Once Upon a Time in Space

Season 1 Episode 2: The Russian Thing

After the Soviet Union’s fall, the Mir space station remains a symbol of a vanished era, but Russia’s space program struggles to survive. The US worries that Russian rocket scientists with sensitive nuclear expertise could be recruited by rogue states. In response, the Shuttle-Mir Program is launched: American astronauts train in Russia and live aboard Mir, providing crucial funding to Russia’s space agency and giving NASA essential long-duration flight experience. Yet disaster strikes when a deadly fire erupts, followed by a cargo ship collision that sends Mir spinning out of control. Featuring rare personal archive footage from Russia’s Star City, this offers a unique glimpse into early cooperation between two global powers.

Genre:

Documentary

Seasons:

1

Episodes:

4

Cast:

Quality:

HD

Duration:

65 min

First Air:

2025

Rating:

8.0