NASA's Unexplained Files (2012–…): Season 3, Episode 8 - Attack of the Thunderballs - full transcript

NASA's MISSION
IS TO EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN.

THERE'S MORE THAT WE
DON'T KNOW THAN WE DO KNOW.

THAT'S JUST THE NATURE
OF THE UNIVERSE.

IN THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS,

IT LAUNCHES ITS SCIENTISTS
INTO SPACE,

ITS CRAFT BEYOND THE LIMITS
OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

TAKING RISK IS PART
OF MAKING DISCOVERIES.

SPACE EXPLORATION
IS LIKE LIGHTING A MATCH.

AND WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT LURKS IN THE SHADOWS.

THERE COULD BE ANYTHING
OUT THERE.

AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT
IS ON A COLLISION COURSE



WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS DEBRIS.

BUT DEBRIS
DOESN'T MOVE THAT FAST.

IT COULD HIT YOU WITH THE
FORCE OF AN ARTILLERY SHELL.

ASTRONAUT CHRIS HADFIELD

TAKES DESPERATE MEASURES
AFTER GOING BLIND IN SPACE.

THE LAST THING
AN ASTRONAUT WANTS TO DO

IS ACTUALLY PUT A HOLE
IN HIS SUIT.

AND AN UNKNOWN FORCE
DECIMATES THE OUTER REACHES

OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

IT'S SOMETHING
BARRELING TOWARDS US,

SOMEDAY MAYBE EVEN
HITTING EARTH.

IT'S LIKE SCIENCE FICTION,
BUT COMING TRUE.

NASA's MISSIONS HAVE UNCOVERED
DISTURBING ANOMALIES...



OKAY. WE'RE SEEIN' THREE
OR FOUR OBJECTS.

NOW, THERE ARE, UH,
THERE ARE THREE OBJECTS.

...THAT CONTINUE TO PERPLEX
OUR FINEST SCIENTIFIC MINDS.

THESE ARE
"NASA's UNEXPLAINED FILES."

NASA's Unexplained Files - SEASON 3
EP - 8 - Attack of the Thunderballs

Subtitles Diego Moraes

NASA's RADAR WARNING SYSTEM
DETECTS AN OBJECT

ON A COLLISION COURSE

WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.

IF THE I.S.S. TAKES A BIG HIT,

THE WHOLE THING
IS JUST GONNA BE TORN APART.

MISSION CONTROL ORDERS
AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION.

THIS IS A CASE WHERE
YOU JUST DROP EVERYTHING.

THE OBJECT IS MOVING
AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS

OF 28,000 MILES PER HOUR.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS DEBRIS.

BUT DEBRIS
DOESN'T MOVE THAT FAST.

JULY 16, 2015.

AT 6:30 A.M. EASTERN TIME,
NASA MISSION CONTROL

RECEIVES A WARNING

THAT AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT
IS APPROACHING THE I.S.S.

THERE'S A POTENTIAL
OBJECT THAT...

THAT THEY CAN TRACK THAT LOOKS

LIKE IT'S GONNA POKE A HOLE
IN OUR SPACESHIP.

IF IT HITS YOU
WITH A HIGH SPEED,

IT COULD HIT YOU WITH THE
FORCE OF AN ARTILLERY SHELL.

THE MYSTERY OBJECT
IS ABOUT TO ENTER

THE SPACE STATION'S DANGER ZONE,

AN AREA ASTRONAUTS
CALL THE PIZZA BOX.

THE PIZZA BOX
IS A 30-BY-30-BY-1 MILE REGION

AROUND THE I.S.S.
THAT IS A KEEP-OUT ZONE.

ANYTHING ENTERING THE PIZZA
BOX IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY THREAT.

IF AN OBJECT IS GONNA
ENTER THAT DANGER ZONE,

THEN THE CREW
AND THE GROUND TEAM

TAKE ACTION TO MINIMIZE ANY
RISK TO THE CREW AND THE STATION.

MISSION CONTROL
ORDERS THE I.S.S. CREW

TO PREPARE
FOR EVASIVE MANEUVERS.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN DO
IS MOVE THE SPACE STATION.

THE GROUND CONTROL TEAM

CAN SEND COMMANDS
TO THE SPACE STATION

AND ESSENTIALLY DRIVE IT
TO HELP US AVOID THAT OBJECT.

BUT THE OBJECT IS
TRAVELING TOO FAST

FOR THE SPACE STATION
TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.

THIS OBJECT IS GOING TO REACH
THE SPACE STATION AT 8:01 A.M.

THAT'S LESS THAN AN HOUR
AND A HALF AWAY.

THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TIME
TO MOVE THE SPACE STATION

OUT OF THE OBJECT'S PATH.

NASA CLOCKS THE OBJECT

AT AN ASTONISHING
28,000 MILES PER HOUR.

IF IT HITS THE SPACE STATION,

THE EFFECTS
WILL BE CATASTROPHIC.

IF IT CONTACTS YOU
AT THE RIGHT ANGLE,

IT CAN DO A LOT OF DAMAGE.

IF THE I.S.S. TAKES A BIG HIT,

THE WHOLE THING
IS JUST GONNA BE TORN APART.

THE NIGHTMARE
SCENARIO IS A DIRECT HIT

ON THE COOLING SYSTEM.

THE WAY THE COOLING SYSTEM
ON THE I.S.S. WORKS,

IT'S GOT THESE BIG RADIATORS
FILLED WITH AMMONIA

THAT RADIATE HEAT
OUT INTO SPACE.

IF A RADIATOR IS STRUCK
BY A BIG ENOUGH PARTICLE,

THE TUBES

THAT CARRY THE AMMONIA COOLANT
WOULD BE RUPTURED,

AND THE AMMONIA WOULD LEAK OUT.

IF IT WERE TO LEAK
INSIDE THE SPACE STATION,

IT'D BE CATASTROPHIC.

THAT... IT'S A POISONOUS
SUBSTANCE.

HUMANS CAN'T BREATHE IT.

NASA CAN'T RISK
THE LIVES OF THE CREW.

MISSION CONTROL ORDERS THEM
TO INITIATE FLIGHT RULE B4-101.

THEY MUST PREPARE
TO ABANDON SHIP.

GO TO YOUR SOYUZ.
GET OUTTA THERE.

JUST DROP EVERYTHING,
LET YOUR TOOLS GO

AND YOU FLOAT QUICKLY
TO YOUR ESCAPE VEHICLE.

THE CREW MEMBERS SCRAMBLE INTO
THE RUSSIAN BUILT SOYUZ CAPSULE,

WHICH ACTS AS A LIFE BOAT
AND EMERGENCY SHELTER.

IT'S THREE PEOPLE
SITTIN' SIDE BY SIDE.

YOU'RE STANDIN' BY FOR A CALL
FROM THE GROUND

TO SAY STAY OR GO.

WHEN YOU'RE THINKING
ABOUT SOMETHING COMING

CLOSE TO THE SPACE STATION,

YOU... YOU JUST DON'T REALLY
BELIEVE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

THE CREW BRACES FOR IMPACT.

