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Narrator: Conceived half a
century ago, the space shuttles
are a giant leap in man's quest
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To conquer space.
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Wayne: It absolutely
was revolutionary.
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Joan: It looked like
something out of star wars.
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Narrator: The world's first
reusable space craft, they ushr
in a new era in space travel.
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Bob: Going 17,500 miles
an hour and there's not
another ride like it.
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Narrator: But pushing technoloy
to the limit comes at a price.
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Dick: And I looked over
and saw the fire ball.
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Narrator: Yet the shuttle
program will continue and
leave a lasting legacy.
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Michael: We would never have
the international space station
without the space shuttle.
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Narrator: But there is
also a secret side to
the shuttle program.
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Jeff: We had quite a few
military missions with the
shuttle and I can't tell you
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What we did with it.
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Narrator: It will give
the united states an edge
over their soviet rivals.
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Rowland: The shuttle threatened
to dramatically change
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The balance of power
during the cold war.
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Narrator: Almost four decades
since they first took flight,
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The shuttles remain the most
iconic space ships ever built.
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Milt: We can dip into
space and come back and
land like an aeroplane,
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That's a heck of
an accomplishment.
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(music)
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Narrator: Entering service
in 1981, nasa's fleet of five
space shuttles fly into orbit
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And come back to earth
again more than 130 times.
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Wayne: It was uh, the first
winged vehicle to fly back
from space hypersonically.
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It carried more people than
any other space vehicle.
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It was revolutionary
in so many ways.
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Narrator: Clocking over 537
million miles in space, for
three decades the shuttles
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Are the workhorses of the
american space program.
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Michael: The shuttle
is so capable of what
it's designed to do.
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It really is, it's a
fantastic achievement.
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Narrator: The technology behind
the shuttle's return trips to
space is still one of man's
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Greatest feats of engineering.
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Male: T minus and one
minute and counting.
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Narrator: Bolted to a huge
orange fuel tank and two of the
largest solid rocket boosters
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Ever built, the shuttle
goes through its final
checks before launch.
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Male: Liquid hydrogen tank
is at flight pressure.
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Narrator: The only people
within a three mile radius of
the shuttle are the astronauts
inside.
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Jeff: There's a lot
of things that can go
wrong during a launch.
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If sitting on top of a few
million pounds of high
explosives is gonna cause you
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Emotional stress, you're
in the wrong profession.
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Narrator: 85 percent of
the shuttle's 4.5 million
pounds at takeoff, is fuel.
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And it will use the
explosive power of all
of it to get into space.
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Dick: Rocketry is controlled
explosions in a hope
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That it keeps you going in
the right direction.
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Male: T minus 20
seconds and counting.
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Main engines prepare
for ignition.
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T minus 10, 9,
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Michael: We don't hear a
countdown like you public do,
but we can see on our computer
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Monitor, that little clock
going tick, tick, tick.
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Male: 8, 7,
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Robert: 6.6 seconds before
liftoff, we get ready to
ignite the main engines.
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Male: We've gone for
main engines start.
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Ken: Out the window you see
this bright yellow glow.
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Male: 3, 2, 1.
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Ken: And you go "oh here we go."
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Male: Lift off of
america's space shuttle.
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Michael: All that explosive
power shoves us in the back
and it's a very violent shove.
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(music)
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Joan: It feels like someone has
kinda taken their foot and
kicked you in the hind quarters.
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Narrator: With all its engines
blazing, the shuttle produces
about 37 million horsepower!
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Dick: It's a very
visceral experience.
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You know you are going somewhere
very, very fast and you have
very little control over it.
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Narrator: Two minutes in,
28 miles high, the shuttle
hits 3,000 miles per hour
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And its reusable
boosters are jettisoned.
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Michael: At the moment we're
going about mach 4, that's 4
times the speed of sound.
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Rhea: And the, the sky
goes from the clouds and
blue sky to black sky.
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(music)
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Narrator: The shuttles main
engines push it even faster
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Through the upper reaches
of the atmosphere.
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Michael: We're gonna use up all
the fuel to get up to mach 25,
25 times the speed of sound.
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And that's the speed we need to
keep going around the earth and
never actually come back to it.
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Narrator: Once the shuttle
reaches 17,500 miles per hour,
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Explosive bolts detonate and
release the empty fuel tank.
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Michael: Pf, that's
it, we're weightless.
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Rhea: Your pen floats, dust
particles float, you're sort
of looking around thinking,
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Are we there yet? (laughs)
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Narrator: It takes just 8
and a half minutes to get
the shuttle into space.
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Ken: There's usually a cheer
from the crew about that point.
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Because the, the most stressed
part of the, the mission, the,
the ascent, is over.
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Narrator: In orbit, the
versatility of the shuttle
will allow it to do more
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Than any other space ship
before or since.
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Robert: We could fit one
and a half greyhound buses
inside the cargo bay,
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That's how big that vehicle is.
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It was capable of carrying
huge satellites up into orbit,
constructing the international
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Space station and
that's what made it such
a productive program.
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Narrator: With room for eight
astronauts, the shuttles can
take more people into space
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Than ever before.
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Jeff: The shuttle has opened up
space flight to a much wider
variety of people, scientists,
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Engineers, medical doctors.
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We really learned a lot about
uh, how to do science in space.
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Narrator: But what makes the
shuttles truly groundbreaking,
is that they come back to eart.
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Male: You are go
for de-orbit burn.
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Narrator: Travelling ten times
faster than a bullet, the
shuttle hits earth's atmospher.
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Robert: We create a shock wave
that has a temperature of 9,000
degrees and so it makes the air
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Look like it's on fire.
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You're flying into a blow torch.
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Narrator: Friction from the
air generates so much heat,
the shuttle starts to glow.
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Ken: You look outside
and it's red, it just a,
a terribly hot surface.
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Narrator: The temperature of te
shuttle's heat proof skin
reaches 3000 degrees fahrenhei,
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Almost four times the melting
point of its metal air frame.
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Ken: You see drips going
along the, the, the windows
and it looks like rain,
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It looks like water, but
it's something melting.
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Narrator: Relying only on air
friction to slow it down, it
takes the shuttle 30 minutes
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Flying time to reach
its landing site.
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Male: Columbia you're going
subsonic now, looking good.
