01x27 - Space Junk / Scientific Sean

[bunniefuu]

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

♪ That's his name ♪

♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

♪ He'll rocket to fame ♪

♪ When he arrived, he created a buzz ♪

♪ 'Cause there was no house ♪

♪ And then there was, he said ♪

- ♪ People of Earth! You ain't seen nothing yet! ♪

♪ I'm from Bortron , and my name is Jet! ♪

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

♪ That's his name ♪

♪ He looks like us ♪

♪ But he isn't the same ♪

- ♪ I'm a space tripper and a galaxy crosser ♪

♪ My parents brought me here in a flying saucer ♪

- ♪ And just to prove it was a fact ♪

♪ He flew them out to space and back ♪

♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

[spaceship whirring]

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

- ♪ He showed up, and now it's a blast ♪

♪ Looks like the future really got here fast ♪

- ♪ Nice to meet you, human race ♪

♪ Tell me all about the place ♪

- Jet Propulsion!

- Jet Propulsion!

- Jet Propulsion!

all: Ready! Jet! Go!

[upbeat music]

- Ah, there you are, Jet.

Remember, you promised to clean your junk out of the garage.

I can hardly walk in there,

let alone practice my Bortronian folk dances.

[both humming and squeaking]

[quirky music]

- Oh, so that's why you wanted Sean and I to come over,

to help clean your garage.

- Yeah, I thought it'd be way more fun

if we did it together. - [barks]

[musical twang]

- Your mom's right.

It's way too crammed in here, Jet.

- I know, isn't it?

Okay, let's begin Operation Cleanup.

[all grunting and straining]

Ha, that should do it.

[rumbling] Problem solved.

All cleaned up.

[rumbling continues]

- [whimpers]

- [chuckles weakly] Oh, well, we tried.

- No, Jet, we told your mom we'd clean up the garage.

So we will. - Hey, I have an idea.

What if we just build a rocket, cram all this junk in it,

and sh**t it into outer space.

- Wow, this is a great idea.

- It'd be amazing if we could do that with your garbage, Jet.

Actually, with all the garbage on Earth,

and there's a lot.

- There is, huh?

Okay, maybe your mom and the DSA scientists

would know if we can sh**t my garbage

from the garage into space.

- Hmm, a "garbage rocket." Interesting idea, Jet.

- I know, isn't it?

All unwanted Earth junk can just...

pew...

get shot into space. There's a lot of room.

That's why they call it space. I should know.

I've been across half the galaxy--

Oh, I mean...

I've watched a lot of Earth movies about space.

That's, uh--that's what I mean.

Never been there. [chuckles weakly]

- [chuckles weakly] Right, of course, Jet.

Uh, there is a lot of space in space,

but, unfortunately,

humans have already filled outer space

with more junk than we'd like.

We call it "space junk." - "Space junk"?

- I never knew there was junk in space.

- I've never run into any.

I mean, uh, in movies or things like that.

- How would junk even get into space.

Did we put it there?

- Hmm, good questions.

Space junk is mostly made of pieces

that break off of older rockets and satellites.

We don't ever plan to put junk in space,

but it happens.

all: Whoa.

- It looks like it goes really fast.

- Oh, it does. Very fast.

And at that speed, a piece of junk

even the size of a blueberry can be dangerous

if it hits a satellite or the space station.

- Then we've gotta do something about this,

and keep our space neighborhood clean.

Let's see, what can we do?

- Dr. Rafferty, are scientists doing anything

about cleaning up the space junk?

- Yes, a lot of us are working on the problem.

Like designing better satellites and rockets,

so they won't become future space junk.

It's gonna take a lot of imagination and hard work.

Maybe one of you kids will come up with an idea one day.

- Or even right now.

I've got a great idea of how we can help clean up.

We can do an outer space project--

- I think Jet means backyard project.

Right, Jet? - Oh, ha, yeah.

- Uh, well, we should go. - [squeaks]

We'll try to be part of the solution, Dr. Rafferty.

Bye. - [chuckles]

That's a great attitude, Sydney.

Bye, Sean. Bye, kids.

Good luck.

♪ ♪

- All right, can we build something?

- Ooh, a flying bubble scooper.

- [squeaks] - I love it.

- But do you actually have the materials

to build something like--

♪ ♪

- Guess Sunspot really wants

to build that flying bubble scooper.

- I still can't believe

there's so much space junk up there,

but I guess I need to see the space junk for myself,

but then I'd have to travel to outer space,

but that's probably the only way to see the space junk

and help clean it up.