ALL THEY CAN DO IS WAIT

AS THE SECONDS
COUNT DOWN TO 8:01.

THE OBJECT HAS RIPPED
PAST THE SPACE STATION,

MISSING IT ONLY BY
A MILE AND A HALF.

THE CREW OF THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

LIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.

BUT A MYSTERY REMAINS.

HOW DID A POTENTIALLY
LETHAL OBJECT

SLIP THROUGH THE EARLY WARNING
SYSTEMS PROTECTING THE STATION?

THE I.S.S. IS PROTECTED

BY THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
RADAR SENSING SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.

IT'S VERY RARE FOR SOMETHING
LIKE THIS TO SLIP BY.

FROM A CREW POINT OF VIEW,
WHAT'S FRIGHTENING IS THE FACT

THAT, UM, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE

TO TRACK EVERY SINGLE PARTICLE

THAT MIGHT BE A THREAT TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

SO THERE COULD BE SOMETHING
UP THERE

THAT IT CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT.

NASA DESCRIBES THE OBJECT

AS A PIECE OF SPACE DEBRIS.

BUT IT WAS MOVING FAR FASTER
THAN ANY ORDINARY SPACE JUNK.

TYPICAL SPEED IN LOW EARTH
ORBIT IS ABOUT 17,000 MILES PER HOUR.

THIS PIECE OF SPACE JUNK

IS UNIQUE IN THAT
IT'S MOVING TWICE AS FAST.

NASA SCIENTISTS SPECULATE
HOW THE MYSTERY OBJECT

COULD BUILD UP THAT SPEED.

ONE POSSIBILITY IS THE OBJECT

MIGHT HAVE PREVIOUSLY
COLLIDED WITH SOMETHING ELSE

AND GAINED SPEED
FROM THE RICOCHET.

IN THEORY,
IT IS FOR AN OBJECT'S SPEED AND TRAJECTORY

TO CHANGE AFTER A COLLISION.

BUT THE OBJECT
THAT HIT IT WOULD HAVE

TO BE GOING
EXTREMELY FAST ITSELF.

SO WHAT COULD MAKE THIS KILLER
OBJECT BE MOVING THAT QUICKLY?

NEWS OF THE CLOSE ENCOUNTER

ATTRACTS THE INTEREST
OF THE UFO COMMUNITY.

THEY DRAW ATTENTION
TO TWO SPOTS OF BRIGHT LIGHT,

WHICH APPEARED
ON THE I.S.S. LIVE FEED

JUST 24 HOURS
BEFORE THE NEAR MISS.

THE DAY BEFORE THIS EMERGENCY
EVACUATION PROCEDURE,

TWO OBJECTS

SEEM TO BE KEEPING PACE
WITH THE STATION.

THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE
TRACKING IT FOR SOME REASON.

IT'S CURIOUS BECAUSE GENERALLY,
SPACE DEBRIS

DOESN'T FOLLOW THE I.S.S.
IN FORMATION.

THEY CHANGE DIRECTION
WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER

AND THE SPACE STATION.

AND THEY START MOVING
VERY QUICKLY.

IT LOOKS
LIKE THEY'RE CONTROLLED.

NASA DOES NOT
COMMENT ON SPECULATION

SURROUNDING THE EVENTS

LEADING TO THE UNPLANNED
EMERGENCY MANEUVER OF THE I.S.S.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE'RE
GETTING THESE KIND OF, UH,

DEBRIS AVOIDANCE MANEUVERS
MORE FREQUENTLY.

WHAT IS GOING ON
IN ORBITAL SPACE?

ARE THERE SIMPLY TOO
MANY THINGS UP THERE?

OR ARE THERE
TOO MANY THINGS UP THERE

THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT?

COMING UP, A NASA SPECIAL
AGENT SETS UP A $5 MILLION STING

TO RECOVER A MISSING MOON ROCK.

WE HAD CON ARTISTS
SELLING BOGUS MOON ROCKS

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND I DECIDED,
I'M GONNA GO AFTER THAT.

THE APOLLO MISSIONS BRING BACK
THE MOST VALUABLE ROCKS

IN HUMAN HISTORY.

BUT THE PRICELESS ARTIFACTS

GO MISSING
UNDER STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

WE DON'T KNOW
WHERE OUR MOON ROCKS ARE.

TRACKING DOWN NASA's LOST LEGACY

BECOMES ONE MAN'S QUEST.

I'M NOT GONNA REST

UNTIL WE TRACK
THOSE MOON ROCKS DOWN.

THE APOLLO MISSIONS

SPURRED UNPRECEDENTED ADVANCES
IN TECHNOLOGY.

IT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN...

ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.

THE GIANTS OF AMERICAN INDUSTRY

MADE MILLIONS SUPPLYING NASA.

AND SOME TRIED IN OTHER WAYS

TO MAKE MONEY OFF THE BACK
OF THE MOON PROGRAM.

JULY 24, 1969.

NEAL ARMSTRONG, BUZZ ALDRIN

AND MICHAEL COLLINS RETURN
TO EARTH AFTER MAKING HISTORY.

THEY CARRY WITH THEM 50 POUNDS
OF MOON ROCK,

THE FIRST OF MORE THAN 2,000
PRECIOUS LUNAR SAMPLES

FROM THE APOLLO PROGRAM.

PRESIDENT NIXON DECIDED
AFTER THE FIRST MOON LANDING

AND THE LAST MOON LANDING

THAT HE WOULD GIFT MOON ROCKS

TO 135 NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD

AS WELL AS THE 50 STATES

AND THE U.S. PROPERTIES.

EACH ROCK WAS THEN
EMBEDDED IN LUCITE,

MOUNTED TO A PLAQUE WITH THE
FLAG OF THE RECIPIENT NATION.

AND THOSE SAMPLES BECAME KNOWN
AS THE GOODWILL MOON ROCKS.

THESE LITTLE PIECES OF ROCK

CAN BE WORTH $20,000 PER OUNCE.

SO THE GOODWILL ROCKS,
THEY CAN BE WORTH MILLIONS.

DESPITE THEIR VALUE,
MANY OF THE GOODWILL ROCKS

ARE NOT TREATED
AS NATIONAL TREASURES.

ALASKA'S APOLLO 11 MOON ROCK
IS LOST IN A FIRE.

1976, DELAWARE'S
APOLLO 11 MOON ROCK

IS STOLEN FROM A DISPLAY.

1977, IRELAND'S
APOLLO 11 MOON ROCK

IS THROWN AWAY IN A DUMP.

THE DISAPPEARANCES
SPAWN A SHADOWY ILLEGAL TRADE.

IN THE 1990s,

NASA's INVESTIGATIVE ARM
BECAME AWARE

THAT THERE WAS A RASH
OF SALES OF FAKE MOON ROCKS.

WE HAD CON ARTISTS
SELLING BOGUS MOON ROCKS

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

NASA ASSIGNS
SPECIAL AGENT JOE GUTHEINZ

TO CLAMP DOWN
ON THE ILLEGAL TRADE.