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Narrator: Having used all its
fuel in space, pilots depend
on the shuttle's wings
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To glide it home.
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Robert: It was a great
big 115 ton brick that
doesn't have any engines.
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And so, you get exactly
one chance to land it.
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Male: 5, 4,3,2,1, touchdown.
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Narrator: Hitting the runway
at 226 miles per hour,
much faster than any plane,
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The shuttle's parachutes are
deployed to bring it to a halt.
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Milt: I thought oh holy cow!
We built this thing,
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We find a way to get this
into space and come back
and land like
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An aeroplane wheels on a
runway, that's a heck
of an accomplishment.
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Narrator: But this
accomplishment comes at a pric.
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Over their three decades in
service, the shuttles cost
taxpayers $209 billion.
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Yet when they are first proposd
in the late 1960's, the space
shuttles are meant to be
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A cost effective successor
to the most expensive
space program in history.
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Computers and rockets
for an audacious mission.
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President kennedy: We choose to
go to the moon in this decade
and do the other things,
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Not because they are easy,
but because they are hard.
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Narrator: With the cold war
raging, president kennedy has
another motive for sending men
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To the moon.
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Wayne: Kennedy was not
particularly interested in
space or going to the moon,
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He was interested in beating
the russians at something.
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Milt: We pretty much had a blank
cheque, you just said this is
what I need to get this job done
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And, and you got it.
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Narrator: On the July
20th 1969, the us wins
the race to the moon.
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Neil armstrong: That's one
small step for man, one
giant leap for mankind.
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Narrator: But getting men
to the moon has a huge cost.
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The final bill is more
than $25 billion dollars.
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Wayne: If you turn that into
today's dollars, you're probably
talking half a trillion.
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That was an extremely
expensive programme because
we threw away the rocket
every time we used it.
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The only thing that you
got back was this little
capsule on the very top.
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Even that was not reusable.
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Narrator: Nasa is told it has
to find a more cost effective
way of getting into orbit.
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They decide
a revolutionary reusable
space craft is the answer.
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Tv announcer: Shuttle born
pay load will be put in orbit
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For a tenth of what
it cost in the 60's.
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Wayne: The space
shuttle was conceived as a
vehicle, like an airliner,
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You would build it once, fly it
many times, and therefore reduce
the cost of getting into space.
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Narrator: Nasa gets the go
ahead, but there is a hidden
dimension to the shuttles
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Overall mission.
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Jeff: We had quite a few
military missions with
the shuttle
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And I can't tell you
what we did with it.
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Narrator: From the shuttle's
inception,
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The pentagon determines
they'll be a cold war asset.
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Jeff: The final size and
shape of the shuttle was
determined pretty much
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By the military requirements.
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Narrator: The shuttle's
distinctive wide body
is designed to deploy
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The biggest military
spy satellites.
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Jeff: And they had
satellites which were 60
feet long and so that,
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That cargo bay had to
be much bigger than nasa
originally was planning.
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(music)
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Narrator: And they are given
the wings of a jet fighter.
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Jeff: Instead of having
little stubby wings like
nasa had originally planned,
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That led to the big delta wings.
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Narrator: But travelling 13
times faster than the concorde
means the shuttle can't be flon
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Like a normal airplane.
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Jeff: You hit the atmosphere at,
at 25 times the speed of sound,
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There's no way that a human
being can keep up.
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Narrator: So to help pilots
fly them, nasa invents a
revolutionary new computer
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System, surprisingly basic
compared to today's standards.
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Joan: The general purpose
computers had 257 k memory.
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00:13:29,776 --> 00:13:34,946
Your phone has like a
gazillion times more memory
than the shuttle computer.
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Narrator: Next, nasa needs to
see if their new computers wor.
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In 1976, a prototype shuttle is
rolled out for testing and the
american public gets to see
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One of their new space craft
for the first time.
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Jeff: It grabbed the attention
of the american public
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And it didn't look like
any other rocket.
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It was the future.
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Rowland: This is the world's
first real space ship it was
like um, star trek made real.
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Narrator: Nasa even
names it enterprise.
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But this shuttle won't be
boldly going into space.
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To find out if their
flight control computers
are up to the job,
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Nasa plans to launch enterprise
from the back of a 747.
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Milt: When I first heard
about it, I said, "you got
to be kidding me." (laughs)
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00:14:25,298 --> 00:14:31,469
No way! What a wonderful
concept. Genius!
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00:14:31,504 --> 00:14:34,973
Male: Just by the touch
in the physical area.
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00:14:35,008 --> 00:14:41,946
Narrator: Charles justiz is one
of the nasa pilots who flew the
specially adapted boeing 747.
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00:14:41,982 --> 00:14:44,215
Charles: As a, a research
pilot that scared me to death.
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00:14:44,251 --> 00:14:48,019
It's like, somebody I
hope did their math.
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Narrator: Even with a 68 ton
spaceship on top, the 747
can still take to the air.
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00:14:59,299 --> 00:15:00,698
Charles: It was a challenge.
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00:15:00,734 --> 00:15:04,602
When you're flying, the
whole time, it's shaky.
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Narrator: At 24,000 feet,
the shuttle is released.
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Male: Ok good job.
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00:15:12,445 --> 00:15:17,115
We're up and confirm computer
light, it's number 2.
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Narrator: Using the
new computer system, the
pilots are able to fly...
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And land the shuttle.
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Male: Ok the gear is
coming down at 270.
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00:15:30,730 --> 00:15:34,899
185, roger that.
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00:15:37,971 --> 00:15:40,805
Ok that was too good a glider.
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00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,741
Charles: It was just amazing.
The fact that it worked as well
as it did,
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To me is still one of the
great successes of nasa.
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00:15:54,154 --> 00:15:58,356
Ngines
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00:15:58,391 --> 00:16:02,961
That can take the shuttle
into orbit over and over.
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00:16:02,996 --> 00:16:06,331
Rowland: Nasa never had to
reuse rocket engines before.
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00:16:06,366 --> 00:16:08,633
They'd always been thrown away.
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It was like trying to build a
formula one car that was gonna
last as long as a ford cortina.
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00:16:16,109 --> 00:16:23,381
Narrator: The shuttles main
engines need to produce the sae
power as 200,000 family cars.
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00:16:23,416 --> 00:16:29,754
But making them
reliable isn't easy.
