
over and over again.
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The space shuttle
is a unique vehicle.
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It was designed to be reusable.
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We need a space plane that can
take off from a space board
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and come and land on any runway.
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Great idea.
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So let's build
this space plane.
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00:03:35,215 --> 00:03:39,887
The mission of a shuttle
was we had to retrieve items,
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we had to bring packages in that
we could accomplish repair on.
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It was basically
a multipurpose spacecraft,
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suited to a large number
of tasks,
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that we would fly repeatedly.
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It was designed
to make space flight routine.
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Safe, reliable, on time.
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And wow.
84
00:04:05,454 --> 00:04:07,372
But the shuttle
will have to stand up
85
00:04:07,456 --> 00:04:09,833
to the hostile environment
of space,
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especially extremes
of hot and cold.
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00:04:14,338 --> 00:04:17,090
You don't know
if you're gonna burn up
88
00:04:17,174 --> 00:04:18,884
when you come back
through the atmosphere.
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00:04:20,219 --> 00:04:21,678
Like all spacecraft,
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00:04:21,762 --> 00:04:23,639
it will have to withstand
temperatures
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00:04:23,722 --> 00:04:28,060
of more than 3,000 degrees
during reentry.
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00:04:28,143 --> 00:04:31,813
The engineers came up with a
system of tiles, thermal tiles,
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00:04:31,897 --> 00:04:34,900
that blanket the whole
entire orbiter.
94
00:04:34,983 --> 00:04:38,487
The tiles are what
our thermal-protection system
95
00:04:38,570 --> 00:04:41,031
primarily consists of
on board the shuttle,
96
00:04:41,114 --> 00:04:45,244
are about the consistency of
Styrofoam, and they're glued on.
97
00:04:45,285 --> 00:04:47,329
So you'll have
this massive surface area.
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00:04:47,412 --> 00:04:49,748
The tiles not only
got to reject all the heat,
99
00:04:49,832 --> 00:04:51,875
but they also got to be
very light.
100
00:04:54,127 --> 00:04:55,420
They're very fragile.
101
00:04:55,462 --> 00:04:56,505
It's easy to ding one.
102
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And, depending on the size
of the ding and where it is,
103
00:05:00,926 --> 00:05:04,388
it could be critical to
the survival of the spaceship.
104
00:05:04,471 --> 00:05:06,682
You're on the glide scope.
We see you on the glide scope.
105
00:05:06,765 --> 00:05:08,600
250 knots.
106
00:05:08,642 --> 00:05:13,605
31,000 tiles cover
the orbiter's aluminum shell.
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00:05:13,689 --> 00:05:16,567
They're glued
to a blanket of fireproofing,
108
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allowing them to flex
with the shuttle's frame.
109
00:05:19,486 --> 00:05:22,072
Early tests don't go well.
110
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Many tiles just fall off.
111
00:05:24,324 --> 00:05:25,993
They told me
you could hit the edge
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00:05:26,076 --> 00:05:28,078
with a baseball bat
and it won't hurt it.
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They weren't exactly
telling me the truth.
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Two solid rocket boosters
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with a combined
44 million horsepower
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will blast the shuttle
into space.
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00:05:43,093 --> 00:05:45,554
During the first stage
of powered flight,
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when you're on the solid
rockets, there's no escape.
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00:05:48,682 --> 00:05:51,643
There was no way to shut them
down, no way to throttle them,
120
00:05:51,727 --> 00:05:52,811
so if you had a problem
with those,
121
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you rode it out until you could
separate from the solids.
122
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A lot of people thought
one solid rocket would ignite
123
00:05:59,443 --> 00:06:01,945
and they'd cartwheel out
this way.
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00:06:02,029 --> 00:06:04,740
For the shuttle's
three main engines,
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00:06:04,823 --> 00:06:08,827
NASA must develop rockets
that are compact, efficient,
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00:06:08,911 --> 00:06:12,831
and capable of lifting
enormous payloads into orbit.
127
00:06:22,299 --> 00:06:25,636
Every time we'd turn
around and discuss the engines,
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one of the engines would blow up
and catch fire.
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00:06:31,975 --> 00:06:33,936
I didn't realize it was gonna be
so hard to get there
130
00:06:34,019 --> 00:06:38,440
from where we're at,
but it was a pretty tough road.
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I learned when John
was worried about something,
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I ought to be worried about it
as well.
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00:06:44,863 --> 00:06:47,157
NASA upgrades the rockets
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00:06:47,241 --> 00:06:51,662
and develops a new superglue to
keep the tiles from falling off.
135
00:06:54,748 --> 00:06:57,459
Four years
after the first glide test,
136
00:06:57,543 --> 00:07:02,005
the shuttle is finally ready
to fly into space.
137
00:07:03,757 --> 00:07:06,844
The orbiter is designed
for a crew of seven.
138
00:07:06,885 --> 00:07:12,182
For the first high-risk mission,
NASA is sending only two.
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I was with the then-director
140
00:07:14,768 --> 00:07:16,812
of flight-crew operations.
141
00:07:16,895 --> 00:07:17,813
Turns to me and says,
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"Cripp, how would you
like to fly the first one?"
143
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Send the gear.
144
00:07:21,900 --> 00:07:22,860
Gear down.
145
00:07:22,901 --> 00:07:24,236
It will be Bob Crippen's
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first flight into space.
147
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Okay.
That does it.
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00:07:29,491 --> 00:07:31,952
I was doing handsprings
at that point.
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00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:34,580
When Commander John Young
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00:07:34,621 --> 00:07:37,374
first learns
NASA will build a shuttle,
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it's years earlier,
and he's a long way from home.
152
00:07:49,928 --> 00:07:51,388
I was on the moon.
153
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Yeah.
Yeah, I was on the moon.
154
00:07:58,812 --> 00:08:01,356
John Young was the
chief of the Astronaut Office,
155
00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,609
walked on the moon on Apollo 16.
156
00:08:03,692 --> 00:08:06,612
He was the obvious choice to be
commander of the first flight.
157
00:08:08,488 --> 00:08:11,617
John was the right guy to fly
this first shuttle mission.
158
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The shuttle is bolted
to the solid rocket boosters
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00:08:24,963 --> 00:08:28,926
and external fuel tank
and ready to fly.
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00:08:29,843 --> 00:08:32,930
When it comes out
on the mobile launch platform,
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when the crawler takes it out to
the pad, it's an awesome sight.
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It's beautiful, but not in
a streamline sort of way.
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The same crawler
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that carried the giant
Saturn V rockets
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for the moon missions
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takes the shuttle
to the same launch complex.
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It looks to me like
it's just all kinds of muscle
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'cause it's got all these
engines and solid rockets.
169
00:09:00,374 --> 00:09:02,167
Every other NASA project
170
00:09:02,251 --> 00:09:04,795
has flown unmanned test flights
first.
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Not this time.
172
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This was everything
up on the first mission.
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Never been done before.
174
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And these two idiots
go out on top of it.
175
00:09:17,349 --> 00:09:20,018
We didn't have
any idea about probability,
176
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risk assessment, when
the shuttle was first launched.
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Anybody thinks they can
statistically predict
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when something with 2 million
moving parts is gonna fail
179
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is sort of smoking something
they shouldn't be, probably.
180
00:09:32,656 --> 00:09:33,740
Yeah.
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00:09:47,296 --> 00:09:49,548
For the first time in six years,
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NASA starts a countdown
to launch astronauts into space.
183
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Wake up in the morning,
have a nice breakfast.
184
00:09:57,431 --> 00:10:00,642
They wire you up so they can
monitor your heartbeat.
185
00:10:02,227 --> 00:10:03,687
Walk you out to this little bus
that we have,
186
00:10:03,770 --> 00:10:06,773
and there's usually
a little press out there.
187
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You get to wave at them.
188
00:10:08,150 --> 00:10:09,193
Then you climb
on the little bus,
189
00:10:09,276 --> 00:10:12,362
and they take you
out to the launchpad.
190
00:10:12,446 --> 00:10:14,198
From my standpoint,
191
00:10:14,239 --> 00:10:20,579
this was really a mission
in which I prayed a lot.
192
00:10:20,621 --> 00:10:23,665
I really had some concerns
193
00:10:23,749 --> 00:10:25,751
because there were
so many unknowns.
194
00:10:25,834 --> 00:10:29,588
We had never flown
a spacecraft manned
195
00:10:29,630 --> 00:10:31,465
for the first time before.
196
00:10:31,548 --> 00:10:33,550
40, Cap Com.