I DECIDED, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M SICK AND TIRED
OF CON ARTISTS,

UH, FLEECING PEOPLE
OUT OF THEIR LIFE'S SAVINGS

WITH BOGUS MOON ROCKS AND DUST."

AND I DECIDED,
"I'M GONNA GO AFTER THEM."

GUTHEINZ GETS
AN ABANDONED BUNKER

ON THE NORTH SIDE
OF NASA's JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

TO USE AS HIS OPERATIONAL HQ.

HE SPENDS MONTHS
CHASING DOWN LEADS.

BUT AFTER ONLY A FEW ARRESTS,
HE DECIDES TO CHANGE TACTICS.

I THOUGHT, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE SHOULDN'T BE WAITING
FOR THE VICTIMS TO COME TO US.

WE SHOULD REACH OUT

AND HAVE THE CON ARTISTS
APPROACH US DIRECTLY."

I PUT AN AD IN U.S.A. TODAY,

TITLED "MOON ROCKS WANTED."

AND I BASICALLY DIRECTED THE
CON ARTISTS TO COME TO ME.

ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,
GUTHEINZ GETS A BITE.

GUTHEINZ GETS A CALL
FROM ALAN ROSEN,

A MIAMI BUSINESSMAN

WHO SAYS HE HAS
A REAL MOON ROCK TO SELL.

GUTHEINZ IS OBVIOUSLY SKEPTICAL,

AND SAYS,
"WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE?"

HE DIRECTED ME TO
A WEB PAGE ADDRESS.

AND ON THAT WEB PAGE ADDRESS
WAS A 10-BY-14-INCH PLAQUE

WITH A LUCITE BALL,

A THE FLAG
OF THE RECIPIENT COUNTRIES.

AND I IMMEDIATELY
RECOGNIZED THAT

AS A POSSIBLE
APOLLO 17 GOODWILL GIFT.

THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

WE WEREN'T DEALING WITH
A CON ARTIST SELLING US DIRT.

WE WERE DEALING WITH A SELLER
SELLING US THE THE REAL THING.

A MOON ROCK.

IT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

GUTHEINZ MUST PLAN
HIS NEXT MOVE CAREFULLY

TO PREVENT ROSEN
FROM GOING UNDERGROUND

AND TAKING
THE MOON ROCK WITH HIM.

I DECIDE, WE'RE GONNA SET UP
A MEETING.

AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO ENCOURAGE
HIM TO BRING OUT THE MOON ROCK

SO THAT WE COULD SEE IT
AND SEIZE IT.

KNOWING THAT THE
SELLER IS LIKELY TO BE WARY

OF A STING,
HE CREATES A BACKSTORY

THAT MAKES HIM SEEM
LIKE A GENUINE BUYER.

I CREATED A FICTITIOUS COMPANY.

WE CALLED IT
"JOHN'S ESTATE SALES."

I BROUGHT IN A, UH,
POSTAL INSPECTOR

BY THE NAME OF BOB CREGGER.

AND I MADE HIM THE PRESIDENT
OF THE COMPANY, JOHN MARTA.

I TOOK ON THE UNDERCOVER NAME
OF TONY CORIASSO.

AND I BECAME THE CHIEF
SALESMAN OF THE COMPANY.

HE AND CREGGER,
AS THEIR ALTER-EGOS,

SET UP A MEETING WITH ALAN ROSEN

TO INSPECT THIS MOON ROCK

AND, FROM ROSEN'S PERSPECTIVE,
SEAL THE DEAL.

GUTHEINZ AND HIS PARTNER
ARRIVE AT THE RESTAURANT

AND WAIT FOR THEIR CONTACT.

I WAS WEARING A LOOSE
JACKET WITH, UH,

WITH MY GUN TUCKED
INTO MY BELT IN THE BACK.

ROSEN ARRIVES
ALMOST AN HOUR LATER.

HE IMMEDIATELY GETS DOWN
TO BUSINESS.

ALAN ROSEN TELLS ME
HE WANTS $5 MILLION

FOR THE MOON ROCK.

THERE WAS ONE PROBLEM...
WE DIDN'T HAVE $5 MILLION.

ROSEN WAS NOT GONNA
GO AHEAD WITH THE DEAL.

HE WAS NOT GONNA DO IT
UNLESS WE HAD PROOF

THAT WE HAD HIS ASKING PRICE.

THE MOON ROCK IS
SLIPPING THROUGH HIS FINGERS.

GUTHEINZ NEEDS TO FIND
THE MONEY, AND FAST.

GETTING THE $5
MILLION WAS A PROBLEM.

I'LL ASK NASA.

NASA DIDN'T HAVE THE $5 MILLION.

WE'LL ASK DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE $5 MILLION.

WHAT GUTHEINZ NEEDS
IS A FINANCIAL BACKER.

SOMEONE WITH DEEP POCKETS

WHO'D BE WILLING TO FRONT HIM
THE CASH FOR NO REWARD,

OTHER THAN PATRIOTIC DUTY.

HE TURNS TO TWO-TIME
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

AND BILLIONAIRE, ROSS PEROT.

WITH TIME RUNNING OUT,
GUTHEINZ PICKS UP THE PHONE.

AT FIRST, THE ONLY
RESPONSE HE GETS

IS A PROMISE FROM A SECRETARY
TO PASS ON THE MESSAGE TO PEROT.

JUST AS HE'S GETTING READY

TO GIVE UP ON THE MONEY,
JOE GETS A CALL.

THE PHONE RINGS.
I PICK UP THE PHONE.

HE SAYS, "HELLO, JOE.

THIS IS ROSS PEROT.

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?"

I SAID, "UH,

WE WOULD LOVE TO GET
$5 MILLION FROM YOU

IN ORDER TO, UM,

GET A MOON ROCK BACK
IN A STING OPERATION."

"NO PROBLEM, JOE. GLAD TO HELP."

WITHIN A FEW HOURS, PEROT

TRANSFERS THE MONEY
INTO GUTHEINZ'S ACCOUNT,

TURNING HIM
INTO A MILLIONAIRE OVER NIGHT.

A PRINTED BANK BALANCE
GIVES HIM THE PROOF

HE NEEDS TO SHOW
HE'S A GENUINE BUYER.

WHEN HE REQUESTS
A SECOND MEETING WITH ROSEN

TO DISCUSS THE DEAL, THE SELLER

SUGGESTS THEY MEET
AT A BANK VAULT.

ROSEN GOES INTO THE BANK.

HE MEETS WITH THE ALLEGED
BANK OFFICIAL,

WHO'S REALLY A CUSTOMS AGENT.

THE CUSTOMS AGENT
TAKES HIM INTO THE VAULT

AND OPENS UP A CONTAINER.

AND IN THAT CONTAINER
IS THE MOON ROCK.

AGENTS FROM
THE U.S. CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT

PUT ROSEN UNDER ARREST.

GAME OVER. WE WIN.

THE MOON ROCK
HE WAS TRYING TO SELL

IS STILL IN ITS ORIGINAL
PRESENTATION CASE.

