For All Mankind (2019–…): Season 3, Episode 1 - Episode #3.1 - full transcript
I began a quest for the presidency,
a quest with many ideas,
but with one driving theme:
that our party and our nation
need new leadership, new direction,
and new hope.
Tonight, the torch of idealism
is lit in thousands of homes,
in tens of thousands of towns
and hundreds of thousands of lives
among the young in spirit
and the young in age.
- It cannot go out. It will not go out.
- Five, four, three…
- It will continue to burn.
- …two, and one.
President Reagan and Premier Andropov
signed a lunar peace treaty
essentially dividing the moon in two.
Congressional report details
how the lunar base's near meltdown
was averted and how safety…
Famed US astronaut hangout,
The Outpost, has now opened franchises
in New York, Los Angeles, Berlin,
and Tokyo.
The host of Jeopardy! Alex Trebek.
Gorbachev's policies have
the Soviet Union's economy in hyperdrive,
expanding Soviet influence
across the globe.
Major breakthrough in nuclear fusion.
The reactor, developed by Dev Ayesa
and Richard Hilliard, has the potential…
Republican, Ellen Wilson,
a former astronaut,
- won her Texas Senate race handily…
- God bless Texas.
Baldwin and Cleveland launched
the world's first space tourism company,
Polaris Space Tours.
The Beatles reunion tour
begins in Chicago,
their first time performing in the US
since 1966.
…contract to mine
massive deposits of helium-3 on the moon,
an ideal resource for nuclear fusion.
The North Korean government announced
they are abandoning their
controversial ballistic missile program
to focus on their space program.
…Hart won reelection in
a landslide over Republican Pat Robertson.
The stakes of 1988 could not be higher.
The choices could not be clearer.
Scientist James Hansen
testified that global warming has slowed
due to the widespread shift
from fossil fuels to nuclear fusion.
…the ambassador to Moscow,
after several listening devices
were discovered in the American embassy.
The film Love in the Skies,
based on the lives
of Gordo and Tracy Stevens,
premiered in Hollywood…
The Thomas Paine space telescope
will be launched into orbit
aboard the Pathfinder…
Astronaut Danny Stevens,
the son of Gordo and Tracy Stevens,
has arrived at the Jamestown…
Polaris Space Tours
has announced their latest venture.
…sending folks up in space, we might
as well give them some place to sleep.
Gary Hart has again declined
to send troops to Kuwait,
after the small nation…
The United States is going to Mars.
NASA unveiled their plans
for the Sojourner 1 spacecraft.
Questions remain if the Soviets
will also be able to launch in 1996.
Texas Senator Ellen Wilson has announced
that she is running
for Republican nomination for president.
South Carolina, here we come.
…Clinton pledged a positive campaign
focused on building a bridge
to the 21st century.
We will give you more incentives
and more opportunity than ever before
to develop the skills of your workers
and to create American jobs
and American wealth
in the new global space economy.
As the scripture says,
our eyes have not yet seen,
nor our ears heard,
nor our minds imagined what we can do.
This is Karen.
Hey, you.
Hi, Sam.
How'd you sleep?
Not a wink. You?
Like a baby.
Liar.
Come on. Be honest with me.
It's growing on you, being up here,
isn't it?
Not at all.
Still hate it.
Well, the guests are almost here,
so put your game face on.
I'm ready.
Yeah, all right. You better be.
We'll see you in an hour.
All right.
Morning, Ms. Madison.
Morning, Ms. Jorgens.
Sorry, ma'am. Here are your messages.
The Secretary of Agriculture called.
He was wondering if you had any time
to consider his funding request.
I've considered it.
Not sure how financing
his pesticide research is NASA's job.
Tell him she's still considering
the finer points of the proposal.
Administrator Truly wanted to speak to you
regarding the selection of the Mars
mission's commander, if...
- Not now.
- Okay. Let's see.
Neptune Records called.
The new album you ordered has arrived.
I'll pick it up later today.
And Mr. Ayesa from Helios Aerospace
called about the priority launches
for his helium-3 mining equipment.
And…
he sent a gift.
Apparently, the smoked whitefish was
flown in fresh from Norway this morning.
Send it back.
And remind him
we don't accept bribes at NASA.
Let's go around the world.
The State Department is reporting
another failed North Korean launch.
They reached orbit this time,
but the upper stage exploded
before the spacecraft could be deployed.
Maybe that's because they keep using
outdated Soviet equipment.
Have we tracked the path of the debris?
Yes. Currently, no sign of danger
to any orbital craft,
but we have alerted the Soviets,
Chinese and Europeans
to continue monitoring the situation.
The repairs to the Thomas Paine
orbital telescope went well.
And the shuttle Enterprise is slated
to return to Earth tomorrow morning,
so that's good news.
Just the information, please.
No commentary.
Sorry. Yes, ma'am.
A reminder that Polaris's
new orbital hotel
is holding that wedding this afternoon
before they officially open next month.
Space tourism. God help us all.
We sent something, right?
Yes, ma'am.
How's it looking, Propulsion? Let's roll.
Copy.
Jamestown, initiate hot fire test.
Copy.
Initiating K-32 NERVA engine hot fire test
in three, two, one.
Engine start.
Chamber pressure now at 3860 kPa.
Hang on.
Cooler pressure is jammed.
Bypass flow is down.
We're losing cooling in the core.
Motherfucking fuck.
What happened?
I thought we fixed all the bugs.
We should be up there
roasting marshmallows by now, people.
If we don't get this engine functioning,
- we're not gonna be able to make...
- Make the '96 Mars launch window.
- I know.
- Okay. So, work the problem.
Have you tried to increase
the turbopump pressure?
Yeah. I looked into that.
But then the flow to the injector
drops below spec.
You'll get there. Keep digging.
Yeah.
Send all your notes over.
We are pleased to
officially confirm that the Soviet Union
will be launching
a manned mission to Mars in 1996.
The USSR will once again be victorious
as the first nation
to set foot on humanity's
newest frontier, the Red Planet.
Now, I would like to introduce
the commander of the mission,
Comrade Grigory Kuznetsov.
Comrade Kuznetsov exemplifies
the strength and intelligence
of the Soviet space program.
Well, the president's not gonna be happy.
We need to respond.
Make it clear we're going to be first.
And the way to be first
is to get there first.