197
00:10:33,634 --> 00:10:36,053
Columbia, Houston,
you're go at 40.
198
00:10:37,429 --> 00:10:39,389
Half a million people
come to the Cape
199
00:10:39,473 --> 00:10:41,934
to watch John Young
and Bob Crippen
200
00:10:42,017 --> 00:10:44,186
fly the first shuttle
into space.
201
00:10:44,269 --> 00:10:46,355
If you see anything
you don't understand
202
00:10:46,438 --> 00:10:48,357
when we're going down here,
we got seven hold points.
203
00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:50,901
You remember where they are.
204
00:10:50,984 --> 00:10:54,071
Seven minutes,
we got one at five minutes,
205
00:10:54,112 --> 00:10:57,908
we got one at four,
and two more...
206
00:10:57,991 --> 00:11:00,118
It was
a very complicated vehicle.
207
00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,248
And I really thought
that we'd do lots of countdowns
208
00:11:04,289 --> 00:11:06,250
before we actually lifted off.
209
00:11:06,291 --> 00:11:07,376
15-10 lift-off.
210
00:11:07,459 --> 00:11:10,420
Pick up in about a minute
and a half here.
211
00:11:10,504 --> 00:11:12,339
- DPS.
- We're go, flight.
212
00:11:12,422 --> 00:11:13,465
- Guidance?
- Go.
213
00:11:13,549 --> 00:11:14,967
- FIDO?
- Go.
214
00:11:15,008 --> 00:11:19,012
And it was only when
the count got inside of a minute
215
00:11:19,096 --> 00:11:21,557
that I turned to John and I
said," I think we might do it."
216
00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,767
That's when my heart rate
went up to about 130.
217
00:11:23,851 --> 00:11:26,395
John's was a nice, calm 90.
218
00:11:26,478 --> 00:11:28,981
I didn't ever ask him
if he was nervous.
219
00:11:30,065 --> 00:11:32,484
I never thought of that.
220
00:11:32,568 --> 00:11:33,986
Should I have thought of that?
221
00:11:41,034 --> 00:11:44,830
T-minus 10... 9... 8... 7...
222
00:11:44,913 --> 00:11:47,332
6... 5... 4...
223
00:11:47,374 --> 00:11:50,419
We've gone
for main engine start.
224
00:11:51,503 --> 00:11:53,964
Once the solid
rocket boosters ignite,
225
00:11:54,047 --> 00:11:55,966
they can't be cut off.
226
00:11:56,049 --> 00:11:59,178
The shuttle
is committed to flight.
227
00:11:59,261 --> 00:12:02,681
The main engines start,
you know it's alive.
228
00:12:02,764 --> 00:12:04,600
And the solids
really tell you that.
229
00:12:04,683 --> 00:12:06,351
You know you're headed
somewhere,
230
00:12:06,393 --> 00:12:09,313
because it's a nice kick
in the pants.
231
00:12:10,522 --> 00:12:12,191
I can see the tower going by.
232
00:12:13,275 --> 00:12:16,320
By the time you've cleared
above the tower,
233
00:12:16,403 --> 00:12:18,864
you're going, already,
over 100 miles an hour.
234
00:12:20,407 --> 00:12:23,493
Columbia, Houston,
we have 40 seconds to LOS.
235
00:12:23,535 --> 00:12:25,370
Configure LOS. You're looking
good burning over the hill.
236
00:12:25,412 --> 00:12:27,164
We'll see you at Madrid.
237
00:12:29,333 --> 00:12:32,336
Mark "A" off.
238
00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,005
And "B" off.
239
00:12:35,088 --> 00:12:37,216
I've likened it
to driving my old truck
240
00:12:37,299 --> 00:12:38,967
down a washboard country road.
241
00:12:39,051 --> 00:12:40,093
It's kind of like this.
242
00:12:40,177 --> 00:12:42,179
I don't think comfort
is what you're looking for
243
00:12:42,262 --> 00:12:43,222
when you're going uphill.
244
00:12:43,305 --> 00:12:44,932
You're looking to get there.
245
00:12:53,273 --> 00:12:55,526
The sound went away.
246
00:12:55,567 --> 00:13:00,489
I really thought that
all the engines had quit.
247
00:13:00,572 --> 00:13:03,534
Steps one and two of the...
248
00:13:03,617 --> 00:13:04,910
I figured that once we made it
249
00:13:04,993 --> 00:13:07,538
to where there wasn't anything
blowing up and catching fire,
250
00:13:07,579 --> 00:13:09,039
we were home safe.
251
00:13:09,122 --> 00:13:11,083
Checklists start floating.
252
00:13:11,166 --> 00:13:12,709
Trash starts floating.
253
00:13:12,793 --> 00:13:15,504
We get debris
coming out of here.
254
00:13:15,587 --> 00:13:18,841
So it's obviously
we're weightless.
255
00:13:18,924 --> 00:13:21,635
Go ahead, then.
256
00:13:21,718 --> 00:13:24,972
Looking out the window --
shuttle's got great windows --
257
00:13:25,055 --> 00:13:27,558
there's the Earth.
258
00:13:27,641 --> 00:13:29,268
Roger, Houston.
259
00:13:29,351 --> 00:13:32,604
And we're passing
lots of clouds.
260
00:13:32,646 --> 00:13:35,357
Crippen and Young fly
the shuttle through space
261
00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,359
for more than two days.
262
00:13:37,442 --> 00:13:39,695
They orbit the Earth 36 times.
263
00:13:51,039 --> 00:13:53,083
Houston is with you at Maua.
264
00:13:53,167 --> 00:13:56,128
Reentry will test
the thermal tiles
265
00:13:56,211 --> 00:13:58,088
when the shuttle
hits the atmosphere
266
00:13:58,172 --> 00:14:01,466
at 14,000 miles an hour.
267
00:14:04,928 --> 00:14:06,763
We were in the dark at the time.
268
00:14:06,847 --> 00:14:08,849
One of the dramatic things
that I did notice
269
00:14:08,932 --> 00:14:11,768
was, all of a sudden,
the outside,
270
00:14:11,810 --> 00:14:15,731
which was supposed to be dark,
started glowing this soft pink.
271
00:14:15,814 --> 00:14:20,986
And it was obvious that those
little molecules out there
272
00:14:21,028 --> 00:14:23,363
were getting very warm.
273
00:14:24,198 --> 00:14:26,992
Velocity Mach 2.
274
00:14:27,075 --> 00:14:29,077
Sink rate, still losing altitude
275
00:14:29,161 --> 00:14:31,580
at the rate
of about 200 feet per second.
276
00:14:31,663 --> 00:14:33,123
This was one of the first times
277
00:14:33,207 --> 00:14:34,500
everybody started getting
a sense of speed.
278
00:14:34,541 --> 00:14:37,920
As we came in lower,
you could really get a sense of,
279
00:14:38,003 --> 00:14:40,130
"Hey, we're going pretty fast."
280
00:14:40,214 --> 00:14:42,049
Cripp said he looked out
the window and said,
281
00:14:42,132 --> 00:14:43,342
"What a way to come
to California."
282
00:14:43,425 --> 00:14:44,885
We knew we were coming
across the West Coast
283
00:14:44,968 --> 00:14:46,678
over Santa Barbara,
284
00:14:46,762 --> 00:14:49,973
and you could see
where you turn in to Runway 23.
285
00:14:50,057 --> 00:14:51,600
Gear down.
286
00:14:51,683 --> 00:14:54,811
Landing went perfect,
and John greased it home.
287
00:14:54,853 --> 00:14:56,980
About the softest landing
you could ever imagine,
288
00:14:57,064 --> 00:14:59,775
and when we finally got wheel
stop, John and I shook hands.
289
00:14:59,858 --> 00:15:04,238
Flight control,
report steady braking.
290
00:15:04,321 --> 00:15:07,699
And John was as excited
as I've ever seen that man get.
291
00:15:07,783 --> 00:15:10,536
They said
it was a pretty good mission.
292
00:15:10,577 --> 00:15:12,496
I don't know if it was dangerous
or not.
293
00:15:12,538 --> 00:15:15,457
We weren't smart enough to know
whether it was dangerous or not.
294
00:15:15,541 --> 00:15:19,586
We did it.
295
00:15:20,629 --> 00:15:23,048
Crippen and Young
are the first astronauts
296
00:15:23,090 --> 00:15:27,678
to return from space
in a reusable vehicle.