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00:16:29,789 --> 00:16:35,159
Jeff: We saw some explosions
on the test stands because
you get so much power,
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00:16:35,195 --> 00:16:40,031
You're pushing these
systems to the limit.
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00:16:40,066 --> 00:16:46,671
Narrator: It takes nasa
nearly 10 years to perfect
the shuttles engines.
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00:16:46,706 --> 00:16:51,109
But the biggest challenge by
far is making sure the shuttles
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00:16:51,144 --> 00:16:54,545
Don't melt when they
return to earth.
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00:16:55,181 --> 00:16:59,817
Tom: The friction is generated
between that space craft and
the earth's atmosphere
210
00:16:59,853 --> 00:17:03,621
Creates a very high temperature,
somewhere around 3,000 degrees.
211
00:17:03,656 --> 00:17:07,825
Narrator: Previously, nasa
protected it's astronauts
by putting them inside
212
00:17:07,861 --> 00:17:12,430
Small capsules with thick heat
shields designed to burn away.
213
00:17:12,465 --> 00:17:17,402
Jeff: It gradually
melts and that carries
away a lot of the heat.
214
00:17:17,437 --> 00:17:20,538
Sort of like when you perspire
and that works just fine.
215
00:17:20,573 --> 00:17:22,874
But it's a one-shot deal.
216
00:17:22,909 --> 00:17:26,444
Narrator: But the shuttle has
totally different requirements.
217
00:17:26,479 --> 00:17:29,614
Wayne: The shuttle needed
something that was light
and reusable
218
00:17:29,649 --> 00:17:32,950
Which those previous
heat shields weren't.
219
00:17:32,986 --> 00:17:38,356
Narrator: So nasa decides to ue
a revolutionary new material.
220
00:17:38,391 --> 00:17:42,726
Tom: This is a silica tile and
let me make it really simple.
221
00:17:42,729 --> 00:17:46,798
Silica is nothing but pure sand.
That's all it is.
222
00:17:46,833 --> 00:17:48,666
It's mostly air.
223
00:17:48,701 --> 00:17:52,070
Narrator: The tiles
are extremely good
at dissipating heat,
224
00:17:52,105 --> 00:17:58,376
Even when baked at 1300 degree,
they can be picked up with bare
hands just seconds later.
225
00:17:58,411 --> 00:18:02,547
But there's one
problem with them, they
are incredibly fragile.
226
00:18:02,582 --> 00:18:08,619
Tom: And I could take my finger
right now and poke a hole in
it, that's how fragile it is.
227
00:18:08,655 --> 00:18:14,358
Narrator: At first, nasa can't
get the delicate tiles to stick
to the shuttle's metal skin.
228
00:18:14,394 --> 00:18:19,197
Wayne: We went through a
process of nearly two years
of trying to confirm that,
229
00:18:19,232 --> 00:18:23,367
That we had properly bonded
those tiles to the surface.
230
00:18:23,403 --> 00:18:29,006
Narrator: In the end, they find
the best way to glue the tiles
is with bathroom sealant.
231
00:18:29,042 --> 00:18:33,644
Tom: We went to the
hardware store and we
bought bath tub caulk.
232
00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,747
So that's what we chose
uh, and it worked.
233
00:18:36,783 --> 00:18:40,818
(music)
234
00:18:40,854 --> 00:18:46,390
Narrator: Countless tubes of
bathroom caulk later, the first
of the shuttle fleet is ready.
235
00:18:47,827 --> 00:18:54,398
In early April 1981, shuttle
columbia is rolled out to the
launch pad to be prepped
236
00:18:54,434 --> 00:18:57,135
For its maiden flight.
237
00:18:57,170 --> 00:19:03,074
Commanding the mission is john
young, he is one of nasa's most
experienced astronauts
238
00:19:03,109 --> 00:19:05,843
Who has walked on the moon.
Accompanying him,
239
00:19:05,879 --> 00:19:12,049
Is someone who has never even
been into space, former navy
test pilot, bob crippen.
240
00:19:13,253 --> 00:19:17,155
Bob: I was 40 when uh, I was
asked if I wanted to fly
241
00:19:17,190 --> 00:19:20,725
And to finally know that I
might have a chance to do
it, was uh, uh,
242
00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:24,195
Sort of the pinnacle of my life.
It blew my mind.
243
00:19:24,230 --> 00:19:27,999
I was ready to turn handsprings.
244
00:19:28,034 --> 00:19:32,503
Narrator: The two
astronauts have waited a
long time for this moment.
245
00:19:32,539 --> 00:19:36,340
Bob: We thought we'd be flying
in about a year, but our main
engines kept blowing up
246
00:19:36,376 --> 00:19:40,344
On the test stand and um, the
thermal protection system,
uh, kept falling off.
247
00:19:43,483 --> 00:19:49,153
Narrator: Now with the
problems seemingly fixed,
on April 12th 1981,
248
00:19:49,189 --> 00:19:52,924
Shuttle columbia is
ready for launch.
249
00:19:52,959 --> 00:19:55,560
Thousands show up
to watch the event.
250
00:19:55,595 --> 00:19:58,196
But nasa is taking a big gambl.
251
00:19:58,231 --> 00:20:04,602
No one has ever test flown a
brand new space craft with
astronauts on board before.
252
00:20:04,637 --> 00:20:06,571
Rowland: It was the boldest
test flight in history.
253
00:20:06,606 --> 00:20:09,640
Everything was staked on the
success of that mission.
254
00:20:09,676 --> 00:20:13,878
If something went wrong, that
was the end of the program.
255
00:20:13,913 --> 00:20:20,318
Narrator: Tv cameras are
broadcasting the event live
to millions around the world.
256
00:20:20,353 --> 00:20:24,522
Bob: There's always
gonna be people taking
your picture uh, it um,
257
00:20:24,557 --> 00:20:29,694
It was a little bit surreal,
but you don't really pay
attention to all the cameras.
258
00:20:29,729 --> 00:20:34,131
And my biggest thought
was, don't screw up.
259
00:20:34,167 --> 00:20:38,202
Narrator: In mission control,
the tension is high.
260
00:20:38,238 --> 00:20:42,640
Milt: Everybody was anxious,
the flight control team were
thinking we better be ready
261
00:20:42,675 --> 00:20:45,610
Because we're gonna
have some problems.