Maybe one of our moms isn't busy this afternoon

and could take us to see the space junk?

- Did someone say,

"Take us to see the space junk"?

Hop in, kids!

[together] Excelsior!

- [barks]

[electronic beeping] - All right, Mrs. Propulsion,

we know that space junk flies around really fast,

so we should be extra ca--

- ♪ Five, four, three, two, one ♪

♪ Doors are shut, engines on ♪

♪ Everybody in the place ♪

♪ Let's go into outer space! ♪

both: Ready Jet go!

[tires squealing]

[jet engine whirring]

[jet engine whooshing]

[adventure music]

♪ ♪

- Remember, Dr. Rafferty said that most space junk

is only the size of a blueberry,

so spotting any junk might be harder than we thought.

- Hey, Mom?

Don't you think Uncle Zucchini could help?

- Good thinking, Jet. After all,

Zucchini is a trash collector on Bortron .

- Hello?

Oh, hey, Jet. Hi!

- Hi, Uncle Z!

We're in the saucer above Earth

looking for space junk.

- Well, you called the right guy.

I know all about space junk,

and I happen to be in the area.

[laughs] See you in two shakes.

Zucchini, out. [communicator beeps]

- Yes, I get to hang with Uncle Z!

- Actually, we get to float around with him.

Let's meet him outside of the saucer.

- Uh, you guys can meet him outside.

There's no way I'm floating outside the saucer.

I can't believe I'm floating outside the saucer.

- Oh, hey, look. It's Uncle Zucchini.

[jet engine rumbles]

♪ ♪

[together] Hi, Uncle Zucchini!

- Hey, glad you all made it.

So, we're talking space junk,

garbage, litter, trash, right?

[together] Yes!

- I deal with that all the time.

It's my job.

The East Galaxy Garbage Company,

Bortron Division.

Mm, let's see here.

Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo, yeah.

You got yourself a space junk problem all right.

It's all around here. - [chitters]

- But I don't see any space junk.

- Well, most of it's teeny-tiny.

You know, like a... - Tiny like a blueberry, right?

- [squeaks and chitters] - Uh, is that a tiny thing?

All right, then. Tiny like a "blueberry."

[chuckles] Great Earth word,

but I have seen some bigger space junk

here in orbit over Earth,

like astronauts' gloves, cameras,

even a small scrubber-thingy for your tooths.

- A toothbrush?

- Yeah, right. Uh, one of those.

- So, when do we start cleaning up the space junk?

- [barking]

[drum roll]

[slide whistles]

- Oh, hello. [laughs]

Nice home-made thing-a-majiggy-bob

you got there, Sunspot.

[all cheer]

Okay, are you ready

to see how us professional space junk collectors

gather up space junk?

[together] Yes!

[quirky music]

♪ ♪

- An outer space net?

I love it! - Yeah, some folks like

to catch things to eat with a net.

Me? [laughs]

I catch junk.

♪ ♪

And here's our first customer.

And another. Ooh, and another.

- Looks like a piece of an Earth rocket wing.

- Wow, is that a part of a--

a keyboard?

- We've collected a pretty good haul of junk now.

It's time for the B.B.J.S.!

- Uh, Blue Bellbottom Jupiter Strawberries?

- Um, I'm guessing no.

[powering up]

- Whoa. - [gasps]

- Whoa!

- This is the B.B.J.S.

The Big Bortronian Junk Sucker!

My space junk vacuum.

both: Wow. - [laughs]

That's how we do it on Bortron .

You gonna vacuum up the junk now?

- Let's do it.

♪ ♪

[thrumming]

- [laughs]

[thrumming continues]

- This is unbelievable.

[musical twang]

- Yeah, that was a pretty good haul.

So, who wants to take a turn driving the B.B.J.S.?

- Ooh, yeah, I do, I do! - Oh, oh, oh I do!

- Ooh, me, me, me, me!

- Whee! Yeah!

Whoo-hoo! This is so much fun!

- [laughs] Excelsior!

[laughing]

- [chuckles] I'm chasing junk

with a Bortronian vacuum in outer space

with a guy named Zucchini. Pinch me!

Ow. I didn't mean that literally.

- [chitters]

- Well, okay.

That's about all the room I got in the saucer.

[soft fantasy music]

[together] Wow.

- That is a lot of space junk.

- Uncle Zucchini,

what do you do with all the space junk you collect?

- Well, I bring it back to Bortron ,

and then remake it into other things.

- Wait, wait, wait, wait.

You remake it?

Bortronians recycle space junk?

- Uh, the what--the wh-- the re-what, huh?