297
00:15:27,719 --> 00:15:29,763
It was about
as perfect a mission
298
00:15:29,847 --> 00:15:33,225
as we could have ever executed.
299
00:15:36,937 --> 00:15:38,981
The shuttle era begins.
300
00:15:39,064 --> 00:15:42,901
The orbiter is scheduled to fly
up to 24 times a year.
301
00:15:54,705 --> 00:15:55,914
For the first time,
302
00:15:55,998 --> 00:15:59,001
you could carry something
up to space,
303
00:15:59,084 --> 00:16:03,505
drop it off and leave it there
for six months or so,
304
00:16:03,589 --> 00:16:05,716
let it be exposed
to the space environment,
305
00:16:05,757 --> 00:16:07,968
the radiation, all of
the different things
306
00:16:08,051 --> 00:16:10,762
that we see in space --
the vacuum --
307
00:16:10,804 --> 00:16:12,973
and then fly
another space shuttle up,
308
00:16:13,056 --> 00:16:15,267
pick it back up,
and bring it back down.
309
00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,483
To give astronauts more freedom
310
00:16:23,567 --> 00:16:25,569
to work outside
the spacecraft,
311
00:16:25,611 --> 00:16:28,238
NASA designs a new machine
312
00:16:28,322 --> 00:16:32,618
with the chance to fulfill the
dream that man can fly in space.
313
00:16:32,659 --> 00:16:35,621
One of the most
exciting things we did
314
00:16:35,704 --> 00:16:37,581
on my very first space flight
315
00:16:37,623 --> 00:16:40,626
was something
that had never been done before.
316
00:16:40,667 --> 00:16:47,049
And that was to fly
the Buck Rogers jet backpack.
317
00:16:51,637 --> 00:16:54,765
NASA calls it
the manned maneuvering unit.
318
00:16:55,974 --> 00:17:01,813
Controlled by 24 thrusters
firing bursts off nitrogen gas,
319
00:17:01,855 --> 00:17:05,859
the jetpack provides
life support, communications,
320
00:17:05,943 --> 00:17:09,321
and the power
to steer through space.
321
00:17:09,363 --> 00:17:12,115
We were approved
to build the maneuvering unit
322
00:17:12,157 --> 00:17:13,617
for the shuttle program,
323
00:17:13,659 --> 00:17:16,829
and I was picked to be
the first to fly it.
324
00:17:16,912 --> 00:17:20,249
Bruce McCandless
is a NASA veteran.
325
00:17:20,332 --> 00:17:24,169
He worked the moon landings
in Mission Control
326
00:17:24,253 --> 00:17:26,505
but has never been to space.
327
00:17:31,593 --> 00:17:34,763
The preparation
for the space walk
328
00:17:34,847 --> 00:17:38,058
takes a good hour and a half,
two hours.
329
00:17:38,141 --> 00:17:42,521
Put on the liquid-cool garment
in the air lock
330
00:17:42,563 --> 00:17:45,232
and then closed it up.
331
00:17:45,315 --> 00:17:47,693
No astronaut
has ever walked in space
332
00:17:47,776 --> 00:17:51,154
without being firmly tethered
to the ship.
333
00:17:55,409 --> 00:17:58,954
People have asked me if I was
apprehensive or nervous.
334
00:17:59,037 --> 00:18:02,499
But basically,
it was a feeling of relief
335
00:18:02,583 --> 00:18:05,043
that we had finally gotten
to this point.
336
00:18:05,085 --> 00:18:07,588
Okay, Bruce, we see your port.
337
00:18:09,006 --> 00:18:10,382
Upon opening the hatch,
338
00:18:10,465 --> 00:18:14,678
I was just seeing nothing
down below but Earth.
339
00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,513
It was unsettling.
340
00:18:16,555 --> 00:18:18,682
We'll check on it for you.
341
00:18:18,765 --> 00:18:21,351
So I'm sitting there
with a camera in my hand,
342
00:18:21,435 --> 00:18:23,228
and never forget,
343
00:18:23,270 --> 00:18:26,190
when Bruce McCandless got
about 15 away,
344
00:18:26,231 --> 00:18:29,526
I look through the viewfinder
the first time
345
00:18:29,568 --> 00:18:31,570
and looked at this image
out there
346
00:18:31,653 --> 00:18:33,280
of him floating away from us.
347
00:18:33,363 --> 00:18:38,118
And I thought to myself, "What
a spectacular image this is.
348
00:18:38,202 --> 00:18:40,954
If I don't mess this picture up,
349
00:18:41,038 --> 00:18:43,874
I'm gonna get some
magazine covers with this."
350
00:18:43,916 --> 00:18:46,084
How are you reading?
351
00:18:46,168 --> 00:18:48,921
Roger, Bruce.
Loud and clear.
352
00:19:01,683 --> 00:19:04,019
In the shadow of the Earth,
353
00:19:04,102 --> 00:19:09,024
the temperature is more than
250 degrees below freezing.
354
00:19:09,107 --> 00:19:10,984
I got so cold
355
00:19:11,068 --> 00:19:13,278
that I was shivering
and my teeth were chattering.
356
00:19:14,947 --> 00:19:17,449
McCandless spends
more than four hours
357
00:19:17,533 --> 00:19:21,328
flying the jetpack
through space.
358
00:19:21,411 --> 00:19:25,123
It was a tremendously
exciting moment
359
00:19:25,207 --> 00:19:29,920
to look out the window and watch
Bruce McCandless floating away
360
00:19:29,962 --> 00:19:35,133
and drifting out to 300 feet
away from the space shuttle,
361
00:19:35,175 --> 00:19:37,427
the length of a football field
away from us.
362
00:19:38,095 --> 00:19:42,099
Just passed
over Florida and Cuba.
363
00:19:42,182 --> 00:19:43,308
Well, I guess to break it,
364
00:19:43,392 --> 00:19:46,436
Robert is gonna have to go
10% faster.
365
00:19:46,478 --> 00:19:47,813
Looks like Florida.
366
00:19:47,896 --> 00:19:49,314
It is Florida!
It's the Cape.
367
00:19:49,398 --> 00:19:54,152
Yeah, you're on
a stateside pass, Bruce.
368
00:19:54,653 --> 00:19:56,280
I think I got enough...
369
00:19:56,363 --> 00:19:59,533
Space flight
is back on the front page.
370
00:19:59,616 --> 00:20:03,787
I mages from shuttle missions
rival science fiction.
371
00:20:05,998 --> 00:20:08,834
The shuttle was probably
the finest flying machine
372
00:20:08,876 --> 00:20:12,337
that NASA has ever built.
373
00:20:12,421 --> 00:20:16,425
There's the final turn
into the HAC.
374
00:20:16,508 --> 00:20:19,136
I believe it's really
the pinnacle
375
00:20:19,178 --> 00:20:21,346
of American
aerospace technology.
376
00:20:21,430 --> 00:20:26,268
It revolutionized
our knowledge of aerodynamics.
377
00:20:26,351 --> 00:20:27,936
...end of the runway.
378
00:20:28,020 --> 00:20:29,980
Airspeed 256 knots.
379
00:20:30,022 --> 00:20:30,981
But the shuttle
380
00:20:31,023 --> 00:20:33,525
becomes a victim
of its own success.
381
00:20:33,609 --> 00:20:35,194
Gear down.
382
00:20:35,277 --> 00:20:39,698
It flies so often,
it's taken for granted.
383
00:20:39,740 --> 00:20:42,326
The public loses interest.
384
00:20:42,367 --> 00:20:46,330
As they continued
to fly, it got more routine.
385
00:20:46,413 --> 00:20:48,332
People got more confident.
386
00:20:48,373 --> 00:20:49,875
All of a sudden,
387
00:20:49,958 --> 00:20:53,504
they had an airliner that people
could ride on safely.
388
00:20:54,463 --> 00:20:56,131
They expected it to work.
389
00:20:56,215 --> 00:20:58,926
They expected no problem
with it.
390
00:21:00,344 --> 00:21:03,722
NASA was arrogant.
391
00:21:03,805 --> 00:21:06,058
Thought they couldn't do
anything wrong.
392
00:21:15,484 --> 00:21:19,071
NASA needs to capture
the public's imagination again.
393
00:21:19,154 --> 00:21:22,533
Their answer --
a teacher in space
394
00:21:22,574 --> 00:21:25,744
and lessons beamed down
from the shuttle in orbit.
395
00:21:25,828 --> 00:21:27,746
10,000 teachers apply.