262
00:20:45,645 --> 00:20:49,046
Narrator: Even though
the shuttle was fitted
with ejection seats,
263
00:20:49,082 --> 00:20:54,385
If there is a serious
problem, there is little
chance of survival.
264
00:20:54,420 --> 00:20:57,121
Bob: To me they were more of
a placebo than anything else.
265
00:20:57,156 --> 00:21:00,224
If you've ever seen that
tail flame coming out
of the solid rockets,
266
00:21:00,260 --> 00:21:03,594
If you ejected out of that
uh, you'd be very crispy
when you hit the ground.
267
00:21:06,065 --> 00:21:08,399
Male: T minus one minute.
268
00:21:08,434 --> 00:21:10,101
10 seconds. And counting.
269
00:21:11,104 --> 00:21:14,839
Bob: We got inside one minute
and I turned to john and I said,
"I think we might do it."
270
00:21:14,874 --> 00:21:17,775
That's when my heart rate
went up to about 130.
271
00:21:17,810 --> 00:21:21,912
John's only was about 90,
he says he was too old
to go any faster but (laughs)
272
00:21:23,750 --> 00:21:26,150
It was an exciting moment.
273
00:21:26,185 --> 00:21:31,088
Male: 3, 2, 1 lift off of
the first space shuttle.
274
00:21:32,825 --> 00:21:37,561
Rhea: It was really
awesome to see the shuttle
rising above the trees.
275
00:21:37,597 --> 00:21:40,531
The beauty of it as it
climbed higher and higher.
276
00:21:40,566 --> 00:21:48,505
(music)
277
00:21:48,508 --> 00:21:53,811
Narrator: In mission control,
more than 200 people are
monitoring every aspect
278
00:21:53,846 --> 00:21:55,913
Of the shuttles performance.
279
00:21:55,948 --> 00:21:57,848
Male: Columbia, houston,
you're go at throttle up.
280
00:21:57,884 --> 00:22:00,318
Pilot: Roger, go
at throttle up.
281
00:22:00,353 --> 00:22:04,322
Milt: A lot can go
wrong, early on.
282
00:22:04,357 --> 00:22:09,560
Once the solid rocket boosters
separate and the, in about
four minutes and you're just
283
00:22:09,595 --> 00:22:12,963
On the main engines, there's
certain amount of relief there.
284
00:22:13,032 --> 00:22:16,067
Male: Standing by for
solid rocket booster sep.
285
00:22:16,102 --> 00:22:18,602
Pilot: Roger on the sep.
286
00:22:18,638 --> 00:22:21,672
Whoever said that space
was black wasn't kidding.
287
00:22:21,708 --> 00:22:25,609
Bob: It goes from being very
loud and noisy to very quiet.
288
00:22:25,645 --> 00:22:29,447
Pilot: Velocity now
16,400 feet per second.
289
00:22:29,482 --> 00:22:33,017
Standing by now for
main engine cut off.
290
00:22:33,052 --> 00:22:36,721
Columbia now maneuvering
to its orbit
291
00:22:36,756 --> 00:22:45,396
Milt: It is a total uh, big sigh
of relief once the main engines
shut down and you're in orbit.
292
00:22:45,431 --> 00:22:49,500
I don't know how else to say it,
it's just a big sigh of relief.
293
00:22:49,535 --> 00:22:52,937
Bob: 8 and a half
minutes the vehicle was
behaving beautifully.
294
00:22:52,972 --> 00:22:59,110
We knew we were successful going
at 17,500 miles an hour and
there's not another ride like
it.
295
00:23:09,756 --> 00:23:13,157
The vice president
calls in on live tv.
296
00:23:13,192 --> 00:23:14,692
Pilot: Hello mr.
Vice president.
297
00:23:14,727 --> 00:23:16,761
Vice president: Hey
who's that? John?
John: Yes sir.
298
00:23:16,796 --> 00:23:19,196
Vice president: How's it going
up there? Everything rocking
along alright?
299
00:23:19,232 --> 00:23:21,499
Pilot: (inaudible) it's
just on and beautiful.
300
00:23:21,534 --> 00:23:23,534
Vice president: Listen I'm
glad to talk to both of you.
301
00:23:23,569 --> 00:23:26,704
And crip, how's he behaving?
302
00:23:26,739 --> 00:23:32,243
Narrator: Everything is going
according to plan, but when the
cargo bay doors are opened,
303
00:23:32,278 --> 00:23:37,181
The on-board cameras
reveal an alarming sight.
304
00:23:37,216 --> 00:23:41,752
Pilot: We do have an uh,
a few tiles missing off
of the starboard part.
305
00:23:43,990 --> 00:23:47,825
Bob: It was very obvious
to me that we were missing
some of our uh, tiles,
306
00:23:47,860 --> 00:23:51,695
Our thermal protection system on
the rear end of the space craft.
307
00:23:51,731 --> 00:23:57,668
If those are missing, maybe some
were missing off the bottom and
that would have been disastrous.
308
00:23:57,703 --> 00:24:01,472
Narrator: The underside
of the shuttle is subjected
to the highest temperatures
309
00:24:01,507 --> 00:24:03,774
During re-entry.
310
00:24:03,810 --> 00:24:09,547
If a tile is missing, the
shuttle will disintegrate befoe
it even makes it back to earth.
311
00:24:09,582 --> 00:24:13,117
Tom: The concern was we could
lose the entire vehicle.
312
00:24:13,152 --> 00:24:16,153
Male: Columbia, go
for de-orbit burn.
313
00:24:16,189 --> 00:24:20,891
Narrator: Hitting earth's
atmosphere at hypersonic speed,
the shuttle is immediately
314
00:24:20,893 --> 00:24:24,395
Engulfed in a layer of
super-heated plasma.
315
00:24:24,430 --> 00:24:29,300
Mission control temporarily
loses all communication
with the crew.
316
00:24:29,335 --> 00:24:34,104
Wayne: We had loss of signal
for about 30 minutes until
they were to appear uh,
317
00:24:34,140 --> 00:24:36,440
Over the californian coast.
318
00:24:36,476 --> 00:24:40,110
(music)
319
00:24:40,146 --> 00:24:43,180
It was very tense
and very quiet.
320
00:24:43,216 --> 00:24:48,285
Narrator: There is no way for
mission control to know if the
heat shield is holding up.