- Boots on the ground. Right, General?
- Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Madison,
the president's been asking again
about our own commander selection.
It's been weeks since we
narrowed it down to Baldwin and Poole.
And now that the Russians
have picked their...
I'm working on it.
Polaris, shuttle two.
Beginning final approach for docking.
Roger that, shuttle two.
Cleared for docking at Port Bravo.
Polaris,
shuttle two inside hands-off point.
Commander LaPorte, shuttle number two
has successfully docked.
Good. Proceed with crew transfer.
First group of passengers preparing
to exit shuttle two for elevator.
Copy. Elevator ready
and waiting for descent from main hub.
This is weird.
We came in peace for all your cash.
I'm just glad I'll be on my way
to Mars in a few years
and leave all this bullshit
to you lowly Earth dwellers.
Come on, old man.
You know I've got this in the bag.
Welcome to the Polaris Orbital Hotel.
I'll show you to your rooms
so you can get settled
before we have a brief review
of yesterday's safety seminar.
The artificial gravity
created by our hotel's constant rotation
allows for all kinds of amenities
that astronauts could only dream of,
including a fitness center,
two cafés and room service.
Welcome to Hotel Polaris.
And enjoy your stay among the stars.
Wow. It's like being on The Love Boat.
Yeah, and that must be Gopher.
That was a good one.
Sweetie, if you're feeling sick,
that's totally normal.
I know it takes me time
to get adjusted to being up in space.
- I'm fine.
- Yeah?
Got our room key.
Hello, Ed.
- Karen.
- Hi.
Hi. Sam.
- Good to see you, bud.
- You too.
You remember Yvonne, don't you?
Yes, of course.
By the way, congratulations. Kelly showed
me all the photos. You looked lovely.
Thank you. Thanks. It was small.
- Just a few friends in our backyard.
- Yeah.
Nothing like this. I mean… Wow.
Talk about the ultimate
destination wedding. Am I right?
Yeah. Yeah.
- How was the flight?
- Nice.
Yeah. Docking was good.
Your pilots know what they're doing.
Well, they should.
Karen poached them all from NASA.
That's right.
- Well, we should probably...
- Yeah.
Go get settled in.
Enjoy the hotel and your day.
- See you later.
- All righty.
Bye.
- Do you want me to get that?
- No, I got it. I got it, yeah.
That wasn't awkward at all.
No.
Margo.
You know we banned smoking
in this building last month.
I had no idea.
You should put up some signs.
The Russians have just announced
the commander for their Mars mission.
Why haven't we announced Danielle Poole
as our commander?
Because I haven't made up my mind yet.
But we've gone over this.
She's clearly the right choice.
She has all the qualities
we're looking for.
And what are those exactly?
Intellect. Moderate temperament.
Solid decision-making.
She's commanded more missions
than any other astronaut in the program
the last ten years.
Look, I like Poole. I trained with Poole.
I don't know that she's right to command
a high-stress mission like this.
She's too cerebral.
She's too by the book.
Are those even negative traits?
What I am trying to say is,
I think we need someone
who's willing to take risks,
who can handle the unknown.
Someone like Ed Baldwin.
If the shoe fits.
Let's be honest.
He's arrogant and he's got a temper,
and, to be frank, he's old.
I think you mean experienced.
No. I mean old.
This isn't Gemini, Molly. NASA's changing.
We can't just rely on test pilots anymore.
- It's the scientists, the engineers...
- Oh, my God.
Are we having this conversation again?
Yes, we are.
More than 50% of last year's ASCAN class
were former pilots and test pilots.
That's right.
Because I need people
who can think on their feet,
who aren't reaching
for an instruction manual
to figure out what to do
every time the shit hits the fan.
NASA may be changing, Margo,
but space remains an unrelenting bitch.
The flight to Mars is only
the first three months
of a two-year mission.
You seriously think Ed...
You seriously think Ed Baldwin is
better suited to handle that?
Well, giving out command slots
based on anything other than ability
is a recipe for screwing the pooch.
You know that!
- Molly, that's not what I...
- And as head of the Astronaut office,
- I decide who goes up...
- Decide who goes up and when.
I know. I know.
Let's continue this discussion
when I'm back from Huntsville.
I can't wait.
As you stand before God
and in this divine place,
I pronounce you man and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
- I love you.
- I love you too.
There they are. Yeah!
Congratulations.
- Congratulations.
- Thanks.
- Thank you.
- Congratulations.
I'm proud of you, kid.
You done good. You done real good.
- Congratulations. Oh, my goodness.
- Thank you.
- You look so handsome.
- Thanks.
- Congratulations.
- Thanks, Karen.
- You're welcome.
- Yeah.
Hey, hey. Ho-ha. Oil over helium.
…the stock price for
the space tourism company Polaris
shot through the roof this morning
as its new hotel hosts
the first-ever wedding in space
for the son of American heroes
Gordo and Tracy Stevens.
The wedding is a soft launch,
pardon the pun...
- Hello?
- Sergei.
- Margo, hi.
- How are you?
I'm... I'm cold, but well.
What album did I order this time?
It's Mary Lou Williams.
Do you know of her?
One of the great improvisers.
Like you, Margo.
I don't know about that.
Well, we can use
your assistance once again.
Our engineers are having difficulty
with the asymmetric torque
in our Mars orbiters.
I'll see what I can do.
I'll get it to you the usual way.
Thank you. Thank you so much, Margo.
I should be thanking you.
That attitude control fix last month
to our GNC subsystem
worked like a charm.
We discovered it while integrating
sensor systems on the N3.
I'm glad it was of use.
It was.
And congratulations on the announcement.
Could you have imagined when
we first met... Oh, God... ten years ago,
that we would be here now,
both preparing for the journey to Mars?
It would not have happened
without your help, Margo.
I just pointed you in the right direction,
every once in a while.
Same as you did for me.
Only a few more weeks
until this year's IAC conference.
We will toast to Mars.
We're not there yet, Sergei.
Four years to go.
Okay.
First London, then Mars.
I cannot wait.
Neither can I.
Hello?
You must press her for more details
on their nuclear engine design.
I have told you before,
if I push too hard,
she will not react well.
You have your instructions.
As most of you know,
I'm Amber's maid of honor, Chelsea.
And... Sorry. I just...
Amber has always been
my best friend and my protector.
- Champagne?