396
00:21:27,788 --> 00:21:30,374
Christa McAuliffe was selected,
397
00:21:30,415 --> 00:21:33,710
and they could not have selected
a better person.
398
00:21:33,752 --> 00:21:37,297
I've made nine wonderful friends
over the last two weeks.
399
00:21:37,381 --> 00:21:41,343
When that shuttle goes,
there might be one body...
400
00:21:43,804 --> 00:21:46,765
but there's gonna be 10 souls
that I'm taking with me.
401
00:21:46,807 --> 00:21:49,434
- Thank you.
- That's great.
402
00:21:50,894 --> 00:21:54,022
Barbara Morgan
is Christa's backup.
403
00:21:54,106 --> 00:21:56,567
Well, you're always
a little disappointed,
404
00:21:56,650 --> 00:21:58,694
and I tried to bump Christa off
with poison cookies,
405
00:21:58,777 --> 00:22:00,445
but she would never eat them.
406
00:22:03,198 --> 00:22:07,744
I was just surprised
and very pleased
407
00:22:07,786 --> 00:22:09,454
to be able to have
the opportunity
408
00:22:09,538 --> 00:22:10,789
to train alongside.
409
00:22:18,297 --> 00:22:21,133
A social studies
teacher and mother of two
410
00:22:21,216 --> 00:22:22,926
from Concord, New Hampshire,
411
00:22:22,968 --> 00:22:25,304
Christa will fly
on the Challenger,
412
00:22:25,387 --> 00:22:28,891
known as the workhorse
of the shuttle fleet.
413
00:22:34,188 --> 00:22:36,315
Three months before her flight,
414
00:22:36,398 --> 00:22:39,610
Christa and Barbara watch
their first shuttle launch.
415
00:22:39,651 --> 00:22:41,069
Main engine start.
416
00:22:41,153 --> 00:22:44,573
3... 2... 1... 0.
417
00:22:44,656 --> 00:22:48,243
We have solid rocket booster
ignition and lift-off.
418
00:22:48,327 --> 00:22:49,244
There's joy.
419
00:22:49,328 --> 00:22:51,038
There's also
a sense of surprise.
420
00:22:51,121 --> 00:22:52,539
They are off.
421
00:22:52,623 --> 00:22:55,542
I think the biggest surprise
was how bright it was
422
00:22:55,626 --> 00:22:57,961
and how loud it was.
423
00:22:58,003 --> 00:22:59,588
And then,
when you feel the sound
424
00:22:59,671 --> 00:23:01,173
just coming up through your body
425
00:23:01,256 --> 00:23:02,883
and pounding in your chest
and everything.
426
00:23:02,966 --> 00:23:05,135
Oh, my God!
Look at it!
427
00:23:05,177 --> 00:23:07,888
It was wonderful
to be there together
428
00:23:07,971 --> 00:23:11,058
and to know
that Christa's turn was next.
429
00:23:11,141 --> 00:23:13,393
Preparing to throttle down.
430
00:23:13,477 --> 00:23:17,022
75 % on main engines.
431
00:23:17,105 --> 00:23:19,525
30 seconds from launch.
432
00:23:29,201 --> 00:23:32,538
The night before,
I'm getting from my sources
433
00:23:32,579 --> 00:23:35,165
that it's too cold tomorrow
to fly.
434
00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,044
Temperatures
drop below freezing.
435
00:23:40,796 --> 00:23:44,633
The shuttle has never launched
in such extreme conditions.
436
00:23:46,426 --> 00:23:48,554
The temperatures were a concern.
437
00:23:48,637 --> 00:23:51,265
But it was not the kind of thing
that would say,
438
00:23:51,348 --> 00:23:54,268
"No, we've got a very solid
reason for a no-go that day."
439
00:23:56,061 --> 00:23:58,438
It got down to 27 degrees.
440
00:23:58,522 --> 00:24:02,609
And I called my desk and I want
to do a report on The Today Show
441
00:24:02,693 --> 00:24:05,070
that they shouldn't be
taking off today.
442
00:24:05,153 --> 00:24:08,115
After all,
they have the teacher on board.
443
00:24:15,164 --> 00:24:18,584
Very excited about
exploration and about space
444
00:24:18,667 --> 00:24:22,045
and about sharing it
with everyone.
445
00:24:22,087 --> 00:24:24,506
The smiles on their faces
and the extreme joy --
446
00:24:24,590 --> 00:24:28,385
They were really happy to be
doing what they were doing.
447
00:24:30,888 --> 00:24:34,057
And we're at T-minus
9 minutes and counting.
448
00:24:34,099 --> 00:24:35,225
People thought
449
00:24:35,267 --> 00:24:37,352
that because a teacher
would be on board
450
00:24:37,436 --> 00:24:41,023
that it might
rejuvenate attention.
451
00:24:41,106 --> 00:24:42,524
But it did not.
452
00:24:42,608 --> 00:24:44,902
T-minus 7 minutes and counting.
453
00:24:44,943 --> 00:24:47,988
There weren't that many
members here of the press.
454
00:24:48,071 --> 00:24:49,406
Pilot Mike Smith has given...
455
00:24:49,448 --> 00:24:51,325
The mission
has already been postponed
456
00:24:51,408 --> 00:24:53,785
several times
due to mechanical problems
457
00:24:53,869 --> 00:24:55,287
and bad weather.
458
00:24:55,329 --> 00:24:56,538
Throughout the morning,
459
00:24:56,622 --> 00:25:01,293
engineers express concern about
the unusually low temperatures.
460
00:25:01,376 --> 00:25:06,006
At 11:38 a.m., Challenger
is cleared for launch.
461
00:25:06,089 --> 00:25:09,259
Ground launch sequencer
program has been initiated.
462
00:25:09,301 --> 00:25:11,512
Turn on your AP
and voice recorders.
463
00:25:11,595 --> 00:25:12,804
Will do.
464
00:25:16,183 --> 00:25:19,186
I remember
I looked in their eyes
465
00:25:19,269 --> 00:25:22,731
and I wished them well
on the journey.
466
00:25:22,814 --> 00:25:25,192
T-minus 2 minutes
and 20 seconds.
467
00:25:25,275 --> 00:25:28,362
Someone stuck their head
into the big conference room
468
00:25:28,445 --> 00:25:29,738
and said, "Hey, guys,
469
00:25:29,821 --> 00:25:31,782
Challenger is about two minutes
from lift-off.
470
00:25:31,824 --> 00:25:34,660
You want to take a break
and watch the launch?"
471
00:25:34,743 --> 00:25:37,162
T-minus 1 minute and counting.
472
00:25:38,163 --> 00:25:41,625
Christa's parents
are at the Cape for the launch.
473
00:25:41,667 --> 00:25:43,168
Sound suppression system
now armed.
474
00:25:43,252 --> 00:25:44,795
I've done a lot of launches
475
00:25:44,837 --> 00:25:48,215
on the top of the launch-control
roof out here,
476
00:25:48,298 --> 00:25:50,008
and I've seen families.
477
00:25:50,050 --> 00:25:51,093
They're worried.
478
00:25:51,176 --> 00:25:53,554
They're scared.
They're in tears.
479
00:25:55,389 --> 00:25:57,349
That's not nice.
480
00:25:57,432 --> 00:25:59,685
T-minus 10... 9...
481
00:25:59,726 --> 00:26:02,396
8... 7... 6...
482
00:26:02,479 --> 00:26:04,356
We have main engine start.
483
00:26:04,439 --> 00:26:07,693
4... 3... 2... 1.
484
00:26:07,776 --> 00:26:09,820
And lift-off.
485
00:26:09,903 --> 00:26:11,905
We heard "ignition".
We heard "lift-off".
486
00:26:11,989 --> 00:26:14,491
I heard the call
"throttle down."
487
00:26:14,575 --> 00:26:17,494
Everything was looking normal.
I was watching the main engines.
488
00:26:20,622 --> 00:26:22,207
Roger roll, Challenger.
489
00:26:22,291 --> 00:26:26,336
You're sitting there
quietly rooting for them.
490
00:26:26,378 --> 00:26:29,006
You're sitting there
quietly saying,
491
00:26:29,047 --> 00:26:30,757
"Go, Challenger.
Go, Challenger."
492
00:26:30,841 --> 00:26:34,511
Challenger
now heading downrange.
493
00:26:34,553 --> 00:26:38,015
Preparing to rethrottle
the engines back up to 100%.
494
00:26:38,056 --> 00:26:41,185
It seemed to be just kind of
crawling in space.