321
00:24:48,321 --> 00:24:50,387
Tom: That extremely anxious.
322
00:24:50,423 --> 00:24:53,023
There wasn't anything
that we could do.
323
00:24:53,059 --> 00:24:56,794
Male: Columbia this is
houston through yargitty,
we're standing by.
324
00:25:08,608 --> 00:25:11,041
Pilot: Hello houston,
columbia is here.
325
00:25:11,077 --> 00:25:13,777
Male: Hello columbia houston
is here. How do you read?
326
00:25:13,813 --> 00:25:17,715
Bob: And then we came in
contact with the ground and
told them we were coming in.
327
00:25:17,750 --> 00:25:23,420
Pilot: Columbia and we're doing
uh, mach 10.3 and 180 as.
328
00:25:23,456 --> 00:25:27,024
Milt: To hear the voice of the
crew was such a good feeling.
329
00:25:27,059 --> 00:25:30,694
Narrator: Columbia's
fragile heat shield works.
330
00:25:30,730 --> 00:25:34,765
Tom: The real highlight
was when I knew it and all
those tiles did their job.
331
00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:39,937
That was a bigger highlight
in my career than apollo
was, tell you the truth.
332
00:25:41,274 --> 00:25:44,275
Narrator: The last job for
the crew is to fly columbia
333
00:25:44,310 --> 00:25:50,381
To its landing strip in the
mohave desert.
334
00:25:50,416 --> 00:25:52,716
Pilot: Gear down.
335
00:25:52,752 --> 00:25:57,855
Bob: And there were thousands,
thousands of people I think
uh, half the population
336
00:25:57,890 --> 00:26:01,091
Of los angeles had bailed out
to come see us land. And um,
337
00:26:01,127 --> 00:26:03,427
All I said to john was "look
at all those people out there,
338
00:26:03,462 --> 00:26:05,629
Hope they don't get
on the runway." (laughs)
339
00:26:05,665 --> 00:26:07,565
(music)
340
00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:13,938
Narrator: After one
million miles in space,
columbia touches down.
341
00:26:13,973 --> 00:26:18,442
Bob: I have never seen
john that excited before.
342
00:26:18,477 --> 00:26:21,579
And was still excited when he
got outside the space craft.
343
00:26:21,614 --> 00:26:23,714
I felt that way too.
344
00:26:23,749 --> 00:26:27,418
The fact that it had worked
as well as it did, was uh,
345
00:26:27,453 --> 00:26:29,653
Something we were both
extremely proud of.
346
00:26:29,689 --> 00:26:34,658
(applause).
347
00:26:34,694 --> 00:26:38,829
Narrator: With the inaugural
mission a success, the shuttle
program gets the green light
348
00:26:38,864 --> 00:26:40,965
From the president.
349
00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:43,934
President raegan: This
versatility of the columbia and
her sister ships will serve
350
00:26:43,970 --> 00:26:50,007
The american people
well, by establishing a more
permanent presence in space.
351
00:26:50,042 --> 00:26:54,745
Challenger you are
free to take off now.
352
00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:59,249
Narrator: The shuttle fleet
goes to work promising to
take everything and anything
353
00:26:59,285 --> 00:27:04,488
The us wants into space,
and at a much lower price.
354
00:27:04,523 --> 00:27:11,328
Jeff: The promise of the shuttle
in the early days was that the
shuttle would be able to replace
355
00:27:11,364 --> 00:27:17,267
All expendable launches at a
fraction of the cost that people
had been paying previously.
356
00:27:17,303 --> 00:27:19,436
What a deal.
357
00:27:19,472 --> 00:27:22,873
Wayne: It was supposed to
replace all other american
rockets and launch all american
358
00:27:22,908 --> 00:27:27,011
Satellites into orbit
for whatever reason.
359
00:27:27,046 --> 00:27:31,515
Narrator: Nasa is determined te
shuttles will grab the lion's
share of the growing
360
00:27:31,550 --> 00:27:34,084
Commercial satellite market to.
361
00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:37,721
Rowland: But it was in
satellite navigation
and mobile phones uh,
362
00:27:37,757 --> 00:27:43,193
And satellite television, the
seeds of that were sewn by the
constellation of satellites
363
00:27:43,229 --> 00:27:44,695
That the shuttle helped put up.
364
00:27:44,730 --> 00:27:50,768
(music)
365
00:27:50,803 --> 00:27:52,936
Controller: (bleep)
ok stand by. (bleep).
366
00:27:52,972 --> 00:27:56,440
Narrator: Determined the
shuttle program should
reflect modern america,
367
00:27:56,475 --> 00:27:59,677
Nasa opens its
doors to more women.
368
00:27:59,712 --> 00:28:03,313
Rhea seddon is one of the
first to make the grade.
369
00:28:03,349 --> 00:28:06,250
Rhea: I was the
littlest astronaut that
they had ever selected.
370
00:28:06,285 --> 00:28:10,120
I think they just felt
like, well all of the
equipment will fit them.
371
00:28:10,156 --> 00:28:11,755
Well it didn't.
372
00:28:11,791 --> 00:28:15,125
Narrator: Nasa not only has to
order smaller space suits,
373
00:28:15,161 --> 00:28:18,796
They have to find a way to make
them practical for women.
374
00:28:18,831 --> 00:28:20,998
Rhea: How do you pee?
375
00:28:21,033 --> 00:28:24,468
Uh, the men wore condoms that
were attached to a bag that
wasn't gonna work on women,
376
00:28:24,503 --> 00:28:27,337
So they eventually designed
some diapers for us.
377
00:28:27,373 --> 00:28:29,573
Which worked just great.
378
00:28:29,608 --> 00:28:34,445
Narrator: The sight of women
in space, quickly captures
the public's imagination.
379
00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:36,246
Robert: It was just
revolutionary.
380
00:28:36,282 --> 00:28:38,549
The women astronauts
were heroes.
381
00:28:38,584 --> 00:28:44,188
They were much sought after
by the press, much sought
after for interviews.
382
00:28:44,223 --> 00:28:50,728
Rhea: I think we felt very much
in the spotlight and I was just
completely taken aback but
383
00:28:50,763 --> 00:28:52,763
We wanted to really,
really do a good job.
384
00:29:02,208 --> 00:29:05,175
The shuttle astronauts are
leading double lives.