- Just water. Thanks.
And she was always my hero.
And now she's met her own real-life hero.
An astronaut.
I mean, that is quite a catch. Am I right?
Yep.
When I first met Danny at our church,
I knew he was the one for Amber.
The way he treats her,
and the way he fits in so perfectly
with her family and our congregation,
it's like a fairy tale.
Thank you so much to Karen and Sam,
and everyone else at Polaris
for your hospitality.
Anyways, please join me in raising a glass
to my best friend, my hero, and her hero.
I wish you a lifetime of happiness.
Cheers.
Cheers!
Hello.
Sorry.
I'm Danny's brother. I'm not very good
at this, so I'll keep it short.
Danny, you've always been
a good brother to me.
Especially since you've been sober.
You always know how to make people
feel special, feel important.
I remember how happy Mom and Dad would get
when you came home from Naval Academy.
It was like we were a family again.
Everyone keeps talking about
how happy Mom and Dad were.
But let's be honest. That's horseshit.
'Cause half the time, if they weren't
screaming at each other,
the other half they were
throwing things at each other.
Now they're lovers on the lunar surface.
That's what NASA does.
They twist things
into how they want us to see them.
They died for their country.
They died for the space program.
They died for each other.
But the truth is they just died.
And now they're dead.
Anyways…
this day is about the two of you.
And let's raise a toast to my brother
and his beautiful wife, Amber.
I hope you find the happiness
they never could.
Cheers.
All right. Cheers.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- Hello?
- In here!
Javi, I asked you
three times already. Stop.
Sorry I'm late.
I see Javi's been working on his scales.
Tía Margo.
Before dinner?
It's a palate cleanser.
Tootsie. I got a Tootsie!
Hi, Margo.
Hi, Victor.
Now that Senator Wilson
has secured enough votes
to guarantee her
the Republican nomination,
her Democratic rival, Governor Clinton,
criticized her voting record
on family rights planning.
Clinton's long history of support
from low-to middle-income families
continues to gain strength
from his association...
Javi, quiet.
Victor, can you deal with him?
I really need to finish this tonight.
Come here, you little rascal. Come on.
Okay.
Dinner is ready.
What's on the menu this week, Octavio?
It's my specialty, Ms. Madison.
Enchiladas rojas.
Please, everybody, sit.
He put cheese in it again.
Dad, you put cheese in the enchiladas.
Yes.
You know Victor is lactose intolerant.
No, but it's okay. It's just a little bit.
Come on. Everybody likes cheese.
The wine.
He does this on purpose.
No, he doesn't. He just forgets sometimes.
All the time.
Okay.
- Who's hungry?
- Me.
Hey, Jimmy, right?
Lame party, huh?
What's your name?
Isaiah.
Also known as the stepson of the woman
who saved the world with a handshake.
Well, Isaiah,
you wouldn't be interested in escaping
this mind-numbing charade, would you?
Wait. Up here? Seriously? Can we do that?
I have my ways.
I remember it like yesterday,
you coming to my office,
saying you had an idea.
I thought you were gonna
pitch me a new restaurant.
Really?
You said, "Why shouldn't everyone
get to enjoy space?"
Well, except for me.
This is just the beginning.
You're right. It is.
Okay. Ladies and gentlemen,
we have a special surprise for you now.
Please look over at the screen behind you.
We have a message
from a good friend of Danny's.
Hey, Danny, Amber. It's me.
I wish I could be there
with you all to celebrate,
but I'm stuck down here
at the end of the world,
freezing my butt off.
I just wanna say congratulations
and I know you'll have
an amazing life together.
It's almost disgusting
how perfect you are for each other.
And please make sure
my dad doesn't embarrass himself too much
on the dance floor.
Too late.
Come on. It's not that bad.
I love you all. Cheers.
- Yeah.
- So sweet.
Now if everyone would please gather
around the dance floor
to welcome our bride and groom
for their first dance as husband and wife.
You know I can be found
I'm sitting home all alone
If you can't come around
At least on the telephone
Don't be cruel
To a heart that's true
Baby, if I made you mad
With something that I might have said
Don't be cruel
Commander LaPorte,
one of our main orbital thrusters
is performing an uncommanded burn.
It's not responding.
- Kill the power to the valve.
- Tried that. It must be jammed open.
Well, the smaller
rotational thrusters have engaged.
Automatically, the verns might be able
to counter the thrust.
It looks like the valve
is stuck all the way open.
The verns cannot overpower it.
The ship's beginning to rotate faster.
Centrifugal gravity is
starting to rise, Commander.
Oh, no.
I meant to throw it farther.
Oh, my God. I love this song!
Could I get a glass of water? A big one.
She's having a good time.
Yeah.
You bet.
They looked good, didn't they?
Danny and Amber. Out there, dancing.
Never heard that song
played like that before.
You're coming.
You okay?
Yeah, I'm good.
Three, four!
Well, I should probably get
Yvonne back to the room.
Good idea.
Hey.
Congrats on everything.
You know, what you've done here
is pretty incredible.
Thanks, Ed.
- Yvonne.
- Eddy.
- Now?
- Yeah.
- No, I wanna stay. I wanna stay.
- Come on.
Bye, guys.
- Bye-bye.
- Bye!
What?
Bye.
Good night, Ed.
- Right now?
- Yeah.
Commander LaPorte. What's going on?
Could we just step over here for a minute?
Okay.
There is a problem
with the hotel's gravity levels.
Gravity levels?
One of the hotel's
orbital thrusters is stuck on.
We think debris from a North Korean rocket
may have struck it.
Jesus.
NASA sent out a bulletin earlier.
We were supposedly in the clear.
The gravity is at manageable levels now,
but it's rising.
Okay, so what's the plan?
We're going to do an EVA
to manually close the thruster's valve.
A space walk?
Well, can it wait
until the wedding is finished?
No, it can't.
All right. Well, do we alert the guests?
I don't think there's any reason
to concern the guests right now.
I just say we fix the damn thing.
Okay.
Oh, no, no, no, no, Ms. Madison.
You're the guest.
How's our Mars engine looking?
It's getting there.
This is smart.
A niobium alloy nozzle will cool
more effectively in the vacuum of space.
A radiative cooling design
would be optimal.
We just have to make sure
the technicians up there
keep the nozzle wall thickness
within the correct tolerances.
No.