495
00:26:41,226 --> 00:26:43,187
This is one for
The Guinness Book of Records
496
00:26:43,228 --> 00:26:44,897
with the size flight crew
aboard.
497
00:26:44,980 --> 00:26:46,481
Challenger,
go with throttle up.
498
00:26:46,565 --> 00:26:48,567
3, 305.
499
00:27:06,710 --> 00:27:08,212
Flight, FIDO.
500
00:27:08,253 --> 00:27:09,296
- Flight, FIDO
- Go ahead.
501
00:27:09,379 --> 00:27:11,131
RSO reports vehicle exploded.
502
00:27:14,551 --> 00:27:17,179
Flight controllers here looking
very carefully at the situation.
503
00:27:17,262 --> 00:27:18,555
Seconds later,
504
00:27:18,597 --> 00:27:24,061
I happened to see sort of
a flicker over on the TV.
505
00:27:24,144 --> 00:27:27,064
Flight GC,
we've had negative contact.
506
00:27:28,190 --> 00:27:30,234
Okay, all operators
watch your data carefully.
507
00:27:30,275 --> 00:27:32,277
And I looked over,
508
00:27:32,361 --> 00:27:35,948
and I saw this picture
of this expanding fireball
509
00:27:36,031 --> 00:27:39,827
with pieces moving
in all directions.
510
00:27:42,955 --> 00:27:47,459
The crippled rocket
boosters careen out of control.
511
00:27:52,714 --> 00:27:54,383
Specially declassified footage
512
00:27:54,466 --> 00:27:56,802
shows them being
remotely destroyed.
513
00:27:58,554 --> 00:28:00,597
We have a report
from the flight dynamics officer
514
00:28:00,681 --> 00:28:03,225
that the vehicle has exploded.
515
00:28:04,476 --> 00:28:07,354
- Flight director confirms that.
- Okay.
516
00:28:07,437 --> 00:28:10,482
We are looking at checking
with the recovery forces
517
00:28:10,566 --> 00:28:13,068
to see what can be done
at this point.
518
00:28:13,151 --> 00:28:16,655
I knew instantly that none
of them could possibly survive
519
00:28:16,738 --> 00:28:19,491
because we didn't have
parachutes,
520
00:28:19,575 --> 00:28:21,326
we didn't have
pressure suits,
521
00:28:21,410 --> 00:28:23,662
and at the altitude
that they broke up at,
522
00:28:23,704 --> 00:28:26,707
there was no way they were gonna
maintain consciousness.
523
00:28:26,790 --> 00:28:29,209
It was immediately obvious to me
524
00:28:29,293 --> 00:28:31,378
that we had lost
the entire crew.
525
00:28:33,881 --> 00:28:36,341
It didn't look normal.
526
00:28:38,552 --> 00:28:41,763
And I knew that from the amount
of training that we had had
527
00:28:41,847 --> 00:28:44,266
and from the launch
that we had seen previous,
528
00:28:44,349 --> 00:28:45,601
that Christa and I
had witnessed.
529
00:28:45,684 --> 00:28:48,812
We are now looking at all the...
530
00:28:48,854 --> 00:28:51,481
Very, very sad time.
531
00:28:51,523 --> 00:28:53,192
I felt horrible.
532
00:28:54,526 --> 00:28:57,154
It was a huge loss,
and it always will be.
533
00:28:57,237 --> 00:29:00,699
I believe every person
in Mission Control
534
00:29:00,741 --> 00:29:03,327
came to grips with his demons
that day.
535
00:29:03,368 --> 00:29:09,041
And I think several of us said
a few prayers for the crew.
536
00:29:09,082 --> 00:29:13,003
And we also prayed for the team
in Mission Control,
537
00:29:13,045 --> 00:29:15,130
the team in launch control,
538
00:29:15,214 --> 00:29:17,841
and those people
who would have to live
539
00:29:17,883 --> 00:29:19,635
with the aftermath
of this accident.
540
00:29:19,718 --> 00:29:21,678
Don't reconfigure your console.
541
00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:24,014
Make hard copies
of all your displays.
542
00:29:24,056 --> 00:29:27,017
Make sure you protect
any data source you have.
543
00:29:28,185 --> 00:29:30,312
I was Vice President
of the United States
544
00:29:30,395 --> 00:29:31,980
way back then.
545
00:29:32,064 --> 00:29:35,943
I went down there
when Challenger blew up.
546
00:29:36,026 --> 00:29:38,278
It was a terrible tragedy,
of course.
547
00:29:38,362 --> 00:29:41,782
So Reagan asked me to go down
to comfort the families.
548
00:29:43,075 --> 00:29:45,619
It was a very moving thing
for me
549
00:29:45,702 --> 00:29:49,373
to see these families in grief.
550
00:29:49,414 --> 00:29:51,416
I think the thing
that really moved me
551
00:29:51,500 --> 00:29:54,878
was President Reagan's comments
after that.
552
00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:57,130
We will never forget them,
553
00:29:57,214 --> 00:30:00,300
nor the last time we saw them,
this morning,
554
00:30:00,384 --> 00:30:03,846
as they prepared for their
journey and waved goodbye
555
00:30:03,929 --> 00:30:07,766
and slipped the surly bonds
of Earth
556
00:30:07,850 --> 00:30:10,310
to touch the face of God.
557
00:30:10,394 --> 00:30:11,770
Thank you.
558
00:30:11,812 --> 00:30:14,773
It was so beautiful.
I could never have done that.
559
00:30:14,815 --> 00:30:16,400
I would have choked up
too badly.
560
00:30:22,781 --> 00:30:24,241
For the first time,
561
00:30:24,324 --> 00:30:27,911
NASA loses astronauts
during a mission.
562
00:30:33,041 --> 00:30:34,918
They shut down
the shuttle program
563
00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:37,963
and launch
a complete investigation,
564
00:30:38,046 --> 00:30:40,924
reconstructing
the 73-second mission
565
00:30:40,966 --> 00:30:43,177
in split-second intervals.
566
00:30:43,260 --> 00:30:45,262
The report is scathing.
567
00:30:45,345 --> 00:30:48,473
Turns very rapidly
from grief to anger
568
00:30:48,557 --> 00:30:51,476
because you discovered
569
00:30:51,518 --> 00:30:54,313
there was gross negligence
to launch on that day --
570
00:30:54,396 --> 00:30:56,815
just plain negligence.
571
00:30:56,899 --> 00:30:58,567
We had all the data.
572
00:30:58,650 --> 00:31:00,485
We knew how bad everything was.
573
00:31:00,527 --> 00:31:03,030
We knew the relationships
of "O" rings and temperature.
574
00:31:03,113 --> 00:31:06,325
You know,
it turns to sheer anger.
575
00:31:09,161 --> 00:31:10,954
The investigation concludes
576
00:31:10,996 --> 00:31:13,790
that cold weather caused
the failure of an "O" ring,
577
00:31:13,832 --> 00:31:17,211
a rubber gasket
in the right rocket booster.
578
00:31:17,294 --> 00:31:21,215
It leaked flames that ignited
the external fuel tank.
579
00:31:21,298 --> 00:31:22,883
The report also chronicles
580
00:31:22,966 --> 00:31:25,677
the final moments
in the astronauts' lives.
581
00:31:25,719 --> 00:31:28,805
We know that the crew
of Challenger
582
00:31:28,889 --> 00:31:31,058
survived the breakup.
583
00:31:31,141 --> 00:31:34,353
We know that three
of the crew members
584
00:31:34,394 --> 00:31:38,357
turned on their air packs
after the vehicle broke up.
585
00:31:41,276 --> 00:31:45,864
Now, Challenger
was at 49,000 feet
586
00:31:45,948 --> 00:31:49,618
going uphill at a tremendous
rate when it broke up.
587
00:31:49,701 --> 00:31:53,163
And it coasted uphill
to 67,000 feet.
588
00:31:53,205 --> 00:31:55,040
Very, very high altitude.
589
00:31:55,123 --> 00:31:56,500
There's no way in the world
590
00:31:56,542 --> 00:31:59,169
that the crew was going to
maintain consciousness
591
00:31:59,211 --> 00:32:01,672
in that kind of an environment.
592
00:32:01,713 --> 00:32:05,342
So we believe they were alive.
593
00:32:05,425 --> 00:32:06,885
But we also believe
594
00:32:06,969 --> 00:32:08,554
they were unconscious
when they hit the water.
595
00:32:08,637 --> 00:32:10,597
Contingency procedures
are in effect.