- On Earth, we recycle used things,

like plastic bottles, glass, and paper.

"Recycle" means to "remake."

Then we can use recycled things

for making computers or more paper.

- Or even to build new houses.

[alarm blaring] - Ooh, whoops.

There's a major spill on the asteroid belt near Vega.

Gotta wrap up the B.B.J.S and then motor.

[clears throat] Remember, kids,

we all have to do our part.

Like we say at home:

we only have one Bortron ,

so we better take care of it.

- I know. Bortron is way too hot.

[laughing] And Bortron ...

- Ah, forget about it.

It's freezing. [laughs]

Anyway, see you soon!

[together] Bye!

[jet engine revving]

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

[computer beeping]

- [sighs] There's still so much space junk.

We hardly cleaned up any today.

- At least we did something.

For future astronauts like me,

knowing there's a junk problem

should make us want to help solve it.

- Kind of like the garage?

I should really clean it up, you know?

[electronic bugle call playing]

[whirring] - [barking]

- What's that, Sunspot? You cleaned up the whole garage?

Thanks!

♪ ♪

[together] Wow.

- Whoo-hoo! Way to go, Sunspot!

- [chittering]

[clattering]

[all groan]

- Okay, Operation Garbage Cleanup Part

starts now.

♪ ♪

- [inhales] Ow.

Okay, that didn't really hurt.

These are just paper asteroids,

but if this had been a real asteroid,

then it really would have hurt,

but what're asteroids anyway?

Hi, I'm astronomer Amy Mainzer.

Asteroids are rocky leftovers

from the formation of our solar system

/ billion years ago.

Most of the asteroids in our solar system

live in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter,

and they've stayed there for a really long time.

Billions of years in some cases.

Asteroids come in all shapes and sizes.

Some are as huge as mountains and others are as small

as this little pretend one right here.

They're made out of all different things too.

Some are mostly made of metal and others are mostly rocks.

Still others are kind of like a dirty, old snowball.

A lot of people think that the asteroids

are really close together

because we see them sometimes like that in the movies,

but in reality, space is really, really big,

and the asteroids are incredibly far apart.

If you were in the asteroid belt,

they would mostly just look like little dots

if you were standing on the surface of one.

Most of the time, asteroids in the main belt

between Mars and Jupiter orbit around and around

doing the same thing for billions of years.

It's just like roller skaters

going around and around the rink.

They never touch each other.

But every now and again, they get a little too close...

both: Ooh! - And a collision can happen.

So the next time you're out riding around

with your friends, just pretend your an asteroid

gliding around the sun

in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter.

♪ ♪

[quirky music]

♪ ♪

- Hey, Mindy!

- Hi, Jet. Where you going?

- To the tree house. Wanna come with?

- No, thanks. I can't leave my yard today

'cause my abuelita's coming over.

- Your ab-well-what?

- Abuelita <span> means "grandma" in Spanish.

I wish I could come with you.

- [chittering]

- Sunspot says he'll stay here and keep you company

while you wait for your ab-well-ita.

- Really? Yay!

Hi, Sunspot. Wanna play tea party?

- [barks and trills]

[chitters]

- Hey, Sean. Hey, Sydney.

both: Hey, Jet. - Mindy's in her yard

waiting for her ab-well-ita.

- Her grandma's coming over?

Mindy's been looking forward to that

for a long time. - Ooh!

Drawing another Commander Cressida comic?

- Yep, I'm already up to page six.

- And I'm using Sydney's extra paper

to fold paper airplanes.

- Wait, paper airplanes? What are those?

- Oh, I guess it's an Earthie thing.

Sometimes we fold paper into airplanes and fly 'em.

Like this.

- Wowza!

That's the first time I've seen a folded up paper that flies.

Oh, please show me how to do it! - Okay.

See, you take a piece of paper

and fold it like this...

And throw it.

- Wow. How far can they fly?

Can they carry anything and still fly?

- Well, if it was a great paper airplane,

maybe we could fly one all the way to our backyards.

- Ooh, oh...

- And maybe a paper airplane could fly

and still carry a small payload inside it.

That's what they call the load a space shuttle carries.

- [laughs] - We should experiment.

- What if we roll up one of my Commander Cressida drawing

and try flying it down to Mindy.

- Ha, neato!

Our own paper airline!

- That's a great idea!

But we should be scientific about it.

- You mean, use the scientific method

to make the best paper airplanes?

- Jet, you remembered.

- Yep, it's a simple set of rules

that Earthie scientists use to make sure that

they're doing their experiments right.