Too much can be lost in translation.
We'll need to send someone
to oversee the repair.
Yeah, good idea.
- Maybe we should send...
- You leave in a week.
What do you mean?
What?
- You mean you want me to...
- Yeah.
Papa, Papa.
Everything is okay?
I'm going to the moon.
You…
My little one.
See? What'd I tell you?
My mom taught me this trick.
You sure you've done this before?
Yeah. All the time.
So…
how's it being an astronaut's kid so far?
It's okay.
My dad seems happy, so that's good.
He actually says
that she reminds him a lot of my mom.
My real mom.
She…
died when I was little.
I actually…
don't remember her all that well.
Yeah.
Exiting air lock.
Attaching tethers.
About to begin rappelling down the spoke
towards the thruster.
Slow and steady.
Watch your footing.
Copy, Skipper.
Caution and warnings clear.
DCM looks good.
Copy.
Beginning descent.
140 feet from outer ring.
Wait.
You didn't have to come,
but you said you wanted to.
So it's all my fault again, as usual.
Would you just stop?
You're embarrassed of me, aren't you?
When you act like this, can you blame me?
Are you okay?
Honey, have you seen Isaiah?
I haven't. Why?
There's something going on.
50 feet from the outer ring now.
Good.
Remember, when you get close
to the edge of the ring,
stay clear of the vern thrusters.
They'll sneak up on you.
Copy.
I can see the primary thruster.
Hey, do you see that?
Yeah, the coupling is shaking.
One of the stabilizer cables is vibrating.
Yeah. I think it's coming loose.
Abort the repair.
Return to the hatch immediately.
Watch out! The cable just broke off.
- What is it?
- You feel that?
- Come on.
- No, no. I'm serious.
We're spinning faster.
Look out.
The cable's coming right towards us.
Cy, Joaquin. Do you read?
Sir, both suits showing
major loss of integrity.
They're losing pressure fast.
- Has he engaged OPS?
- Negative.
Cable four backup system
is not responding.
Negative EKG, negative respiration.
I need a system-wide check
of all flight backup ops now.
Another support cable has snapped.
Attempting manual power lockdown.
Manual override will not respond.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. Ed?
Holy shit. Come on. Let's get outta here!
- Holy shit! Come on! We gotta get out!
- Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
No! Come on! Leave it!
Come on! Come on!
Oh, no! Oh, my God!
Come on!
We've got a depress event in module 7.
Commander, we're also getting a report
- of losing pressure in module 6.
- Activate hull breach backup systems.
Jesus Christ.
What'd you do?
Nothing.
Must be a bad thruster.
Module 8 is starting to lose pressure.
Double the ppO2 in module 8.
We've still got people in there
that need to breathe.
And get a new DC crew in there right now.
Aye, aye, Commander.
Damage control to module 8.
Depress alarm protocols
have sealed off the quadrant.
Thrusters are still firing,
and gravity is at just under two G's.
Is there some other way to turn it off?
That cable's still whipping around.
It's too dangerous.
This ship isn't built to withstand
centrifugal force greater than four G's.
What happens at four G's?
It will come apart.
Hull breach. Integrity at -2.1.
Life support systems still nominal.
- There is CO2 buildup in compartment 7.
- Okay.
We need to evacuate.
Let's get everyone to the shuttles.
In a moment I'm gonna ask us all
to head calmly towards the exit,
where we will be making our way
down to the elevators
and up to the central hub of the hotel,
where there is still zero gravity.
Then we will be boarding the shuttles
back to Houston.
This is only a precautionary measure,
okay?
I just need us all to please listen
to all crew members' instructions
because your safety
is our number one concern.
I'll be taking the older folks first.
- You two.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
You doing okay, sir?
- You okay?
- Here they are.
Come on, boy.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay. It's all right.
Listen, we're getting out of here.
All right? Stick with me. Both of you.
- Come on. Let's go.
- Come on.
Single-file.
- Danny!
- You okay?
No.
What happened?
It's a fracture. Come on.
- We gotta be close to two G's now.
- Yeah.
- What's going on?
- Ship's rotating too fast.
We need to get on the elevator.
Listen, everybody who's feeling
the adverse reactions to the gravity,
board the elevator in the next group.
All right, Sam.
We're ready with the next group.
Okay. This group's off-loaded.
I'm heading back down in the elevator.
All right.
- Hey, you okay?
- Yeah.
Is she okay?
- Yeah. She will be.
- Okay.
Here it comes.
Get back! Everyone, get back!
The elevator
in quadrant 3 just went off-line.
What do you mean "off-line"?
Its sensors just stopped
transmitting suddenly.
Hold all other elevators.
Hey, Sam. Can you hear me?
Sam, can you hear me?
Hey!
Sam?
Sam?
Sam?
Sam?
Oh, my…
Okay.
Okay. Okay.
Okay.
Attention. Do not use the elevators.
I repeat, do not use the elevators.
Karen. Karen, are you okay?
Danny. Thank God.
Hey, is Ed there with you?
Yeah. Yeah, they're here.
Okay. Whatever you do,
do not use the elevator.
You're gonna have to use the access shaft.
It's to the right of the door.
It goes all the way to the center hub.
Karen, what the hell is going on?
They tried to go out and fix the thruster,
two of our crew, but they…
they were killed. And then Sam... Sam...
Look, we have to evacuate, okay?
I'm so sorry.
All right.
Let's go.
I'll see you up there, okay, Karen?
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. I can't breathe.
My chest. I'm gonna be sick.
It's just the gravity. Take deep breaths.
Take deep breaths.
Okay.
I'm not gonna be able to make it up there.
Not with this leg.
Y'all need to go on without me.
- No.
- No.
They're not gonna make it up either.
We're at double gravity.
It'll be like climbing a ladder
with another person on your back.
There are pressure suits in the shuttle.
If I can get to 'em,
I can make it to the thruster.
Even if you make it out there,
the gravity around the edge of that ring
will fling you off like a rag doll.
It's too dangerous.
What other choice do we have?
No. No, you can't.
It'll be okay.
Stay with Ed.
Godspeed.
We're losing structural
integrity along the outer rim, Commander.
We might not even make it to four G's
before this place comes apart.
Wait.
Skipper, we've got an air lock open
at the shuttle docking port.
There's someone out there.
Oh, shi...
I love you.
I love you too.
