According to PBS, the second episode of the miniseries “Once Upon a Time in Space” premiered on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, focusing on the harrowing 1997 near-disasters aboard the Russian space station Mir. Titled “The Russian Thing,” the chapter features archival material and an exclusive interview with veteran NASA astronaut Michael Foale regarding the life-threatening cargo pod collision that caused a severe decompression incident.
The 1997 Mir Collision and the Spektr Module Breach
On May 25, 1997, a manual docking maneuver involving an unmanned Progress cargo ship went wrong when the spacecraft collided with the Mir space station, ripping a large hole in the Spektr module, according to Michael Foale. Foale explains that the root cause of the accident was an attempt to save money by executing a manual rendezvous and docking from a distance of about six kilometers without using a radar system. The radar, which was built in Ukraine and cost $2 million, was skipped by Russian managers who did not want to pay the fee, according to Foale. Instead, the crew was tasked with testing the maneuver using a trash-filled Progress vehicle slated for de-orbiting into the Pacific Ocean.
During the test, cosmonaut Vasily Tsibliev could not determine the exact closing velocity of the cargo ship in real time because he lacked precise distance measurements needed to calculate speed, according to Foale. The resulting collision crumpled part of the Spektr module and cracked the joint at the base of the solar array, creating an unseen hole where air escaped and causing the spacecraft to spin wildly out of control. With only 23 minutes of oxygen left, Foale, Tsibliev, and cosmonaut Alexander “Sasha” Lazutkin managed to repair the damage and stabilize the station.
Did you know? The unmanned Progress cargo ship involved in the 1997 collision was already filled with trash and intended for de-orbiting into the Pacific Ocean before Russian managers repurposed it for the un-aided manual docking test, according to NASA astronaut Michael Foale.
Internal Spacewalk Reassignments and Post-Mission Fallout
Following the accident, space station leadership planned an internal spacewalk inside the Spektr module so Vasily Tsibliev and Alexander Lazutkin could reconnect power cables, according to Foale. However, due to the extreme stress of the collision event, Tsibliev failed the pre-spacewalk medical heart monitor test. Program head Valery Ryumin then asked Foale on the radio if he would perform the internal spacewalk instead, a request Foale knew would be humiliating for Tsibliev, who unfairly shouldered all the blame for the collision.
Foale ultimately retired from NASA in 2013 after a 30-year career spanning six space shuttle missions, noting that the initial lifestyle adjustment brought a period of depression. Although he briefly dreamed of becoming an astronaut guide on Axiom missions like Peggy Whitson or Michael Lopez-Alegria, he adjusted to life on Earth by soaring and flying in Texas mountains, according to his interview with Space.
Behind the Scenes of “Once Upon a Time in Space”
Directed by James Bluemel—known for the award-winning series “Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland”—the four-part PBS miniseries traces human spaceflight history through the personal accounts of astronauts, cosmonauts, and their families. Foale praised Bluemel’s interviewing technique, noting that the director tracked down early training footage from when Foale was a newly minted astronaut and used it to prompt reflections during filming.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Mir space station collision happen?
According to Michael Foale, the collision occurred on May 25, 1997, when an unmanned Progress cargo ship struck the station’s Spektr module during a manual docking test.
Who directed “Once Upon a Time in Space”?
The four-part miniseries was created by filmmaker James Bluemel, according to PBS reporting.
Where can I watch “Once Upon a Time in Space”?
Episodes air on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS app, with chapters rolling out weekly through August 2026.