Catch up TV

Series 1: 2. The Russian Thing

After the fall of the Soviet Union, a crown jewel of communism still survives: the Soviet space station, Mir, a final outpost of a fallen empire. But the country’s space program is fighting for survival, and the US government is concerned that Russian rocket scientists, with their valuable nuclear knowledge, might be recruited by 'rogue states'. \n\nAmerica responds to this situation with the Shuttle-Mir Programme: US astronauts train in Russia and live aboard Mir for months at a time. The partnership funnels vital funds to the Russian space agency while giving NASA the long-duration flight experience it needs.\n\nBut a perilous fire threatens everyone on board, and the crew faces an even greater crisis when a cargo ship collides with Mir, sending it tumbling out of control.\n\nFeaturing unseen personal archive footage that offers a rare glimpse inside Russia’s Star City, this is an unprecedented look at the nascent co-operation between two superpowers.

Source: BBC 2