EXAMINING THE ROCK, NASA

DETERMINES IT'S THE APOLLO
17 GOODWILL MOON ROCK

THAT WAS PRESENTED
TO HONDURAS IN 1973.

ROSEN BOUGHT THE ROCK

FROM A RETIRED HONDURAN
ARMY OFFICER

AFTER IT MYSTERIOUSLY
DISAPPEARED

FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.

AFTER A LENGTHY COURT CASE,

THE MOON ROCK WAS RETURNED
TO THE PEOPLE OF HONDURAS.

A U.S. DISTRICT COURT FINDS
THAT ALAN ROSEN'S ATTEMPT

TO SELL THE ROCK
WAS NOT ILLEGAL,

AND HE FACES NO CHARGES.

TODAY, JOE GUTHEINZ

CONTINUES TO HUNT
FOR THE GOODWILL MOON ROCKS.

THERE ARE 158 MOON ROCKS

THAT WE GAVE AWAY TO THE NATIONS

OF THE WORLD
THAT ARE STILL MISSING.

AND I'M NOT GONNA GIVE UP
UNTIL I FIND THOSE.

COMING UP, CHRIS HADFIELD

LOSES VISION IN BOTH EYES

ON HIS FIRST SPACE WALK.

IT RENDERED HIM BLIND
OUTSIDE THE SPACE STATION,

FLOATING IN SPACE.

ASTRONAUT CHRIS HADFIELD

STEPS INTO THE VACUUM OF SPACE
ON HIS FIRST SPACE WALK.

MOMENTS AFTER LEAVING
THE SPACE STATION,

HE LOSES VISION.
- THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED.

WE'VE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN
TO AN ASTRONAUT BEFORE.

MISSION CONTROL
IS POWERLESS TO HELP.

WHEN YOU'RE ON A SPACE WALK, UH,

YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH
DEPENDENT ON YOURSELF.

IT'S VERY SIMPLE.

IF YOU LOSE YOUR COOL, YOU DIE.

APRIL 22, 2001.

THE CREW OF THE I.S.S.
IS 3 DAYS INTO MISSION 6A.

CHRIS HADFIELD IS PREPARING
TO WALK IN SPACE

FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN HIS ASTRONAUT CAREER.

THESE WERE
THE RELATIVELY EARLY DAYS

OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION PROGRAM.

AND WE WERE AT THE STAGE
OF MAJOR ASSEMBLY,

WHICH MEANT A LOT OF SPACE
WALKS WERE GONNA BE REQUIRED.

CHRIS ISN'T A CELEBRITY
JUST YET.

NOBODY HAS SEEN HIM SINGING
DAVID BOWIE SONGS

OR HIS FUNNY LITTLE
SCIENCE PROJECTS.

THE WATER SORT OF
HAS IT STICK TO MY HAND.

HADFIELD'S JOB IS TO INSTALL

THE COMPONENT
CALLED THE CANADARM2.

THIS BIG ROBOTIC ARM... IT'S,
LIKE, A BIG, WHITE CRANE.

WE COULD NOT HAVE BUILT
THE SPACE STATION

OR DONE A LOT OF THE...

THE SPACE WALKS
THAT WE HAVE HAD TO DO

AND WILL DO WITHOUT THAT ARM.

HADFIELD IS ABOUT TO MAKE

A PIECE OF NATIONAL HISTORY

AS THE FIRST CANADIAN
TO LEAVE A SPACECRAFT.

THERE'S NOTHING
LIKE A SPACE WALK.

THAT IS THE... THE PINNACLE

OF ALMOST EVERY ASTRONAUT'S
EXPERIENCE.

THEY'RE FLOATING 260 MILES
ABOVE THE EARTH

AT 17,500 MILES AN HOUR.

YOU'RE ANXIOUS. YOU'RE EXCITED.

BUT THE THING THAT REALLY IS
GOIN' THROUGH YOUR HEAD

IS, "I KNOW I HAVE THESE
THINGS TO DO OUT THERE.

I WANNA MAKE SURE
I DO 'EM RIGHT."

WITHIN MOMENTS
OF BEGINNING IS E.V.A.,

HADFIELD IS IN TROUBLE.

HE GETS THIS SUDDEN BURST
OF PAIN IN HIS LEFT EYE,

AND TEARS START TO FLOW.

THE ASTRONAUT ATTEMPTS
TO PUSH THROUGH THE PAIN

AND KEEP WORKING.

BUT THE SITUATION GETS WORSE.

IN MICROGRAVITY,
TEARS DON'T FALL.

THEY DON'T RUN DOWN YOUR FACE
LIKE THEY DO HERE ON EARTH.

IT JUST FORMED A BALL
OF MOISTURE AND LIQUID

ON HIS EYE.

HIS LEFT EYE IS BLIND
AND SNAPPED SHUT.

AND THE PROBLEM IS SPREADING.

IT RAN ACROSS HIS NOSE
AND WENT INTO HIS OTHER EYE

AND JUST RENDERED HIM BLIND
OUTSIDE THE SPACE STATION,

FLOATING IN SPACE.

TRAPPED INSIDE HIS OWN SUIT,

HADFIELD IS POWERLESS
TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

WHEN YOU'RE OUT ON A SPACE WALK,
IN YOUR SPACE SUIT, YOU...

YOU CAN'T REACH UP
AND JUST WIPE YOUR EYE

IF SOMETHING GETS INTO IT.

HADFIELD CONTACTS
MISSION CONTROL IN HOUSTON.

TECHNICIANS IMMEDIATELY
START TO BRAINSTORM

WHAT COULD BE GOING WRONG.

SO ONE OF THE FIRST THOUGHTS
OF WHAT COULD CAUSE

THIS EYE IRRITATION WAS POSSIBLY

LITHIUM HYDROXIDE,
WHICH IS A CHEMICAL

THAT WE USE AS PART OF THE SUIT

TO SCRUB THE CARBON DIOXIDE
OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

LEAKS OF THIS HIGHLY
CAUSTIC CHEMICAL

HAVE CAUSED PROBLEMS
ON PREVIOUS NASA MISSIONS.

DURING GEMINI 10 IN 1966, UH,

JOHN YOUNG AND MIKE COLLINS
DID HAVE THIS PROBLEM

WHERE LITHIUM HYDROXIDE
DID GET INTO THEIR HELMETS.

AND THEY HAD TO TERMINATE
THE E.V.A. EARLY.

NASA TECHNICIANS FEAR THE
SITUATION COULD GET WORSE

UNLESS THE ASTRONAUT
TAKES IMMEDIATE ACTION.

LITHIUM HYDROXIDE
IS A VERY CAUSTIC CHEMICAL.

AND SO IF IT GETS
INTO THE SUIT ENVIRONMENTS,

IT'S CAUSE FOR GREAT CONCERN.

IF THE SUBSTANCE
REACHES THE LUNGS,

IT COULD CAUSE VIOLENT CHOKING
AND EVENTUAL SUFFOCATION.