It's okay.
Commander, vern thrusters
are slowing the ship down.
a quest with many ideas,
but with one driving theme:
that our party and our nation
need new leadership, new direction,
and new hope.
Tonight, the torch of idealism
is lit in thousands of homes,
in tens of thousands of towns
and hundreds of thousands of lives
among the young in spirit
and the young in age.
- It cannot go out. It will not go out.
- Five, four, three…
- It will continue to burn.
- …two, and one.
President Reagan and Premier Andropov
signed a lunar peace treaty
essentially dividing the moon in two.
Congressional report details
how the lunar base's near meltdown
was averted and how safety…
Famed US astronaut hangout,
The Outpost, has now opened franchises
in New York, Los Angeles, Berlin,
and Tokyo.
The host of Jeopardy! Alex Trebek.
Gorbachev's policies have
the Soviet Union's economy in hyperdrive,
expanding Soviet influence
across the globe.
Major breakthrough in nuclear fusion.
The reactor, developed by Dev Ayesa
and Richard Hilliard, has the potential…
Republican, Ellen Wilson,
a former astronaut,
- won her Texas Senate race handily…
- God bless Texas.
Baldwin and Cleveland launched
the world's first space tourism company,
Polaris Space Tours.
The Beatles reunion tour
begins in Chicago,
their first time performing in the US
since 1966.
…contract to mine
massive deposits of helium-3 on the moon,
an ideal resource for nuclear fusion.
The North Korean government announced
they are abandoning their
controversial ballistic missile program
to focus on their space program.
…Hart won reelection in
a landslide over Republican Pat Robertson.
The stakes of 1988 could not be higher.
The choices could not be clearer.
Scientist James Hansen
testified that global warming has slowed
due to the widespread shift
from fossil fuels to nuclear fusion.
…the ambassador to Moscow,
after several listening devices
were discovered in the American embassy.
The film Love in the Skies,
based on the lives
of Gordo and Tracy Stevens,
premiered in Hollywood…
The Thomas Paine space telescope
will be launched into orbit
aboard the Pathfinder…
Astronaut Danny Stevens,
the son of Gordo and Tracy Stevens,
has arrived at the Jamestown…
Polaris Space Tours
has announced their latest venture.
…sending folks up in space, we might
as well give them some place to sleep.
Gary Hart has again declined
to send troops to Kuwait,
after the small nation…
The United States is going to Mars.
NASA unveiled their plans
for the Sojourner 1 spacecraft.
Questions remain if the Soviets
will also be able to launch in 1996.
Texas Senator Ellen Wilson has announced
that she is running
for Republican nomination for president.
South Carolina, here we come.
…Clinton pledged a positive campaign
focused on building a bridge
to the 21st century.
We will give you more incentives
and more opportunity than ever before
to develop the skills of your workers
and to create American jobs
and American wealth
in the new global space economy.
As the scripture says,
our eyes have not yet seen,
nor our ears heard,
nor our minds imagined what we can do.
This is Karen.
Hey, you.
Hi, Sam.
How'd you sleep?
Not a wink. You?
Like a baby.
Liar.
Come on. Be honest with me.
It's growing on you, being up here,
isn't it?
Not at all.
Still hate it.
Well, the guests are almost here,
so put your game face on.
I'm ready.
Yeah, all right. You better be.
We'll see you in an hour.
All right.
Morning, Ms. Madison.
Morning, Ms. Jorgens.
Sorry, ma'am. Here are your messages.
The Secretary of Agriculture called.
He was wondering if you had any time
to consider his funding request.
I've considered it.
Not sure how financing
his pesticide research is NASA's job.
Tell him she's still considering
the finer points of the proposal.
Administrator Truly wanted to speak to you
regarding the selection of the Mars
mission's commander, if...
- Not now.
- Okay. Let's see.
Neptune Records called.
The new album you ordered has arrived.
I'll pick it up later today.
And Mr. Ayesa from Helios Aerospace
called about the priority launches
for his helium-3 mining equipment.
And…
he sent a gift.
Apparently, the smoked whitefish was
flown in fresh from Norway this morning.
Send it back.
And remind him
we don't accept bribes at NASA.
Let's go around the world.
The State Department is reporting
another failed North Korean launch.
They reached orbit this time,
but the upper stage exploded
before the spacecraft could be deployed.
Maybe that's because they keep using
outdated Soviet equipment.
Have we tracked the path of the debris?
Yes. Currently, no sign of danger
to any orbital craft,
but we have alerted the Soviets,
Chinese and Europeans
to continue monitoring the situation.
The repairs to the Thomas Paine
orbital telescope went well.
And the shuttle Enterprise is slated
to return to Earth tomorrow morning,
so that's good news.
Just the information, please.
No commentary.
Sorry. Yes, ma'am.
A reminder that Polaris's
new orbital hotel
is holding that wedding this afternoon
before they officially open next month.
Space tourism. God help us all.
We sent something, right?
Yes, ma'am.
How's it looking, Propulsion? Let's roll.
Copy.
Jamestown, initiate hot fire test.
Copy.
Initiating K-32 NERVA engine hot fire test
in three, two, one.
Engine start.
Chamber pressure now at 3860 kPa.
Hang on.
Cooler pressure is jammed.
Bypass flow is down.
We're losing cooling in the core.
Motherfucking fuck.
What happened?
I thought we fixed all the bugs.
We should be up there
roasting marshmallows by now, people.
If we don't get this engine functioning,
- we're not gonna be able to make...
- Make the '96 Mars launch window.
- I know.
- Okay. So, work the problem.
Have you tried to increase
the turbopump pressure?
Yeah. I looked into that.
But then the flow to the injector
drops below spec.
You'll get there. Keep digging.
Yeah.
Send all your notes over.
We are pleased to
officially confirm that the Soviet Union
will be launching
a manned mission to Mars in 1996.
The USSR will once again be victorious
as the first nation
to set foot on humanity's
newest frontier, the Red Planet.
Now, I would like to introduce
the commander of the mission,
Comrade Grigory Kuznetsov.
Comrade Kuznetsov exemplifies
the strength and intelligence
of the Soviet space program.
Well, the president's not gonna be happy.
We need to respond.
Make it clear we're going to be first.
And the way to be first
is to get there first.
- Boots on the ground. Right, General?
- Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Madison,
the president's been asking again
about our own commander selection.