596
00:32:10,681 --> 00:32:13,809
They were alive
until they hit the water.
597
00:32:29,158 --> 00:32:33,078
No shuttle flies
for 21/2 years.
598
00:32:34,705 --> 00:32:37,207
A lot of second-guessing
in the Congress
599
00:32:37,291 --> 00:32:38,917
about the whole program
600
00:32:39,001 --> 00:32:40,794
and whether we were taking
proper care
601
00:32:40,878 --> 00:32:43,589
of these people
going out into space
602
00:32:43,630 --> 00:32:46,675
and whether the program
was worth it.
603
00:32:47,509 --> 00:32:49,595
But NASA determined
to go forward
604
00:32:49,678 --> 00:32:52,181
with the support of the Congress
and of the American people,
605
00:32:52,264 --> 00:32:53,265
and forward it went.
606
00:32:58,979 --> 00:33:01,190
After the loss of Challenger,
607
00:33:01,273 --> 00:33:05,736
it took us almost three years
to redesign and rebuild
608
00:33:05,777 --> 00:33:10,157
and get ready to feel confident
about going to space again.
609
00:33:14,828 --> 00:33:17,789
After the Challenger accident,
610
00:33:17,831 --> 00:33:21,126
the press took a whole different
outlook towards NASA.
611
00:33:21,168 --> 00:33:25,297
The outlook towards NASA was,
"We're not sure we believe you
612
00:33:25,380 --> 00:33:27,424
when you say
you're gonna do this."
613
00:33:32,387 --> 00:33:36,934
Shuttle flights resume
in September 1988.
614
00:33:39,728 --> 00:33:41,271
After five missions,
615
00:33:41,313 --> 00:33:45,859
the fleet of three orbiters is
flying a regular schedule again.
616
00:33:47,027 --> 00:33:48,987
We have to continue
to move forward.
617
00:33:49,071 --> 00:33:52,658
To stop in space
is to surrender.
618
00:33:52,741 --> 00:33:55,494
The orbiter Discovery rolls out
619
00:33:55,577 --> 00:33:58,580
for the most ambitious mission
of the shuttle era.
620
00:33:58,664 --> 00:34:01,583
It promises to unlock
age-old mysteries
621
00:34:01,667 --> 00:34:03,836
about the origins
of the universe,
622
00:34:03,919 --> 00:34:08,173
to look deep into space
for clues to the distant past.
623
00:34:08,215 --> 00:34:12,094
The promise of Hubble
to the public was the power.
624
00:34:12,177 --> 00:34:13,971
It was gonna show them
their universe
625
00:34:14,012 --> 00:34:18,141
in a way they'd never seen it
before.
626
00:34:18,183 --> 00:34:20,352
We said Hubble would probably
answer the question
627
00:34:20,435 --> 00:34:22,479
"What is the age
of the universe?"
628
00:34:22,521 --> 00:34:26,316
Hubble was going to see galaxies
and stars being born.
629
00:34:26,358 --> 00:34:28,902
Here was a new telescope,
630
00:34:28,986 --> 00:34:31,280
which was going to be launched
by the shuttle,
631
00:34:31,363 --> 00:34:33,490
and, you know,
somehow it was gonna make
632
00:34:33,532 --> 00:34:34,867
these incredible things
possible.
633
00:34:36,368 --> 00:34:39,538
Hubble is a pioneering
scientific mission,
634
00:34:39,621 --> 00:34:43,083
launching the most powerful
telescope ever built.
635
00:34:43,167 --> 00:34:47,379
At 24,000 pounds,
it's the size of a city bus.
636
00:34:47,462 --> 00:34:49,256
This is shuttle launch control
637
00:34:49,339 --> 00:34:51,508
at T-minus 3 hours and holding.
638
00:34:51,550 --> 00:34:53,552
- OTC, LVCC.
- Go ahead.
639
00:34:53,594 --> 00:34:55,137
The telescope has to be
640
00:34:55,220 --> 00:34:57,556
high above the Earth's
radiant light,
641
00:34:57,598 --> 00:35:01,059
which could distort its view
into deep space.
642
00:35:01,143 --> 00:35:05,731
The desire was to get it
as high as we possibly could.
643
00:35:05,814 --> 00:35:09,151
Normally, the shuttle would fly
644
00:35:09,234 --> 00:35:12,196
between 150, 170 nautical miles.
645
00:35:12,279 --> 00:35:16,283
And for Hubble, we wanted to do
almost twice that.
646
00:35:16,366 --> 00:35:18,285
And that really pushed us
647
00:35:18,368 --> 00:35:20,954
to the limit of what
the shuttle could achieve.
648
00:35:22,414 --> 00:35:24,625
Discovery
will launch Hubble higher
649
00:35:24,708 --> 00:35:29,087
than any spacecraft has flown
since men went to the moon.
650
00:35:29,129 --> 00:35:31,465
NASA selects a veteran crew
651
00:35:31,548 --> 00:35:34,760
to deliver the world's
most expensive telescope,
652
00:35:34,801 --> 00:35:38,096
with a price tag
topping $ 1.5 billion.
653
00:35:38,138 --> 00:35:42,851
SDS 31
was a high-profile mission.
654
00:35:42,935 --> 00:35:44,937
Because we had all flown before,
655
00:35:45,020 --> 00:35:48,690
we had a bit of a leg up
on training.
656
00:35:48,774 --> 00:35:51,819
We didn't have to start at zero.
657
00:35:51,902 --> 00:35:55,239
Pilot Charlie Bolden,
Bruce McCandless.
658
00:35:58,367 --> 00:35:59,701
Kathy Sullivan
659
00:35:59,785 --> 00:36:03,956
is the first American woman
to walk in space.
660
00:36:04,039 --> 00:36:07,417
This is her second
shuttle mission.
661
00:36:07,459 --> 00:36:10,295
There's thousands
and thousands of things
662
00:36:10,379 --> 00:36:12,422
that have to be
right on the money
663
00:36:12,464 --> 00:36:14,716
and checked hundreds of times
a second
664
00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:16,051
to be sure
everything's ready to go.
665
00:36:16,134 --> 00:36:18,220
And it has to all mesh,
you know,
666
00:36:18,303 --> 00:36:20,138
with an astonishing
kind of precision
667
00:36:20,180 --> 00:36:22,391
in the last minute or so
of a countdown.
668
00:36:23,725 --> 00:36:27,604
The odds ought to be that
you never get off the planet.
669
00:36:27,646 --> 00:36:28,981
Let's go do this.
670
00:36:43,495 --> 00:36:45,539
Roger roll, Discovery.
671
00:36:50,919 --> 00:36:53,755
Discovery,
go with throttle up.
672
00:37:00,512 --> 00:37:02,347
It wasn't that long
since Challenger.
673
00:37:02,389 --> 00:37:05,017
Hubble was the biggest
and largest thing
674
00:37:05,100 --> 00:37:06,727
we had ever tried to deploy.
675
00:37:06,810 --> 00:37:10,022
I don't think any of us
wanted Hubble
676
00:37:10,063 --> 00:37:13,442
to have any sort of a major
problem after Challenger.
677
00:37:13,525 --> 00:37:16,987
Discovery's velocity
now 2, 300 feet per second
678
00:37:17,029 --> 00:37:20,324
and is downrange
eight nautical miles.
679
00:37:20,365 --> 00:37:21,909
On schedule,
680
00:37:21,992 --> 00:37:25,996
Discovery jettisons
the solid rocket boosters.
681
00:37:45,390 --> 00:37:48,810
Discovery burns through
2,000 tons of fuel
682
00:37:48,894 --> 00:37:52,439
to reach 370 miles
above the Earth,
683
00:37:52,523 --> 00:37:56,276
more than twice as high
as the shuttle's normal orbit.
684
00:38:03,617 --> 00:38:05,702
I was able to look out
pretty much right away
685
00:38:05,786 --> 00:38:07,079
after main engine cutoff.
686
00:38:07,162 --> 00:38:08,789
And I distinctly remember
the feeling,
687
00:38:08,872 --> 00:38:13,210
"Wow. This is a lot higher
than I was last time."
688
00:38:13,252 --> 00:38:17,589
We were all struck
by how fabulously different
689
00:38:17,631 --> 00:38:20,425
the doubling of the altitude
made the Earth look.
690
00:38:20,509 --> 00:38:23,053
That was and is the highest
691
00:38:23,136 --> 00:38:28,267
that any of us had been and
that the shuttle has ever been,
692
00:38:28,350 --> 00:38:30,102
even to date.