MISSION CONTROL ORDERS
HADFIELD TO OPEN HIS SUIT

TO THE VACUUM OF SPACE

IN AN ATTEMPT TO FLUSH OUT
THE DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE.

THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT
A NORMAL PROCEDURE.

THE LAST THING
AN ASTRONAUT WANTS TO DO

IS ACTUALLY PUT A HOLE
IN HIS SUIT.

HE STILL CAN'T SEE. AND HE HAS HIS VENT,
HIS OXYGEN,

GOING OUT TO SPACE.

AND I THINK IS JUST HOPING

THAT THIS VENT TO SPACE
WILL WORK FOR HIM.

AFTER 30 MINUTES
OF BLINDNESS AND PAIN,

THE EMERGENCY VENT
APPEARS TO WORK.

HADFIELD'S VISION RETURNS.

INCREDIBLY, HE THEN CONTINUES
WITH HIS ASSIGNED TASK,

WORKING NONSTOP
OUTSIDE THE SPACE STATION

FOR ALMOST 8 HOURS.

THAT'S JUST THE NATURE
OF HOW ASTRONAUTS ARE.

WE'RE... WE'RE NEVER QUITTERS.

WE WANNA GET THE JOB DONE.

AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING
WE CAN TO KEEP GOING.

ASTRONAUTS, BY THEIR NATURE,

HAVE TO SUPPRESS THEIR FEAR

BECAUSE WHAT THEY'RE DOING
IS INHERENTLY SCARY.

NASA CONDUCTS AN INVESTIGATION
INTO THE INCIDENT.

THERE IS NO SIGN
OF THE LITHIUM HYDROXIDE LEAK

THEY'D SUSPECTED.

SO THEY LOOK FOR OTHER CAUSES.

THEY FIRST INVESTIGATE A
MEDICAL CONDITION CAUSED

BY LOW GRAVITY,
KNOWN AS PAPILLEDEMA.

PAPILLEDEMA,
AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS

THAT WE'VE SEEN, COULD BE CAUSED

BY ELEVATED LEVELS
OF INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE,

OR THE PRESSURE
INSIDE OF YOUR HEAD.

PAPILLEDEMA CAN
CAUSE PAIN AND TEARS.

BUT THE SYMPTOMS TAKE
SEVERAL HOURS TO MANIFEST.

HADFIELD'S BLINDNESS
STRUCK WITHIN SECONDS.

EVENTUALLY, NASA's INVESTIGATION

ARRIVES AT
A SIMPLER EXPLANATION.

THEY WERE GOING
OVER ALL THE POSSIBILITIES

AT MISSION CONTROL

WHEN CAPCOM SAID,

"CHRIS, DID YOU REMEMBER
TO USE YOUR ANTI-FOG STUFF?

WE DON'T THINK
YOU USED IT PROPERLY.

ARE YOU SURE
YOU GOT IT ALL OFF?"

JUST LIKE WHEN YOU GO OUT
AND GO SCUBA DIVING,

YOU USE A LITTLE SOAP
OR SPIT TO CLEAN YOUR MASK

TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS CLEAR
AND DOESN'T FOG UP.

WE DO THE SAME THING.
WE HAVE A...

A DETERGENT SOLUTION

THAT WE RUB ON THE INSIDE
OF THE VISOR.

AND AS IT TURNED OUT,
THERE WAS JUST A LITTLE RESIDUE OF SOAP.

AND SO CHRIS
GOT SOAP IN HIS EYE.

THE EXPLANATION
SOLVES THE MYSTERY

OF HADFIELD'S SUDDEN
SPACE BLINDNESS.

BUT IT DOESN'T IMPRESS
THE ASTRONAUT HIMSELF.

HE SAID, "REALLY?
WE'RE USING DETERGENT?

NO MORE TEARS WASN'T AN OPTION?"

STILL TO COME...

MYSTERIOUS ORBS OF LIGHT
APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE

AND ENTER PEOPLE'S HOMES.

IT MOVED TOWARDS HER.
SHE SCREAMED.

AND IT EXPLODED.

ALL OVER THE WORLD, WITNESSES
REPORT TERRIFYING ENCOUNTERS

WITH EERIE SPHERES
OF GLOWING LIGHT.

THEY APPEAR OUT OF THIN AIR.

THEY SEEM TO MOVE
PRETTY MUCH AT RANDOM.

AND THEY'RE DANGEROUS.

THEY SEEM TO DEFY
THE LAWS OF NATURE.

IT CAN EVEN PASS
THROUGH SOLID OBJECTS.

A NASA SCIENTIST INVESTIGATES.

THEY KIND OF LOOK
LIKE LIGHTNING.

BUT THEY DON'T ACT
LIKE LIGHTNING.

SO WHAT COULD THEY BE?

MARCH 19, 1963.

EASTERN AIRLINES FLIGHT 539

ENCOUNTERS
A VIOLENT THUNDERSTORM

AS IT NEARS THE AIRSPACE
OF NEW YORK CITY.

THIS IS NO ORDINARY STORM.

A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR
OF ELECTRONICS

WAS FLYING ON AN INTERNAL
FLIGHT OVER THE UNITED STATES.

HE HEARD A LOUD CRASH.

AND IMMEDIATELY, A BLUE BALL
ABOUT THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL

APPEARED IN FRONT OF HIM,

TRAVELING PAST HIM

ALL THE WAY DOWN THE FUSELAGE,

AND PASSED THE AIR STEWARDESS

WHERE IT DISAPPEARED
WITH A LOUD EXPLOSION.

THIS STRANGE ENCOUNTER
IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE

OF THE PHENOMENON SCIENTISTS
CALL BALL LIGHTNING.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REPORTING
THIS PHENOMENON FOR CENTURIES.

THERE MUST BE THOUSANDS
OF WITNESSES,

BUT WE STILL
DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

THE TERRIFYING SPHERES
CAN STRIKE IN ANY CONDITION

WITHOUT WARNING.

A VERY INTERESTING BALL
LIGHTNING CASE

THAT I INVESTIGATED TOOK PLACE
IN 1975 IN THE WEST MIDLANDS.

THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND,

WAS IN THE GRIP
OF A FIERCE LIGHTNING STORM

WHEN ONE OF THE BALLS
APPEARED INSIDE A HOUSE.

A LADY WAS IN THE KITCHEN
OF HER HOME.

SUDDENLY, A BALL
APPEARED IN FRONT OF HER

ABOUT 4 INCHES,
5 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

IT MOVED TOWARDS HER.
SHE SCREAMED

AND INSTINCTIVELY BRUSHED
THE BALL AWAY WITH HER HAND.

AND IT EXPLODED.

THE STRANGE GLOWING
ORB INFLICTS SEVERE BURNS,

THEN MAKES A SOUND
LIKE A GUNSHOT AS IT VANISHES.

WHEN SHE EXAMINED HER CLOTHING,
SHE REALIZED THERE WAS A HOLE

THAT HAD BEEN MADE IN HER TIGHTS

AND IN HER DRESS.