It's been weeks since we
narrowed it down to Baldwin and Poole.
And now that the Russians
have picked their...
I'm working on it.
Polaris, shuttle two.
Beginning final approach for docking.
Roger that, shuttle two.
Cleared for docking at Port Bravo.
Polaris,
shuttle two inside hands-off point.
Commander LaPorte, shuttle number two
has successfully docked.
Good. Proceed with crew transfer.
First group of passengers preparing
to exit shuttle two for elevator.
Copy. Elevator ready
and waiting for descent from main hub.
This is weird.
We came in peace for all your cash.
I'm just glad I'll be on my way
to Mars in a few years
and leave all this bullshit
to you lowly Earth dwellers.
Come on, old man.
You know I've got this in the bag.
Welcome to the Polaris Orbital Hotel.
I'll show you to your rooms
so you can get settled
before we have a brief review
of yesterday's safety seminar.
The artificial gravity
created by our hotel's constant rotation
allows for all kinds of amenities
that astronauts could only dream of,
including a fitness center,
two cafés and room service.
Welcome to Hotel Polaris.
And enjoy your stay among the stars.
Wow. It's like being on The Love Boat.
Yeah, and that must be Gopher.
That was a good one.
Sweetie, if you're feeling sick,
that's totally normal.
I know it takes me time
to get adjusted to being up in space.
- I'm fine.
- Yeah?
Got our room key.
Hello, Ed.
- Karen.
- Hi.
Hi. Sam.
- Good to see you, bud.
- You too.
You remember Yvonne, don't you?
Yes, of course.
By the way, congratulations. Kelly showed
me all the photos. You looked lovely.
Thank you. Thanks. It was small.
- Just a few friends in our backyard.
- Yeah.
Nothing like this. I mean… Wow.
Talk about the ultimate
destination wedding. Am I right?
Yeah. Yeah.
- How was the flight?
- Nice.
Yeah. Docking was good.
Your pilots know what they're doing.
Well, they should.
Karen poached them all from NASA.
That's right.
- Well, we should probably...
- Yeah.
Go get settled in.
Enjoy the hotel and your day.
- See you later.
- All righty.
Bye.
- Do you want me to get that?
- No, I got it. I got it, yeah.
That wasn't awkward at all.
No.
Margo.
You know we banned smoking
in this building last month.
I had no idea.
You should put up some signs.
The Russians have just announced
the commander for their Mars mission.
Why haven't we announced Danielle Poole
as our commander?
Because I haven't made up my mind yet.
But we've gone over this.
She's clearly the right choice.
She has all the qualities
we're looking for.
And what are those exactly?
Intellect. Moderate temperament.
Solid decision-making.
She's commanded more missions
than any other astronaut in the program
the last ten years.
Look, I like Poole. I trained with Poole.
I don't know that she's right to command
a high-stress mission like this.
She's too cerebral.
She's too by the book.
Are those even negative traits?
What I am trying to say is,
I think we need someone
who's willing to take risks,
who can handle the unknown.
Someone like Ed Baldwin.
If the shoe fits.
Let's be honest.
He's arrogant and he's got a temper,
and, to be frank, he's old.
I think you mean experienced.
No. I mean old.
This isn't Gemini, Molly. NASA's changing.
We can't just rely on test pilots anymore.
- It's the scientists, the engineers...
- Oh, my God.
Are we having this conversation again?
Yes, we are.
More than 50% of last year's ASCAN class
were former pilots and test pilots.
That's right.
Because I need people
who can think on their feet,
who aren't reaching
for an instruction manual
to figure out what to do
every time the shit hits the fan.
NASA may be changing, Margo,
but space remains an unrelenting bitch.
The flight to Mars is only
the first three months
of a two-year mission.
You seriously think Ed...
You seriously think Ed Baldwin is
better suited to handle that?
Well, giving out command slots
based on anything other than ability
is a recipe for screwing the pooch.
You know that!
- Molly, that's not what I...
- And as head of the Astronaut office,
- I decide who goes up...
- Decide who goes up and when.
I know. I know.
Let's continue this discussion
when I'm back from Huntsville.
I can't wait.
As you stand before God
and in this divine place,
I pronounce you man and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
- I love you.
- I love you too.
There they are. Yeah!
Congratulations.
- Congratulations.
- Thanks.
- Thank you.
- Congratulations.
I'm proud of you, kid.
You done good. You done real good.
- Congratulations. Oh, my goodness.
- Thank you.
- You look so handsome.
- Thanks.
- Congratulations.
- Thanks, Karen.
- You're welcome.
- Yeah.
Hey, hey. Ho-ha. Oil over helium.
…the stock price for
the space tourism company Polaris
shot through the roof this morning
as its new hotel hosts
the first-ever wedding in space
for the son of American heroes
Gordo and Tracy Stevens.
The wedding is a soft launch,
pardon the pun...
- Hello?
- Sergei.
- Margo, hi.
- How are you?
I'm... I'm cold, but well.
What album did I order this time?
It's Mary Lou Williams.
Do you know of her?
One of the great improvisers.
Like you, Margo.
I don't know about that.
Well, we can use
your assistance once again.
Our engineers are having difficulty
with the asymmetric torque
in our Mars orbiters.
I'll see what I can do.
I'll get it to you the usual way.
Thank you. Thank you so much, Margo.
I should be thanking you.
That attitude control fix last month
to our GNC subsystem
worked like a charm.
We discovered it while integrating
sensor systems on the N3.
I'm glad it was of use.
It was.
And congratulations on the announcement.
Could you have imagined when
we first met... Oh, God... ten years ago,
that we would be here now,
both preparing for the journey to Mars?
It would not have happened
without your help, Margo.
I just pointed you in the right direction,
every once in a while.
Same as you did for me.
Only a few more weeks
until this year's IAC conference.
We will toast to Mars.
We're not there yet, Sergei.
Four years to go.
Okay.
First London, then Mars.
I cannot wait.
Neither can I.
Hello?
You must press her for more details
on their nuclear engine design.
I have told you before,
if I push too hard,
she will not react well.
You have your instructions.
As most of you know,
I'm Amber's maid of honor, Chelsea.
And... Sorry. I just...
Amber has always been
my best friend and my protector.
- Champagne?
- Just water. Thanks.
And she was always my hero.
And now she's met her own real-life hero.
