Phenomenon: The Lost Archives

Season 1, Episode 4: Up for Sale

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On October 4, 1957, the Soviets launch the legendary orbiter, Sputnik, ushering in the space age. In 1998, the Russian Federation sends the first stage of the international space station, Freedom into space. While at first glance it seems little has changed, closer scrutiny reveals that billions of American dollars are being funneled to Russia to secure their participation in the Space Station partnership. Called by the elite of NASA, a foreign aid project for the Russians, the principle purpose of the program may be to abate the mass exodus of Russian rocket scientists to unfriendly nations interested in developing weapons of mass destruction.