AFTER CENTURIES OF SPECULATION,
A NASA SCIENTIST

UNDERTAKES THE FIRST
SERIOUS INVESTIGATION

INTO BALL LIGHTNING.

WARREN RAYLE CARRIED OUT
A SYSTEMATIC STUDY

BY COLLECTING REPORTS
OF BALL LIGHTNING

FROM EMPLOYEES OF ONE
OF THE NASA LABORATORIES.

HE WAS QUITE SURPRISED TO FIND

HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE SAID
THEY'D SEEN BALL LIGHTNING.

THE DATA LEADS RAYLE TO
SOME INTRIGUING OBSERVATIONS.

RAYLE FINDS THAT THERE ARE
TWO TYPES OF BALL LIGHTNING.

ONE THAT'S FORMED CLOSED
TO THE GROUND AND STAYS THERE.

THE SECOND IS FORMED UP
IN THE AIR

AND SLOWLY DRIFTS AROUND.

DESPITE COLLECTING HUNDREDS
OF EYEWITNESS REPORTS,

RAYLE IS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN THE
NATURE OF THESE STRANGE ORBS.

THE PROBLEM WITH BALL
LIGHTNING IS THAT FOR A LONG TIME,

THE ONLY EVIDENCE WE HAD
IS HUMAN OBSERVATIONS.

AND IN SCIENCE,
A HUMAN OBSERVATION

IS JUST NOT RIGOROUS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE
AN INSTRUMENT MEASUREMENT.

PART OF THE REASON
IT'S SO DIFFICULT

TO GET TO THE BOTTOM
OF WHAT BALL LIGHTNING IS,

IS BECAUSE IT'S SO DIFFICULT
TO CAPTURE IT ON CAMERA.

IN 2012, A CHANCE
ENCOUNTER IN QINGHAI, CHINA,

SHEDS NEW LIGHT
ON THE CENTURIES-OLD MYSTERY

OF BALL LIGHTNING.

CHINESE SCIENTISTS
ARE RECORDING A THUNDERSTORM

USING A SPECTROMETER.

THEY'RE LUCKY ENOUGH
TO SEE BALL LIGHTNING.

IT SEEMED TO BE
ABOUT 15 FEET ACROSS.

AND IT TRAVELED A DISTANCE
OF ABOUT 45 FEET.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME SCIENTISTS

HAVE ENCOUNTERED BALL LIGHTNING

WITH THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
TO ANALYZE IT.

THEY WERE ABLE TO
OBTAIN A SPECTRUM FROM THIS,

WHICH GAVE THEM SOME INDICATION

OF THE ELEMENTS
THAT WERE PRESENT,

ELEMENTS CONSISTENT WITH
MATERIAL FOUND IN ORDINARY SOIL.

THE ANALYSIS REVEALS THE BALL
OF LIGHTNING CONTAINS

TRACES OF SILICONE, CALCIUM,
AND IRON.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE.
WE KNOW WHAT IT'S MADE OF.

THIS AMAZING DISCOVERY

PROVIDES
THE FIRST CONCRETE EVIDENCE

OF THE WEIRD
GLOWING BALL'S COMPOSITION.

SO THIS SEEMS TO PROVE

THAT AT LEAST THIS KIND
OF BALL LIGHTNING

IS PRODUCED BY LIGHTNING
HITTING THE GROUND,

VAPORIZING ROCK AND SOIL
TO PRODUCE THESE ELEMENTS.

WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES
THE GROUND,

SOME OF THE MATERIAL
IN THE GROUND BECOMES IONIZED.

THE ATOMS AND PARTICLES

OF SOIL THROWN INTO THE AIR
BY THE LIGHTNING STRIKE

HAVE THEIR ELECTRONS
STRIPPED AWAY.

THESE TINY BITS OF DIRT
BECOME POSITIVELY CHARGED.

SO IT'S GONNA DRAW ANY
ELECTRONS IN THE AREA TO IT.

AND WHEN THOSE ELECTRONS
RECOMBINE WITH THAT ION,

LIGHT WILL BE EMITTED.

IT'S THIS BREAKING
AND REFORMING OF PARTICLES

BY A LIGHTNING STRIKE

THAT CREATES THE STRANGE
GLOWING BALLS.

IT'S A COMPELLING THEORY,

BUT IT DOESN'T EXPLAIN SOME
OF THE MOST FAMOUS SIGHTINGS.

WHILE THIS MIGHT
WORK AS AN EXPLANATION

FOR BALL LIGHTNING
THAT'S SEEN IN THE OPEN AIR,

IT DOESN'T WORK VERY WELL

WHEN YOU TRY TO EXPLAIN
BALL LIGHTNING WITHIN A BUILDING

OR SEEN WITHIN AN AIRCRAFT.

SOME OF THESE GLOWING BALLS
ARE APPEARING IN CLEAR SKIES.

NO THUNDER OR LIGHTNING.

SO THEY CAN'T BE MADE
FROM LIGHTNING.

SOMETHING ELSE
MUST BE HAPPENING.

IT SEEMS THAT, FOR NOW,

THE ENIGMA
OF BALL LIGHTNING INDOORS.

THE FACT THAT BALL
LIGHTNING HAS BEEN STUDIED

FOR NEARLY 200 YEARS

AND THERE'S STILL
NO REAL SOLUTION

TO WHAT IT MIGHT BE MAKES IT ONE
OF THE MOST EXCITING MYSTERIES

OF SCIENCE.

UP NEXT...

SOMETHING IS TEARING A HOLE
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

THERE ARE FORCES AT WORK HERE.

AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND
HOW THIS IS HAPPENING.

SCIENTISTS DETECT SIGNS
OF A DESTRUCTIVE FORCE

ON THE FRINGES
OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

IT APPEARS MASSIVE ENOUGH
TO CAUSE DAMAGE.

IT'S GOING AROUND THE SUN,

STIRRING UP THIS REGION,
TURNING IT INTO DUST.

DID ANCIENT ASTRONOMERS
PREDICT ITS COMING?

IT'S LIKE SCIENCE FICTION,
BUT COMING TRUE.

AUGUST 30, 1992.

SCIENTISTS AT THE MAUNA KEA
OBSERVATORY IN HAWAII

DISCOVER AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT

BEYOND THE KNOWN LIMITS
OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

BEFORE 1992, WE HADN'T FOUND
ANYTHING PAST PLUTO.

AND WE HADN'T EXPECTED
ANYTHING TO BE THERE.

ANOTHER DISCOVERY SOON FOLLOWS.

THEN ANOTHER,

UNTIL SCIENTISTS REALIZE
THEY ARE LOOKING AT MILLIONS

OF OBJECTS IN THE OUTER
REACHES OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

WE START TO SEE THESE ENORMOUS
POPULATIONS OF OBJECTS.

THIS VAST RESERVOIR.

THESE ICY OBJECTS MAKE UP A
BAND AROUND 2 BILLION MILES DEEP,

KNOWN AS THE KUIPER BELT.

THEY MAY OFFER CLUES ABOUT
HOW THE SOLAR SYSTEM BEGAN.