693
00:38:33,146 --> 00:38:34,147
The higher they are,
694
00:38:34,231 --> 00:38:35,899
the more fuel they'll need
to get home.
695
00:38:37,442 --> 00:38:40,320
If disaster strikes
and it runs out,
696
00:38:40,404 --> 00:38:41,989
they'll be stuck in space,
697
00:38:42,072 --> 00:38:45,951
unable to return
before their oxygen is gone.
698
00:38:45,993 --> 00:38:48,871
You looked up at the key
onboard-shuttle fuel gauges.
699
00:38:48,954 --> 00:38:53,500
You know, the moment you got
there, they were reading 49%.
700
00:38:54,751 --> 00:38:58,755
Hmm. You wonder, "Well,
is that really gonna be enough
701
00:38:58,797 --> 00:38:59,840
to get us back down?"
702
00:38:59,923 --> 00:39:03,719
You've still got
five or six days to go,
703
00:39:03,802 --> 00:39:06,430
and you're already through
half your propellent.
704
00:39:06,471 --> 00:39:10,225
Any indication of a leak,
any indication of a leak,
705
00:39:10,309 --> 00:39:11,852
I'm getting out of there fast,
706
00:39:11,935 --> 00:39:14,313
or we don't get to come home
and talk with you about it.
707
00:39:22,112 --> 00:39:26,325
The crew plans
to launch Hubble the next day.
708
00:39:26,408 --> 00:39:28,118
Discovery, Houston.
709
00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:29,745
Morning, Story.
710
00:39:29,828 --> 00:39:31,622
Got to go for HST deploy arms.
711
00:39:31,663 --> 00:39:35,209
Bill Reeves directs
the flight from Mission Control.
712
00:39:35,292 --> 00:39:36,835
It was time-critical
713
00:39:36,919 --> 00:39:39,421
that you get on orbit
as fast as you can,
714
00:39:39,505 --> 00:39:42,049
get everything checked out
as fast as you can,
715
00:39:42,132 --> 00:39:43,717
and get this telescope deployed.
716
00:39:43,800 --> 00:39:46,887
Discovery's robotic arm
717
00:39:46,970 --> 00:39:49,431
lifts Hubble from the cargo bay.
718
00:39:49,515 --> 00:39:51,642
Timing is now critical.
719
00:39:51,725 --> 00:39:54,520
Discovery, Houston.
720
00:39:54,561 --> 00:39:56,522
Hubble's
ultrasensitive instruments
721
00:39:56,563 --> 00:39:59,149
need a continuous source
of energy.
722
00:40:01,401 --> 00:40:04,196
Its two solar panels
must be fully extended
723
00:40:04,279 --> 00:40:07,199
before the telescope
can be deployed,
724
00:40:07,282 --> 00:40:09,159
or the extreme temperatures
in space
725
00:40:09,201 --> 00:40:11,870
could cause catastrophic damage.
726
00:40:11,954 --> 00:40:15,999
Hubble's on a battery, so you
only last so long on batteries.
727
00:40:16,041 --> 00:40:17,835
You've got to get
the solar panels out, you know,
728
00:40:17,876 --> 00:40:19,002
to get your electricity.
729
00:40:19,086 --> 00:40:21,171
I'd like you to go three drift.
730
00:40:21,255 --> 00:40:24,049
So before
the solar arrays come out,
731
00:40:24,132 --> 00:40:26,718
the telescope
is using battery power,
732
00:40:26,802 --> 00:40:30,389
which is fine so long
as the arrays come out.
733
00:40:30,472 --> 00:40:34,393
Discovery, go plus SDM deploy.
734
00:40:34,434 --> 00:40:39,189
They commanded the first
set of solar arrays to deploy,
735
00:40:39,231 --> 00:40:41,984
and that all worked properly.
736
00:40:42,067 --> 00:40:43,902
So we're feeling pretty good
about things.
737
00:40:43,986 --> 00:40:46,280
And then they go to do
the second set.
738
00:40:46,363 --> 00:40:49,074
Discovery,
we'd like three drift
739
00:40:49,158 --> 00:40:51,577
from minus SDM deploy.
740
00:40:51,660 --> 00:40:53,912
Okay, we copy.
Three drift.
741
00:40:53,996 --> 00:40:55,914
You could see a little
bit of the stored energy
742
00:40:55,956 --> 00:40:58,208
in the canister
as the latches were released,
743
00:40:58,250 --> 00:40:59,585
and the array would come out
a little bit
744
00:40:59,668 --> 00:41:02,171
and then it would stop.
745
00:41:03,755 --> 00:41:06,967
And we thought, "Well, that's
not what it's supposed to do."
746
00:41:07,050 --> 00:41:09,386
Houston -- Discovery.
Looks like motion stopped.
747
00:41:09,428 --> 00:41:12,931
My payload officer
told me the array had stopped.
748
00:41:13,015 --> 00:41:14,725
I mmediately,
we knew we had a problem.
749
00:41:16,435 --> 00:41:19,396
One good solar panel
is keeping Hubble alive,
750
00:41:19,438 --> 00:41:20,689
but just barely.
751
00:41:22,149 --> 00:41:26,487
The telescope is useless
until it's under full power.
752
00:41:32,159 --> 00:41:34,620
So the payload team
were trying to figure out
753
00:41:34,661 --> 00:41:36,121
why it wouldn't deploy.
754
00:41:38,415 --> 00:41:40,918
So there was a sense of urgency
to get things going.
755
00:41:43,504 --> 00:41:46,715
Mission Control
scrambles for a solution.
756
00:41:46,798 --> 00:41:50,761
The crew in space prepares
for an EVA.
757
00:41:50,802 --> 00:41:54,056
They may have to crank
the solar panel open by hand.
758
00:41:54,139 --> 00:41:57,267
Let's have the EVA crew
press on with EVA prep.
759
00:41:57,351 --> 00:41:58,936
Yeah, we had Bruce McCandless
760
00:41:59,019 --> 00:42:01,313
and Kathy Sullivan
get suited up.
761
00:42:01,355 --> 00:42:03,857
Just as insurance.
762
00:42:04,399 --> 00:42:07,778
We instantly jumped
into that get-outside mode.
763
00:42:07,820 --> 00:42:10,948
Dropped the cameras
and started suiting up.
764
00:42:10,989 --> 00:42:12,115
And Bill, at this point,
765
00:42:12,199 --> 00:42:15,285
is having to listen
to the telescope guys,
766
00:42:15,369 --> 00:42:17,913
ask them, "Do they think
they've got this fixed?"
767
00:42:17,996 --> 00:42:19,373
- Flight payload.
- Go ahead.
768
00:42:19,456 --> 00:42:23,001
They haven't gotten it yet, and
they're scratching their heads.
769
00:42:23,085 --> 00:42:25,420
They're working a plan
right now.
770
00:42:25,504 --> 00:42:26,421
I'll get back to you
771
00:42:26,505 --> 00:42:28,423
as soon as we get a good plan
pulled together.
772
00:42:30,926 --> 00:42:32,970
Another thing
I need an answer to
773
00:42:33,011 --> 00:42:35,931
is if I can go ahead
and commit the EVA
774
00:42:36,014 --> 00:42:39,017
with the thought of going out
and cranking it out
775
00:42:39,101 --> 00:42:41,645
if whatever
they're about to do fails.
776
00:42:41,687 --> 00:42:43,772
We really expect
to have to go out the door
777
00:42:43,856 --> 00:42:46,108
and actually crank it out
by hand.
778
00:42:46,191 --> 00:42:48,569
They want us to just press on
to back them up.
779
00:42:48,652 --> 00:42:49,903
We need to get on with it.
780
00:42:49,987 --> 00:42:52,281
Something had to happen
to get that array out,
781
00:42:52,364 --> 00:42:54,199
or we'd lose the telescope.
782
00:42:54,241 --> 00:42:56,326
Okay, Flight.
I'll come back with the answer.
783
00:42:56,368 --> 00:42:58,120
I need answers now.
784
00:42:58,203 --> 00:43:01,957
By this time, Bruce and
Kathy are in their space suits.
785
00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:03,542
They're in the air lock.
786
00:43:03,625 --> 00:43:05,043
- Flight FAO
- Come in.
787
00:43:05,127 --> 00:43:07,504
Yeah, I don't feel comfortable
waiting until --
788
00:43:07,546 --> 00:43:09,882
I don't either. That's why
I want the answers now.