An astronaut.
I mean, that is quite a catch. Am I right?
Yep.
When I first met Danny at our church,
I knew he was the one for Amber.
The way he treats her,
and the way he fits in so perfectly
with her family and our congregation,
it's like a fairy tale.
Thank you so much to Karen and Sam,
and everyone else at Polaris
for your hospitality.
Anyways, please join me in raising a glass
to my best friend, my hero, and her hero.
I wish you a lifetime of happiness.
Cheers.
Cheers!
Hello.
Sorry.
I'm Danny's brother. I'm not very good
at this, so I'll keep it short.
Danny, you've always been
a good brother to me.
Especially since you've been sober.
You always know how to make people
feel special, feel important.
I remember how happy Mom and Dad would get
when you came home from Naval Academy.
It was like we were a family again.
Everyone keeps talking about
how happy Mom and Dad were.
But let's be honest. That's horseshit.
'Cause half the time, if they weren't
screaming at each other,
the other half they were
throwing things at each other.
Now they're lovers on the lunar surface.
That's what NASA does.
They twist things
into how they want us to see them.
They died for their country.
They died for the space program.
They died for each other.
But the truth is they just died.
And now they're dead.
Anyways…
this day is about the two of you.
And let's raise a toast to my brother
and his beautiful wife, Amber.
I hope you find the happiness
they never could.
Cheers.
All right. Cheers.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- Hello?
- In here!
Javi, I asked you
three times already. Stop.
Sorry I'm late.
I see Javi's been working on his scales.
Tía Margo.
Before dinner?
It's a palate cleanser.
Tootsie. I got a Tootsie!
Hi, Margo.
Hi, Victor.
Now that Senator Wilson
has secured enough votes
to guarantee her
the Republican nomination,
her Democratic rival, Governor Clinton,
criticized her voting record
on family rights planning.
Clinton's long history of support
from low-to middle-income families
continues to gain strength
from his association...
Javi, quiet.
Victor, can you deal with him?
I really need to finish this tonight.
Come here, you little rascal. Come on.
Okay.
Dinner is ready.
What's on the menu this week, Octavio?
It's my specialty, Ms. Madison.
Enchiladas rojas.
Please, everybody, sit.
He put cheese in it again.
Dad, you put cheese in the enchiladas.
Yes.
You know Victor is lactose intolerant.
No, but it's okay. It's just a little bit.
Come on. Everybody likes cheese.
The wine.
He does this on purpose.
No, he doesn't. He just forgets sometimes.
All the time.
Okay.
- Who's hungry?
- Me.
Hey, Jimmy, right?
Lame party, huh?
What's your name?
Isaiah.
Also known as the stepson of the woman
who saved the world with a handshake.
Well, Isaiah,
you wouldn't be interested in escaping
this mind-numbing charade, would you?
Wait. Up here? Seriously? Can we do that?
I have my ways.
I remember it like yesterday,
you coming to my office,
saying you had an idea.
I thought you were gonna
pitch me a new restaurant.
Really?
You said, "Why shouldn't everyone
get to enjoy space?"
Well, except for me.
This is just the beginning.
You're right. It is.
Okay. Ladies and gentlemen,
we have a special surprise for you now.
Please look over at the screen behind you.
We have a message
from a good friend of Danny's.
Hey, Danny, Amber. It's me.
I wish I could be there
with you all to celebrate,
but I'm stuck down here
at the end of the world,
freezing my butt off.
I just wanna say congratulations
and I know you'll have
an amazing life together.
It's almost disgusting
how perfect you are for each other.
And please make sure
my dad doesn't embarrass himself too much
on the dance floor.
Too late.
Come on. It's not that bad.
I love you all. Cheers.
- Yeah.
- So sweet.
Now if everyone would please gather
around the dance floor
to welcome our bride and groom
for their first dance as husband and wife.
You know I can be found
I'm sitting home all alone
If you can't come around
At least on the telephone
Don't be cruel
To a heart that's true
Baby, if I made you mad
With something that I might have said
Don't be cruel
Commander LaPorte,
one of our main orbital thrusters
is performing an uncommanded burn.
It's not responding.
- Kill the power to the valve.
- Tried that. It must be jammed open.
Well, the smaller
rotational thrusters have engaged.
Automatically, the verns might be able
to counter the thrust.
It looks like the valve
is stuck all the way open.
The verns cannot overpower it.
The ship's beginning to rotate faster.
Centrifugal gravity is
starting to rise, Commander.
Oh, no.
I meant to throw it farther.
Oh, my God. I love this song!
Could I get a glass of water? A big one.
She's having a good time.
Yeah.
You bet.
They looked good, didn't they?
Danny and Amber. Out there, dancing.
Never heard that song
played like that before.
You're coming.
You okay?
Yeah, I'm good.
Three, four!
Well, I should probably get
Yvonne back to the room.
Good idea.
Hey.
Congrats on everything.
You know, what you've done here
is pretty incredible.
Thanks, Ed.
- Yvonne.
- Eddy.
- Now?
- Yeah.
- No, I wanna stay. I wanna stay.
- Come on.
Bye, guys.
- Bye-bye.
- Bye!
What?
Bye.
Good night, Ed.
- Right now?
- Yeah.
Commander LaPorte. What's going on?
Could we just step over here for a minute?
Okay.
There is a problem
with the hotel's gravity levels.
Gravity levels?
One of the hotel's
orbital thrusters is stuck on.
We think debris from a North Korean rocket
may have struck it.
Jesus.
NASA sent out a bulletin earlier.
We were supposedly in the clear.
The gravity is at manageable levels now,
but it's rising.
Okay, so what's the plan?
We're going to do an EVA
to manually close the thruster's valve.
A space walk?
Well, can it wait
until the wedding is finished?
No, it can't.
All right. Well, do we alert the guests?
I don't think there's any reason
to concern the guests right now.
I just say we fix the damn thing.
Okay.
Oh, no, no, no, no, Ms. Madison.
You're the guest.
How's our Mars engine looking?
It's getting there.
This is smart.
A niobium alloy nozzle will cool
more effectively in the vacuum of space.
A radiative cooling design
would be optimal.
We just have to make sure
the technicians up there
keep the nozzle wall thickness
within the correct tolerances.
No.
Too much can be lost in translation.
We'll need to send someone
to oversee the repair.