385
00:29:05,211 --> 00:29:08,746
Secretly working
for the us military.
386
00:29:08,781 --> 00:29:15,119
Robert: The space shuttle had a
huge capability to do classified
missions that would let us
387
00:29:15,154 --> 00:29:18,422
Eavesdrop on the russians.
388
00:29:18,457 --> 00:29:22,159
And I was an active
participant in all this.
389
00:29:22,194 --> 00:29:27,531
Narrator: Then in 1983,
president reagan announces his
plans to use the shuttles
390
00:29:27,566 --> 00:29:31,735
To do a lot more than just
spy on the russians.
391
00:29:31,771 --> 00:29:33,871
President raegan: The soviets
have built up a massive arsenal
392
00:29:33,906 --> 00:29:36,340
Of new strategic nuclear
weapons.
393
00:29:36,375 --> 00:29:40,477
Weapons that can strike
directly at the united states.
394
00:29:40,513 --> 00:29:43,747
I call upon the scientific
community to give us the means
395
00:29:43,783 --> 00:29:48,452
Of rendering these nuclear
weapons impotent and obsolete.
396
00:29:48,487 --> 00:29:54,358
Narrator: Immediately dubbed
star wars by the press, reagans
goal is to deploy nasa
397
00:29:54,393 --> 00:29:58,495
To build a missile
defense shield in space.
398
00:29:58,531 --> 00:30:05,369
Tv announcer: Chemical lasers
fire beams that burn through the
shell of the onrushing missile.
399
00:30:05,404 --> 00:30:08,605
Rowland: The star wars
initiative threatened to
dramatically change the balance
400
00:30:08,641 --> 00:30:10,741
Of power during the cold war.
401
00:30:10,776 --> 00:30:15,746
If america repel uh, a
soviet nuclear attack, it can
mean the cold war was over,
402
00:30:15,781 --> 00:30:18,215
It meant america had won.
403
00:30:18,250 --> 00:30:22,586
Narrator: But with so
many military civilian
and scientific missions,
404
00:30:22,621 --> 00:30:25,989
The shuttle fleet is struggling
to keep up with demand.
405
00:30:26,025 --> 00:30:28,158
Robert: This thing
is really complex.
406
00:30:28,194 --> 00:30:35,265
The refurbishment between
missions was far greater than
what we had ever envisioned.
407
00:30:35,301 --> 00:30:41,872
Narrator: After every flight,
740 critical components
have to be replaced.
408
00:30:41,907 --> 00:30:48,512
Jeff: It was reusable, but it
was such a complex vehicle uh,
that they needed thousands
409
00:30:48,547 --> 00:30:51,515
Of people to turn it around.
410
00:30:51,550 --> 00:30:57,120
Narrator: Costing up to $1.5
billion a launch, the shuttles
are a lot more expensive
411
00:30:57,156 --> 00:30:59,089
Than nasa anticipated.
412
00:31:00,025 --> 00:31:04,862
To be cost effective,
they need to fly a
shuttle every two weeks,
413
00:31:04,897 --> 00:31:07,764
But they are only
launching 9 times a year.
414
00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:12,536
Wayne: There were huge questions
on nasa to deliver 24 flights a
year and it wasn't just
415
00:31:12,571 --> 00:31:18,709
The politicians, the media
kept hammering on nasa
to, to achieve this.
416
00:31:18,744 --> 00:31:24,348
Narrator: Worse still
for nasa, the public is getting
bored with the shuttle program.
417
00:31:24,383 --> 00:31:29,486
Robert: A lot of people had
grown kind of uninterested in
watching the space shuttle.
418
00:31:29,521 --> 00:31:31,989
It had become kind ho hum.
419
00:31:32,024 --> 00:31:35,592
Wayne: If you put against the
lunar landings where you know,
you're going to a new world
420
00:31:35,628 --> 00:31:40,097
And planting the flag, what
we're doing in orbit was
not terribly exciting.
421
00:31:40,132 --> 00:31:45,269
Narrator: Nasa knows they have
to win back public support
to keep the cash flowing
422
00:31:45,304 --> 00:31:47,237
From congress.
423
00:31:48,607 --> 00:31:54,811
So they come up with a bold
plan, send a teacher into
space to give a lesson
424
00:31:54,847 --> 00:31:58,982
That will be beamed live into
classrooms across america.
425
00:31:59,018 --> 00:32:03,120
Rhea: Nasa wanted the
other people of the world
426
00:32:03,155 --> 00:32:05,088
To understand that space
was for everyone.
427
00:32:05,124 --> 00:32:09,893
Narrator: 11,000 teachers
apply, 10 are short listed.
428
00:32:09,929 --> 00:32:14,564
New hampshire teacher
christa mcauliffe is the
one picked to go into space.
429
00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:20,370
Krista: When that shuttle goes,
there might be one body mm.
430
00:32:20,406 --> 00:32:23,540
But there's gonna be 10 souls
that I'm taking with me.
431
00:32:24,343 --> 00:32:27,377
Narrator: Runner up barbara
morgan is her back up.
432
00:32:27,413 --> 00:32:33,917
The american public instantly
falls in love with down to
earth mother of two, krista.
433
00:32:33,953 --> 00:32:38,288
Barbara: Krista was really
sweet, really kind, fun.
434
00:32:38,324 --> 00:32:41,558
She was uh, the girl next door.
435
00:32:43,128 --> 00:32:47,764
Narrator: Krista and
barbara undergo four months
of astronaut training.
436
00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:52,502
Krista: It was wonderful,
broke the sound barrier and
he let me fly for a while.
437
00:32:52,538 --> 00:32:54,071
It was great.
438
00:32:54,106 --> 00:32:56,540
Barbara: Every minute was a
learning experience for us.
439
00:32:56,575 --> 00:32:58,942
It was just absolutely
tremendous.
440
00:32:58,978 --> 00:33:03,580
Narrator: One of the highlights
is zero gravity training inside
nasa's specially adapted
441
00:33:03,615 --> 00:33:06,416
Airliner, dubbed,
the vomit comet.
442
00:33:06,452 --> 00:33:09,086
Barbara: Experiencing
weightlessness is very surreal.
443
00:33:09,121 --> 00:33:12,622
We had a lot of fun
playing leap frog.