789
00:43:09,923 --> 00:43:11,258
Time is very critical.
790
00:43:11,341 --> 00:43:13,343
They certainly were measuring
791
00:43:13,427 --> 00:43:16,430
how long it would take
before the telescope would die.
792
00:43:16,513 --> 00:43:17,973
The question I need
is the status
793
00:43:18,056 --> 00:43:20,392
of the state of charge
of the batteries at release.
794
00:43:20,475 --> 00:43:22,019
Are we gonna have
adequate charge?
795
00:43:22,102 --> 00:43:25,397
We can only get
minus-X translation.
796
00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:27,733
It's firm.
797
00:43:27,816 --> 00:43:30,360
That was a very difficult day.
798
00:43:30,444 --> 00:43:31,737
We really earned our pay
that day.
799
00:43:34,239 --> 00:43:35,949
If the second solar panel
800
00:43:36,033 --> 00:43:38,702
isn't generating power soon...
801
00:43:39,620 --> 00:43:42,956
NASA could face
a difficult decision.
802
00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:44,041
- Payloads.
- Yes.
803
00:43:44,124 --> 00:43:45,709
Leave Hubble in orbit
804
00:43:45,792 --> 00:43:49,379
until another mission can return
and attempt to repair it.
805
00:43:51,798 --> 00:43:55,385
At Mission Control, engineers
search for computer commands
806
00:43:55,427 --> 00:43:57,429
that will deploy
the second array.
807
00:43:58,222 --> 00:44:02,726
Yes, what we need to do
is command both of the motors.
808
00:44:02,809 --> 00:44:04,394
- They ready to go right now?
- Yes.
809
00:44:04,478 --> 00:44:06,772
- That's what they want to do?
- Yes, sir.
810
00:44:06,813 --> 00:44:08,774
The guys on the ground
figured out
811
00:44:08,816 --> 00:44:10,025
an alternate command.
812
00:44:10,108 --> 00:44:12,236
It had taken them
those couple of hours
813
00:44:12,319 --> 00:44:14,238
to find their way
to that conclusion.
814
00:44:14,279 --> 00:44:16,990
We gave the command,
and, sure enough,
815
00:44:17,074 --> 00:44:20,869
it started to open
and it kept going.
816
00:44:21,286 --> 00:44:24,540
The solar panels
unfold and get right to work...
817
00:44:24,623 --> 00:44:26,083
Okay, EECOM.
818
00:44:26,124 --> 00:44:27,459
...soaking up sunlight
819
00:44:27,501 --> 00:44:30,087
and converting it
into electricity.
820
00:44:30,128 --> 00:44:32,130
Hubble is ready for launch.
821
00:44:32,172 --> 00:44:33,215
- Eagle?
- Go.
822
00:44:33,298 --> 00:44:34,967
- FAO?
- Go.
823
00:44:35,050 --> 00:44:36,260
- MAX?
- Go.
824
00:44:36,301 --> 00:44:37,636
- ARS?
- Go, Flight.
825
00:44:37,678 --> 00:44:39,263
Bruce and I didn't get to see.
826
00:44:39,346 --> 00:44:41,557
I was about this far away
from the wall of the air lock,
827
00:44:41,640 --> 00:44:44,268
staring at a nice, bright,
blank white wall
828
00:44:44,309 --> 00:44:46,728
and listening to all that
happening on the com loops.
829
00:44:46,812 --> 00:44:48,814
Payloads, waiting on you.
830
00:44:50,983 --> 00:44:52,985
Flight, payloads, we are go.
831
00:44:53,068 --> 00:44:55,487
Cap Com,
we have a go for release.
832
00:44:55,529 --> 00:44:58,448
Discovery,
go for Hubble release.
833
00:45:11,336 --> 00:45:14,173
We were very satisfied
with our mission.
834
00:45:14,256 --> 00:45:15,799
We had gotten
the telescope deployed.
835
00:45:15,883 --> 00:45:18,177
We'd done
what we had set out to do.
836
00:45:18,218 --> 00:45:21,180
There was a feeling of pride
837
00:45:21,263 --> 00:45:24,474
and also a feeling
of a new beginning.
838
00:45:25,976 --> 00:45:29,062
We're gonna be able to observe
things and answer questions
839
00:45:29,146 --> 00:45:31,398
that we thought
were unanswerable before.
840
00:45:35,235 --> 00:45:37,779
We're touched down.
841
00:45:43,410 --> 00:45:47,039
The Hubble launch
revives America's space program.
842
00:45:47,122 --> 00:45:50,292
It's the high-profile mission
NASA needs
843
00:45:50,375 --> 00:45:53,879
to put the Challenger disaster
behind them.
844
00:45:53,962 --> 00:45:56,590
And 370 miles above the Earth,
845
00:45:56,673 --> 00:45:59,009
the Hubble telescope
prepares to peer back
846
00:45:59,051 --> 00:46:00,552
through space and time
847
00:46:00,594 --> 00:46:04,556
to capture images of the origins
of all things.
848
00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:06,266
About two or three weeks
after launch,
849
00:46:06,350 --> 00:46:08,685
we started to take
the first images.
850
00:46:08,727 --> 00:46:10,729
And a few of us gather
around a screen
851
00:46:10,771 --> 00:46:13,357
to see the images
that would come back that night.
852
00:46:13,440 --> 00:46:16,527
And the focus
didn't seem to be right.
853
00:46:17,319 --> 00:46:18,862
They didn't look nearly as sharp
854
00:46:18,946 --> 00:46:21,448
as the experts in the room
expected them to.
855
00:46:21,532 --> 00:46:22,699
Sort of looked at each other
856
00:46:22,783 --> 00:46:25,786
and said, "That's the way
it's supposed to be, isn't it?"
857
00:46:25,869 --> 00:46:28,539
And, of course,
people knew that it wasn't.
858
00:46:28,622 --> 00:46:30,457
Hubble's main mirror,
859
00:46:30,541 --> 00:46:33,043
8 feet wide
and weighing nearly a ton,
860
00:46:33,126 --> 00:46:37,923
is the wrong shape -- ground to
the wrong specifications.
861
00:46:38,006 --> 00:46:40,425
Many images are blurred.
862
00:46:40,467 --> 00:46:42,177
Hubble is nearsighted.
863
00:46:43,470 --> 00:46:46,223
It was only off by about
a millionth of an inch,
864
00:46:46,265 --> 00:46:51,311
which is about 1/50 the diameter
of a human hair.
865
00:46:51,395 --> 00:46:53,480
It was absolutely shocking
866
00:46:53,564 --> 00:46:56,608
when a couple of people
who are optics experts
867
00:46:56,692 --> 00:47:00,237
came forward and said,
"You can't correct it.
868
00:47:00,320 --> 00:47:01,822
There's nothing you can do
about it."
869
00:47:01,905 --> 00:47:04,283
There's a significant
spherical aberration
870
00:47:04,324 --> 00:47:05,868
appears to be present
in the optics --
871
00:47:05,951 --> 00:47:07,161
in the optical telescope.
872
00:47:07,244 --> 00:47:08,871
You grieve for the fact that,
873
00:47:08,954 --> 00:47:11,957
you know, the possibilities
and they're gone.
874
00:47:12,040 --> 00:47:16,086
But very soon, then, the grief
turns to flat-out anger.
875
00:47:16,837 --> 00:47:18,589
How could this have happened?
876
00:47:18,630 --> 00:47:21,008
I mean, don't you guys
know how to make telescopes?
877
00:47:23,635 --> 00:47:26,597
Personally, I felt like
it was the end of the world.
878
00:47:26,638 --> 00:47:30,267
You spend 15 years of your
career working on something,
879
00:47:30,309 --> 00:47:33,312
and the world is watching,
and it's a total disaster.
880
00:47:33,353 --> 00:47:34,313
As far as you know,
881
00:47:34,396 --> 00:47:36,482
it had to have happened on
the ground before it went up?
882
00:47:36,565 --> 00:47:38,108
We were a joke.
A national joke.
883
00:47:38,692 --> 00:47:40,277
The most expensive,
884
00:47:40,360 --> 00:47:45,199
most powerful telescope
in the world is a dud.
885
00:47:45,282 --> 00:47:47,659
It's really hard now,
in retrospect,
886
00:47:47,701 --> 00:47:53,207
to create the sense of outrage
and despair
887
00:47:53,290 --> 00:47:55,876
that people were feeling.
888
00:47:55,959 --> 00:48:00,631
This was a, you know,
multibillion-dollar disaster.
68373
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