Yeah, good idea.
- Maybe we should send...
- You leave in a week.
What do you mean?
What?
- You mean you want me to...
- Yeah.
Papa, Papa.
Everything is okay?
I'm going to the moon.
You…
My little one.
See? What'd I tell you?
My mom taught me this trick.
You sure you've done this before?
Yeah. All the time.
So…
how's it being an astronaut's kid so far?
It's okay.
My dad seems happy, so that's good.
He actually says
that she reminds him a lot of my mom.
My real mom.
She…
died when I was little.
I actually…
don't remember her all that well.
Yeah.
Exiting air lock.
Attaching tethers.
About to begin rappelling down the spoke
towards the thruster.
Slow and steady.
Watch your footing.
Copy, Skipper.
Caution and warnings clear.
DCM looks good.
Copy.
Beginning descent.
140 feet from outer ring.
Wait.
You didn't have to come,
but you said you wanted to.
So it's all my fault again, as usual.
Would you just stop?
You're embarrassed of me, aren't you?
When you act like this, can you blame me?
Are you okay?
Honey, have you seen Isaiah?
I haven't. Why?
There's something going on.
50 feet from the outer ring now.
Good.
Remember, when you get close
to the edge of the ring,
stay clear of the vern thrusters.
They'll sneak up on you.
Copy.
I can see the primary thruster.
Hey, do you see that?
Yeah, the coupling is shaking.
One of the stabilizer cables is vibrating.
Yeah. I think it's coming loose.
Abort the repair.
Return to the hatch immediately.
Watch out! The cable just broke off.
- What is it?
- You feel that?
- Come on.
- No, no. I'm serious.
We're spinning faster.
Look out.
The cable's coming right towards us.
Cy, Joaquin. Do you read?
Sir, both suits showing
major loss of integrity.
They're losing pressure fast.
- Has he engaged OPS?
- Negative.
Cable four backup system
is not responding.
Negative EKG, negative respiration.
I need a system-wide check
of all flight backup ops now.
Another support cable has snapped.
Attempting manual power lockdown.
Manual override will not respond.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. Ed?
Holy shit. Come on. Let's get outta here!
- Holy shit! Come on! We gotta get out!
- Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
No! Come on! Leave it!
Come on! Come on!
Oh, no! Oh, my God!
Come on!
We've got a depress event in module 7.
Commander, we're also getting a report
- of losing pressure in module 6.
- Activate hull breach backup systems.
Jesus Christ.
What'd you do?
Nothing.
Must be a bad thruster.
Module 8 is starting to lose pressure.
Double the ppO2 in module 8.
We've still got people in there
that need to breathe.
And get a new DC crew in there right now.
Aye, aye, Commander.
Damage control to module 8.
Depress alarm protocols
have sealed off the quadrant.
Thrusters are still firing,
and gravity is at just under two G's.
Is there some other way to turn it off?
That cable's still whipping around.
It's too dangerous.
This ship isn't built to withstand
centrifugal force greater than four G's.
What happens at four G's?
It will come apart.
Hull breach. Integrity at -2.1.
Life support systems still nominal.
- There is CO2 buildup in compartment 7.
- Okay.
We need to evacuate.
Let's get everyone to the shuttles.
In a moment I'm gonna ask us all
to head calmly towards the exit,
where we will be making our way
down to the elevators
and up to the central hub of the hotel,
where there is still zero gravity.
Then we will be boarding the shuttles
back to Houston.
This is only a precautionary measure,
okay?
I just need us all to please listen
to all crew members' instructions
because your safety
is our number one concern.
I'll be taking the older folks first.
- You two.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
You doing okay, sir?
- You okay?
- Here they are.
Come on, boy.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay. It's all right.
Listen, we're getting out of here.
All right? Stick with me. Both of you.
- Come on. Let's go.
- Come on.
Single-file.
- Danny!
- You okay?
No.
What happened?
It's a fracture. Come on.
- We gotta be close to two G's now.
- Yeah.
- What's going on?
- Ship's rotating too fast.
We need to get on the elevator.
Listen, everybody who's feeling
the adverse reactions to the gravity,
board the elevator in the next group.
All right, Sam.
We're ready with the next group.
Okay. This group's off-loaded.
I'm heading back down in the elevator.
All right.
- Hey, you okay?
- Yeah.
Is she okay?
- Yeah. She will be.
- Okay.
Here it comes.
Get back! Everyone, get back!
The elevator
in quadrant 3 just went off-line.
What do you mean "off-line"?
Its sensors just stopped
transmitting suddenly.
Hold all other elevators.
Hey, Sam. Can you hear me?
Sam, can you hear me?
Hey!
Sam?
Sam?
Sam?
Sam?
Oh, my…
Okay.
Okay. Okay.
Okay.
Attention. Do not use the elevators.
I repeat, do not use the elevators.
Karen. Karen, are you okay?
Danny. Thank God.
Hey, is Ed there with you?
Yeah. Yeah, they're here.
Okay. Whatever you do,
do not use the elevator.
You're gonna have to use the access shaft.
It's to the right of the door.
It goes all the way to the center hub.
Karen, what the hell is going on?
They tried to go out and fix the thruster,
two of our crew, but they…
they were killed. And then Sam... Sam...
Look, we have to evacuate, okay?
I'm so sorry.
All right.
Let's go.
I'll see you up there, okay, Karen?
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. I can't breathe.
My chest. I'm gonna be sick.
It's just the gravity. Take deep breaths.
Take deep breaths.
Okay.
I'm not gonna be able to make it up there.
Not with this leg.
Y'all need to go on without me.
- No.
- No.
They're not gonna make it up either.
We're at double gravity.
It'll be like climbing a ladder
with another person on your back.
There are pressure suits in the shuttle.
If I can get to 'em,
I can make it to the thruster.
Even if you make it out there,
the gravity around the edge of that ring
will fling you off like a rag doll.
It's too dangerous.
What other choice do we have?
No. No, you can't.
It'll be okay.
Stay with Ed.
Godspeed.
We're losing structural
integrity along the outer rim, Commander.
We might not even make it to four G's
before this place comes apart.
Wait.
Skipper, we've got an air lock open
at the shuttle docking port.
There's someone out there.
Oh, shi...
I love you.
I love you too.
It's okay.
Commander, vern thrusters
are slowing the ship down.