444
00:33:12,658 --> 00:33:17,294
And the two of us, I don't
think we stopped laughing
the entire flight.
445
00:33:17,329 --> 00:33:22,299
Narrator: But the real focus
for krista is perfecting
her lesson from space.
446
00:33:22,334 --> 00:33:24,801
Barbara: Krista was so excited.
447
00:33:24,837 --> 00:33:30,374
She was going to do
a tour of the shuttle, do
a tour of her crew mates.
448
00:33:30,442 --> 00:33:33,844
Krista: This is christa
mcauliffe, I'm gonna start
out introducing you to
449
00:33:33,879 --> 00:33:36,480
Two very important
members of the crew.
450
00:33:36,515 --> 00:33:40,384
Barbara: I'll always remember
krista with her really cute
little smile saying
451
00:33:40,419 --> 00:33:46,990
"I have never prepared so
well for one single lesson
as I have here at nasa."
452
00:33:47,026 --> 00:33:49,693
Krista: Woops! Oh.
453
00:33:49,728 --> 00:33:55,332
Narrator: On January 28th 1986,
krista is ready for her flight.
454
00:33:55,367 --> 00:33:59,603
Krista: I am so excited and
I just hope everybody tunes
in to watch the teacher,
455
00:33:59,638 --> 00:34:01,271
Teaching from space.
456
00:34:01,306 --> 00:34:04,074
Narrator: The next morning,
challenger will blast off.
457
00:34:13,352 --> 00:34:17,254
Narrator: Overnight, the
temperature drops to the
low 20's.
458
00:34:17,289 --> 00:34:20,223
Ice has formed on
the launch tower.
459
00:34:20,259 --> 00:34:22,559
Jeff: I took look a those
icicles and thought to myself,
460
00:34:22,594 --> 00:34:25,595
Well they're not launching today
that's for sure.
461
00:34:25,631 --> 00:34:31,334
Narrator: The big concern
is the ice might damage the
shuttle's fragile heat shield.
462
00:34:31,370 --> 00:34:36,807
Chief engineer tom and his team
are called in to assess the
risk to the shuttle's
463
00:34:36,842 --> 00:34:39,042
Thermal protection system.
464
00:34:39,078 --> 00:34:43,780
Tom: We did a quick analysis
and we determined that
based on where the ice was,
465
00:34:43,816 --> 00:34:45,782
We were safe to fly.
466
00:34:45,818 --> 00:34:49,352
Narrator: But the shuttle's
fragile heat shield
isn't the only worry.
467
00:34:49,388 --> 00:34:55,225
Robert: There were engineers
for the booster rockets that
were very concerned
468
00:34:55,260 --> 00:34:58,095
With launching at
those temperatures.
469
00:34:58,130 --> 00:35:02,532
Narrator: The worry is that the
cold could cause the shuttle's
solid rocket boosters
470
00:35:02,568 --> 00:35:06,670
To leak highly explosive
fuel during take-off.
471
00:35:06,705 --> 00:35:10,874
If that happens, the shuttle
could blow up like a bomb.
472
00:35:12,511 --> 00:35:15,579
Nasa makes the decision
to launch.
473
00:35:15,614 --> 00:35:17,647
Wayne: We never got together for
a flight readiness review
474
00:35:17,683 --> 00:35:20,417
Where people said well we don't
have anything to talk about
475
00:35:20,452 --> 00:35:22,986
Because everything worked
perfectly, that never happened.
476
00:35:33,632 --> 00:35:39,102
Narrator: 11.30 am, the
world tunes in to watch
christa mcauliffe
477
00:35:39,138 --> 00:35:43,673
Become the first ordinary
citizen to go into space.
478
00:35:43,709 --> 00:35:47,077
Barbara: We were really, really
excited about the launch, so
excited I wanted to be
479
00:35:47,112 --> 00:35:50,514
With the crew and I was
really happy for them.
480
00:35:50,549 --> 00:35:54,518
Narrator: Krista's family are n
florida to see the big event.
481
00:35:54,553 --> 00:36:00,690
And in her home town, her
students are watching live.
482
00:36:00,726 --> 00:36:06,129
Dick covey is the man
charged with talking krista
and the crew through launch.
483
00:36:06,165 --> 00:36:11,635
Dick: I say if anybody sitting
on a rocket and isn't a little
bit concerned or frightened,
484
00:36:11,670 --> 00:36:14,704
Then they don't understand
what's going on.
485
00:36:16,041 --> 00:36:23,246
Male: 10, 9,8,7,6, we
have main engine start.
486
00:36:23,282 --> 00:36:28,652
4,3,2,1 and lift off.
487
00:36:28,687 --> 00:36:33,623
Lift off of the 25th
space shuttle mission and
it has cleared the tower.
488
00:36:33,659 --> 00:36:36,893
Barbara: I had this huge smile
on my face and I remember
thinking that
489
00:36:36,929 --> 00:36:38,929
I wanted to be there. (laughs)
490
00:36:43,068 --> 00:36:46,036
Pilot: Houston
challenger roll program.
491
00:36:46,071 --> 00:36:52,676
Dick: I was sitting watching
my data on my screen uh,
because that was my job.
492
00:36:52,711 --> 00:36:55,312
Male: Roger roll challenger.
493
00:36:55,347 --> 00:36:58,014
Pilot: Good roll flight.
Male: Rog, good roll.
494
00:36:58,050 --> 00:37:01,585
Narrator: The shuttle positions
itself to pick up speed.
495
00:37:01,620 --> 00:37:04,721
Dick: Everything is looking
like it should when we
launch the space shuttle.
496
00:37:04,756 --> 00:37:10,427
(music)
497
00:37:10,462 --> 00:37:15,232
Narrator: 30 seconds
in, challenger is 2
miles above florida.
498
00:37:15,267 --> 00:37:20,370
Dick: The engines throttle back
as they were supposed to as
challenger is just going through
499
00:37:20,405 --> 00:37:23,006
The uh, thickest part
of the atmosphere.
500
00:37:23,041 --> 00:37:26,009
Pilot: Engines throttling
up, three engines
now at 104 percent.
501
00:37:26,044 --> 00:37:30,213
Narrator: The shuttle goes at
maximum power to reach orbit.
502
00:37:30,249 --> 00:37:33,683
Pilot: Three engines are running
normally. Three good fuel cells.