THESE ARE PRIMORDIAL PIECES

THAT TELL US
ABOUT THE COMPOSITION

AND THE STRUCTURE
OF THE MATERIAL

FROM WHICH
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM FORMED.

THIS BELT OF ROCKY OBJECTS
REPRESENTS THE LEFTOVERS

OF THE BIRTH
OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

BUT AS ASTRONOMERS
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

LOOK DEEPER INTO THIS GIANT
ASTEROID BELT,

THEY DISCOVER SOMETHING
COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED.

JUST A YOU'RE COMING
TO THE PART OF THE KUIPER BELT

THAT HAS THE MOST MATERIAL,
IT STOPS.

IT ENDS. THERE'S
NOTHING ELSE BEYOND IT.

THERE SHOULD BE AN ENORMOUS
RESERVOIR OF MATERIAL

AS YOU GO FATHER OUT.

AND IT'S JUST NOT THERE.

EVERYTHING WE KNOW TELLS US

THAT THE VAST RING OF ROCKS
SHOULD EXTEND DEEP INTO SPACE.

BUT INSTEAD, IT STOPS DEAD
LIKE A CLIFF EDGE

WITH TOTAL EMPTINESS BEYOND.

NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN IT.
THERE SHOULD BE

LOADS OF ASTEROIDS HERE,
BUT THERE'S NOT.

WHY DID IT JUST
STOP SO SUDDENLY?

PERHAPS THE MOST
INTRIGUING THEORY

TO EXPLAIN THE PURE EMPTINESS

IS THAT SOMETHING VAST

AND INVISIBLE
HAS CLEARED THE AREA.

THERE COULD BE ANOTHER PLANET
OUT THERE

UP TO 20 TIMES
THE SIZE OF THE EARTH.

ASTRONOMERS CALL IT PLANET X.

THERE HAVE BEEN SPECULATIONS
ALWAYS

THAT THERE'S
A PLANET X OUT THERE

THAT IS SCULPTING THE KUIPER
BELT FROM THE OUTSIDE.

THE GRAVITATIONAL PUSHES
AND PULLS FROM THIS PLANET

ARE KIND OF LIKE A BROOM
SWEEPING THIS MATERIAL,

PUSHING IT TOGETHER

AND CAUSING IT
TO COLLIDE, GRIND DOWN.

WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT A 10th PLANET

IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

IT'S LIKE SCIENCE FICTION,
BUT COMING TRUE.

PLANET X, AN UNKNOWN WORLD
AT THE EDGE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,

IS A SCIENCE FICTION STAPLE.

BUT THE IDEA
OF THE INVISIBLE PLANET

GOES BACK TO THE VERY
EARLIEST DAYS OF ASTRONOMY.

OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
PEOPLE HAVE HYPOTHESIZED

THAT THERE WERE MORE
THAN JUST THE PLANETS

THAT WE KNOW OF TODAY.

IN FACT, YOU CAN EVEN TO BACK
TO THE TIME OF THE BABYLONIANS

WHEN THEY POSITED THE IDEA

THAT THERE MIGHT BE
SOME 12th PLANET

OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
ON SOME STRANGE ORBIT.

A DISTANT PLANET OUT THERE

THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN
ABLE TO SEE YET,

BARRELING TOWARDS US.

SOMEDAY MAYBE EVEN
HITTING EARTH.

TODAY, ASTRONOMERS
CAN ACCESS THE LATEST DATA

FROM INFRARED OBSERVATORIES
IN SPACE PROBES

IN THE SEARCH FOR PLANET X.

THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED

IN TRYING TO FIND MATERIAL

IN THE VERY DISTANT PARTS
OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

WE SEE STRANGE EVIDENCE

THAT INDICATES THERE'S
SOME HIDDEN MYSTERY OUT THERE.

MAYBE IT'S A PLANET X.

IN 2016,

COMPUTER MODELING
BY ASTRONOMERS AT CALTECH

PROVIDES THE STRONGEST
EVIDENCE YET

OF AN UNSEEN PLANET
LURKING AT THE OUTER EDGE

OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

BUT TO DATE, NO ONE
HAS LOCATED PLANET X.

MAYBE IT'S TOO DARK.

MAYBE WE HAVEN'T LOOKED
IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

MAYBE IT'S VERY DENSE AND SMALL.

THE SEARCH CONTINUES.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

IN 2006,
NASA LAUNCHES THE NEW HORIZONS PROBE

TO ANSWER SOME OF THE MYSTERIES
OF THE OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM.

ITS 3 BILLION MILE JOURNEY
LASTS MORE THAN A DECADE.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR SOMETHING
THE SIZE OF A PLANET

TO REMAIN UNDETECTED
FOR ALL THESE YEARS?

OF COURSE IT IS.
THE SKY IS ENORMOUS.

THE PLACES THAT SUCH A PLANET
COULD BE HIDING ARE VAST.

ON AUGUST 28, 2015,

NEW HORIZONS GETS A NEW TARGET.

HUBBLE TELESCOPE IMAGES
INDICATE THE PRESENCE

OF AN UNKNOWN OBJECT
DEEP WITHIN THE KUIPER BELT.

NEW HORIZONS SHOULD MAKE
CONTACT SOMETIME IN 2019.

WE'VE ONLY JUST STARTED
EXPLORING THE KUIPER BELT.

WE STILL DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT TO EXPECT OUT THERE.

STILL TO COME...

MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSIONS TURN NIGHT

INTO DAY IN THE SKIES
OVER RUSSIA.

SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENED.

THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE
A NATURAL CAUSE.

A HUGE FLASH LIGHTS UP THE SKIES

ABOVE A HIGHLY RESTRICTED AREA
IN CENTRAL RUSSIA.

THIS HUGE EXPLOSION COVERS
HALF OF THE SKY IN FRONT OF THEM.

DASH CAM FOOTAGE
OF THE TERRIFYING INCIDENT

BECOMES AN ONLINE SENSATION.

IT SCARED SO MANY RUSSIANS.

YOU COULD HEARD THEM SCREAMING
AND WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES JUST
DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

NOVEMBER 14, 2014.

THE NIGHT SKIES

OVER RUSSIA'S REMOTE SVERDLOVSK
REGION EXPLODE INTO LIGHT.

PEOPLE WITNESS AN ENORMOUS
BURST OF ORANGE LIGHT

THAT TURNS NIGHT INTO DAY.

THEY SEE THIS HUGE EXPLOSION
ON THE HORIZON

THAT COVERS HALF OF THE SKY
IN FRONT OF THEM.

ON A HIGHWAY JUST OUTSIDE

THE SMALL INDUSTRIAL TOWN
OF REZH,

A RUSSIAN MOTORIST CAPTURES
THE EVENT ON HIS DASH CAM.

THIS TIME, WE HAVE
ACTUAL FOOTAGE OF THIS

GOING ON OVER RUSSIA
AND THE URALS.

IT SCARED SO MANY RUSSIANS.

AND THEY TOOK A LOT
OF PICTURES OF IT.

YOU COULD HEAR THEM SCREAMING
AND WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THIS HUGE ORANGE
AND YELLOW FIREBALL...

