Channel 4 - Astronauts Houston We Have a Problem (2014)

Astronauts: Houston We Have a Problem

The second programme in the Live from Space season has unique access to NASA Mission Control, following the crucial work of the flight controllers, scientists, engineers and medics who support the crew in space. These specialists work tirelessly to anticipate and deal with every potential incident or emergency. The documentary reveals how any problems are dealt with in real time. It examines challenges faced by the astronauts and ground controllers when crises occur in space, such as Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly drowning when two litres of water leaked into his helmet on a spacewalk. Among the other stories the programme follows is that of Mike Massimino and the mission to fix the Hubble telescope. Mike trains at NASA for five years to fix a crucial power supply unit. He knows every one of the 117 screws that will need to be removed in space. But when he is finally on the mission, he discovers a problem that no one could have foreseen: a single securing screw has a stripped head. Mike can't budge it, so he can't access the faulty unit inside. Over the next couple of hours, Mike experiences a rollercoaster of emotions. Foremost in his mind is the burden of responsibility, summed up with his characteristic New York dry wit: 'The astronomy books would say… what my legacy could be out of all this… is that we would know if there was life on other planets, except Mike broke the Hubble Space Telescope and we'll never find out.’ The stories in the programme give an insight into the teamwork that goes into problem solving at NASA and how different disciplines combine to come up with a solution.

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