503
00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:37,354
Dick: The guys on the
ground monitor the engines,
look at them and say,
504
00:37:37,389 --> 00:37:39,289
They're in good shape.
505
00:37:39,324 --> 00:37:41,758
And I made a call.
506
00:37:41,793 --> 00:37:44,327
Male: Challenger go
with throttle up.
507
00:37:44,363 --> 00:37:46,129
Pilot: Roger go throttle up.
508
00:37:46,164 --> 00:37:53,937
(dramatic music)
509
00:37:57,609 --> 00:38:00,343
Dick: There was some
noise like static
510
00:38:05,350 --> 00:38:11,855
And I looked over and saw
the video of a fireball.
511
00:38:11,890 --> 00:38:15,225
I had no idea what
I was looking at.
512
00:38:15,260 --> 00:38:18,828
It didn't make any
sense to me at all.
513
00:38:33,311 --> 00:38:38,214
Milt: What I saw were
the solid rocket boosters
still continuing to fly.
514
00:38:38,250 --> 00:38:43,920
I mistakenly, I was hoping I was
seeing the orbiter still flying.
515
00:38:43,955 --> 00:38:47,157
Barbara: When things are flying
everywhere, when you see the
contrails it don't look
516
00:38:47,192 --> 00:38:49,426
Like a normal, normal launch.
517
00:38:49,461 --> 00:38:51,461
You, you know something,
something is going on.
518
00:38:53,899 --> 00:38:56,299
Male: Roger you
getting any inputs?
519
00:38:56,335 --> 00:38:57,834
Standby.
520
00:39:05,577 --> 00:39:09,612
Narrator: The shuttles
data disappears from
everyone's screens.
521
00:39:11,683 --> 00:39:13,616
Male: Flight fido.
522
00:39:13,652 --> 00:39:15,051
Go ahead.
523
00:39:15,087 --> 00:39:19,055
Rso reports vehicle exploded.
524
00:39:19,091 --> 00:39:22,625
Dick: We quickly understood
that we had had an explosion.
525
00:39:22,661 --> 00:39:29,265
Challenger was not flying and
it was then that we realized,
526
00:39:29,301 --> 00:39:32,235
I think individually that
we had lost the crew.
527
00:39:38,276 --> 00:39:42,412
Narrator: The disaster unfolds
in front of krista's parents...
528
00:39:42,447 --> 00:39:45,982
And millions around the
world watching on tv...
529
00:39:46,017 --> 00:39:48,485
Including krista's students.
530
00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:52,389
Male: We're now looking
at the checking with the
recovery forces to see uh,
531
00:39:52,424 --> 00:39:57,160
What we can do at this point.
532
00:39:57,195 --> 00:40:01,498
Jeff: I, I, think,
I, I knew pretty much right
away that, that this was a,
533
00:40:01,533 --> 00:40:04,401
A major catastrophe.
534
00:40:04,436 --> 00:40:07,670
Yeah these were my friends
and, and they're dead.
535
00:40:08,774 --> 00:40:10,974
Barbara: And we lost
seven dear people.
536
00:40:11,009 --> 00:40:14,978
That, that was horrible and,
and it will always be horrible.
537
00:40:15,013 --> 00:40:16,646
It's a terrible,
terrible tragedy.
538
00:40:16,681 --> 00:40:19,282
Milt: I hugged more
than one person.
539
00:40:19,317 --> 00:40:24,888
Uh, I, I wiped tears off
more than one person.
540
00:40:33,098 --> 00:40:36,933
Narrator: The challenger
disaster shakes
the entire nation.
541
00:40:36,968 --> 00:40:42,405
All shuttle flights are groundd
and a presidential inquiry is
launched to figure out why
542
00:40:42,441 --> 00:40:47,143
Six astronauts and a
teacher lost their lives.
543
00:40:47,179 --> 00:40:49,479
The results are damning.
544
00:40:49,514 --> 00:40:55,885
Just as engineers had warned,
the extreme cold caused the
solid rocket boosters to fail
545
00:40:55,921 --> 00:41:00,756
And nasa management at the
marshall space flight center
should have listened.
546
00:41:00,759 --> 00:41:05,128
For the astronauts, grief
quickly turned to anger.
547
00:41:05,163 --> 00:41:13,436
Jeff: If it failed, in a way
that people had been aware
of and had anticipated,
548
00:41:13,472 --> 00:41:22,278
And yet we went ahead, it was
almost in a way like a betrayal.
549
00:41:22,314 --> 00:41:27,116
Robert: It was a huge
mistake, it was a huge error.
550
00:41:27,152 --> 00:41:30,086
We paid very dearly for it.
551
00:41:30,121 --> 00:41:33,156
Our seven crew members
paid everything for it.
552
00:41:33,191 --> 00:41:38,361
Dick: It's certainly
disappointing that it
occurred the way it did.
553
00:41:38,396 --> 00:41:41,931
It, it's hard.
554
00:41:41,967 --> 00:41:46,269
Narrator: The future of the
shuttle program is in doubt.
555
00:41:46,304 --> 00:41:53,042
Rhea: And we realized that
it had become a national
tragedy and um, we began to,
556
00:41:53,078 --> 00:41:55,645
To wonder whether the shuttle
would ever fly again.
557
00:41:59,050 --> 00:42:03,319
Narrator: But the
challenger disaster won't
be the end for the shuttles.
558
00:42:03,355 --> 00:42:08,758
Soon the us is shocked to
discover that the russians
have one of their own.
559
00:42:08,793 --> 00:42:10,960
Tom: When I saw it I
said, "they copied it."
560
00:42:10,996 --> 00:42:13,796
Narrator: And nasa's shuttles
will be needed to defeat them.
561
00:42:13,832 --> 00:42:17,333
Robert: Hey, I'm the person
who ended the cold war.
562
00:42:17,369 --> 00:42:19,102
Narrator: But for all
the triumphs
563
00:42:19,137 --> 00:42:22,005
Mission control: There are
smiles galore down here.
564
00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:24,674
Narrator: Tragedy
is never far away.
565
00:42:24,709 --> 00:42:26,376
Milt: I said john
"what's happened?"
566
00:42:26,411 --> 00:42:29,012
And I'll never forget this,
he said, "we lost them."
567
00:42:30,048 --> 00:42:33,449
Captioned by subtitlepro llc