IT'S VERY LARGE, VERY BIG.

AND THEN, IT IMMEDIATELY
DISBURSES TO NOTHING.

WORD OF THE EVENT
QUICKLY SPREADS.

A HUGE ORANGE LIGHT OVER RUSSIA

IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING
TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

THE SVERDLOVSK REGION IS AN AREA

ABOUT THE SIZE OF NEBRASKA
DEEP IN THE RUSSIAN INTERIOR.

DURING THE COLD WAR,

THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES MADE IT
TOTALLY OFF-LIMITS TO FOREIGNERS

TO PROTECT THE MILITARY
SECRETS HIDDEN THERE.

IT WAS SO REMOTE,
SO FAR FROM ANYTHING,

THAT YOU COULD TEST WEAPONS
OF ANY KIND OUT THERE,

INCLUDING BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.

NO OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

FOR THE STRANGE LIGHTS
COMES OUT OF RUSSIA.

THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES
REFUSED TO COMMENT ON IT.

THEY JUST DON'T WANNA TALK
ABOUT IT.

MANY LOCALS BELIEVE
THE INCREDIBLE LIGHT SHOW

WAS EVIDENCE OF A METEOR STRIKE.

METEORITES ENTER THE
ATMOSPHERE AT A TREMENDOUS SPEED.

THEY BURN UP AND CAN EXPLODE
INTO A GIANT FIREBALL.

THE TOWN OF CHELYABINSK,

SITE OF A DEVASTATING METEOR
EXPLOSION IN 2013,

IS ONLY 100 MILES AWAY.

A 20-METER METEOR
STREAKED ACROSS THE SKY

AT A VERY LOW GRAZING ANGLE

AND EXPLODED WITH
25 TIMES THE EXPLOSION

THAT DEVASTATED HIROSHIMA
AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II.

MANY OF THE SVERDLOVSK LOCALS

HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAUGHT
IN THE BLAST.

IT BLEW OUT WINDOWS
IN OVER 7,200 OFFICE BUILDINGS

IN SIX NEARBY CITIES.

NO SHOCKWAVE ACCOMPANIES

THE BIZARRE LIGHT SHOW
OVER SVERDLOVSK.

BUT SOME BELIEVE
IT IS ANOTHER METEOR

BURNING UP
IN EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.

IT IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE
OF A METEOR FIREBALL.

IT'S ABOVE THE CLOUDS,
SO YOU DON'T SEE THE METEOR.

YOU JUST SEE THE LIGHT.

IT'S NOT SURPRISING

TO SEE A FLASH IN THE SKY
FROM AN INCOMING METEOR.

WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY
78,000 TONS OF MATERIAL

HITTING THE EARTH
EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM
WITH THE METEOR THEORY.

I WOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED SUCH
A DEEP RED, ORANGE COLOR.

METEORITES TYPICALLY
EXPLODE WHITE, NOT ORANGE.

SO SOMETHING ELSE IS PROBABLY
GOING ON HERE.

WHEN FOOTAGE
OF THE LIGHT FLASH GOES VIRAL,

ONLINE COMMENTATORS

SUGGEST IT COULD BE AN EXPLOSION
FROM AN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT.

ONE LOCAL SITE SUGGESTED THAT
THERE'S AN OLD CHEMICAL PLANT

NEARBY THAT COULD HAVE EXPLODED.

IF YOU HAVE A CHEMICAL PLANT
THAT EXPLODES,

IT DEFINITELY COULD LOOK
THAT BIG AND THAT YELLOW

AND THAT HOT.

BUT LOCAL NEWS REPORTS
CONTAIN NO MENTION

OF ANY SUCH INCIDENTS.

EVEN IN RUSSIA,
YOU WOULD EXPECT AN EVENT

LIKE THAT TO MAKE THE NEWS.

AND IT WOULD SHOW UP
ON SATELLITE IMAGERY.

WE WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY SEE
WHAT WAS GOING ON,

ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS
A FLASH THAT BIG.

OTHER COMMENTATORS SPECULATE

THAT THE COLOSSAL LIGHT FLASH

BY COULD BE MADE
THE RUSSIAN MILITARY.

WE EXPECT THAT THE RUSSIANS
WOULD TEST THINGS

FAR FROM PRYING EYES.

AND SO WHEN SOMETHING STRANGE
HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSSIA,

THERE'S AN IMMEDIATE SUSPICION

THAT THE RUSSIAN MILITARY
IS UP TO SOMETHING.

WHAT COULD BE GOING ON HERE?

COULD THIS BE A ROCKET TEST,
A MISSILE LAUNCH?

MISSILE TESTING CAN PRODUCE
SPECTACULAR LIGHT SHOWS.

THE COLOR, THE RED COLOR,

THE ORANGE COLOR

IS CONSISTENT
WITH A ROCKET MOTOR.

THE BRIGHT FLASH,
THE BRIEF DURATION...

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN ROCKETS EXPLODE.

THE RUSSIAN MILITARY
DENIES INVOLVEMENT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

ON MARCH 17, 2015,

THE WEAPON TESTING THEORY
GAINS GROUND

WHEN CAMERAS IN RUSSIA CAPTURE

ANOTHER WEIRD LIGHT
IN THE NIGHT SKY.

THIS SECOND EXPLOSION
ABOUT 4 MONTHS LATER

IS VERY DIFFERENT.
IT'S BLUE AND WHITE.

IT ALSO HAD SOME IMPACT
ON LIGHTING

AND ELECTRONICS LOCALLY.

MILITARY EXPERTS SPECULATE

THAT RUSSIA COULD BE TESTING A
DEVASTATING NEW SECRET WEAPON.

IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THIS BLUE
AND WHITE EXPLOSION

THAT WE'VE SEEN WAS, IN FACT,
THE TESTING OF AN EMP WEAPON.

AN ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE,
AN EMP,

CAN BE USED TO TAKE OUT
AN ENEMY'S ELECTRONICS,

COMPUTERS, COMMUNICATIONS
AND THE LIKE.

THE RUSSIAN
AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT OFFERED

ANY OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
FOR EITHER INCIDENT.

THE OFFICIAL WORD FROM RUSSIA

WAS THAT THERE IS
NO OFFICIAL WORD.

THE TWO REMARKABLE FLASHES

CONTINUE TO PROVOKE SPECULATION.

TO THIS DAY, WE STILL DON'T
KNOW WHAT THIS STRANGE EVENT IS.

THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE
A NATURAL CAUSE.

IT REMAINS COMPLETELY
UNEXPLAINED.

AS WE ENTER A NEW ERA
OF EXPLORATION,

WE ENCOUNTER NEW
AND UNPREDICTABLE THREATS.

EVEN WITH THE MOST
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY,

OUR ASTRONAUTS ARE ONLY HUMAN.

OUR OWN PLANET IS STILL A
PLACE OF MYSTERY AND WONDER.

AND FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN
IS NEVER FAR AWAY.

Subtitles Diego Moraes
www.oakisland.tk