- Right, and in a way that they can repeat.

You know, do over and over and try to get the same result.

- Would you mind if we sang the song again,

to help me remember it?

- I thought you'd never ask.

[clears throat]

all: One! - ♪ Ask a question ♪

all: ♪ Based on observations ♪

Two! - ♪ Make a prediction ♪

all: ♪ That's your hypothesis ♪

Three! - ♪ Experiment ♪

all: ♪ Test your hypothesis! ♪

Four! - ♪ Observe what happens ♪

all: ♪ And gather information ♪

Five! - ♪ Draw conclusions ♪

all: ♪ About what you discovered ♪

Six! - ♪ Share your findings ♪

all: ♪ Get the word to others ♪

♪ The scientific method ♪

♪ It's the scientific method ♪

- Okay, we'll use the scientific method

for our experiment to design a paper airplane

that can carry one of Sydney's comic pages

all the way to Mindy's yard.

- Yes! Let's do it!

both: Excelsior!

- [whistles] Sunspot!

[quirky tone]

- [squeaks] - Ah, there you are.

Finally. Okay...

- [slurps] - Here's the plan.

Each of us is gonna design a paper airplane...

- Using the scientific method.

- And try to fly 'em from here to Mindy.

- And each plane contains a page

from my Commander Cressida comic.

- So you and Mindy should get ready

for a paper airplane delivery

because the experiment is about to begin.

- [squeaks]

[quirky music]

- So, either you want me to help you build a birdhouse

or I'm gonna get Sydney's Commander Cressida comics

one page at a time delivered by paper airplanes.

Wow, both of those sound fun.

- [chitters]

- Ooh, it's the paper airplane one.

Goody! And, yes, I would love some tea.

Thank you.

- Okay, step one:

Ask a question based on observations.

- Right. Our question is:

What design of paper airplane can carry a rolled up drawing

all the way to Mindy's yard?

- Good question, and I can't wait to find out.

- Step two: Make a prediction. That's your hypothesis.

I predict that if I make a bigger version with wider wings,

it can fly farther than my first one,

and I'll add some cool flaps to see what they do.

- I predict that an airplane

that's shaped like an actual bird should fly best.

- [grunts] And I thought

I'd just start folding,

and see what happens.

- [chirping]

- Step three: Experiment.

Test your hypothesis.

Okay, Sydney, let's roll up your comic pages

and tuck 'em into our planes.

- Good. I put page one in Sean's.

Go ahead and throw yours first, Sean.

[upbeat music]

[all cheering]

I put page two in mine.

Here goes.

[all cheering]

- And I've got page three in mine.

Excelsior!

[plane whistling]

- [chuckles] Wow. - Whoa.

- I didn't predict that would happen.

- I added some Bortronian technology.

- Okay, now we're at step four.

We're supposed to observe what happens,

and gather information. - Perfect.

Sunspot should be gathering the information right about now.

- [squeaking]

[playful music]

♪ ♪

[chittering] - [giggles]

Well, it didn't quite make it to my yard,

but Sunspot found it.

I still got Sydney's comic.

Yay!

[wind rustling]

♪ ♪

- Ooh, this must be page two.

♪ ♪

- [squeaks]

- [slurps] Mm.

This Earth recipe is not turning out

quite like I had hoped.

Should I just start over?

I don't know.

I need some inspiration.

Oh!

Something just flew in through my Earth window.

Oh, maybe it's the inspiration I was looking for.

[grunting]

♪ ♪

Wha-aha!

Wow, it's as if this strange document is

the solution to all my questions about this recipe.

I think whoever sent it is trying to tell me

to add more garlic.

- [chittering]

- Hmm, Sunspot says that

both of your paper airplanes crashed...

[both groan] But in spite of that,

pages one and two of Sydney's comic

have been delivered to Mindy,

and page three has somehow become part of a recipe

that my dad's working on. - [purrs]

- I wonder if my flaps added too much drag.

- What's the next step in the scientific method?

- Hmm, at this point,

we should repeat steps three and four.

Experiment with our airplane designs

and then observe what happens when we try again.

- Great! This time,

I'll try making my bird more dart-shaped,

and with bigger wings. - Yes!

Let's try and try again.

♪ If you try and you make a mess ♪

♪ Who cares if it's not a success? ♪

♪ Try again, it's not that hard ♪

♪ And we'll deliver that comic to Mindy's yard ♪

Yeah!

- Okay, let's see.

Commander Cressida arrived at the rings of Saturn,

and it looks like they're going to explore

the ice moon Enceladus.

They're getting out.

She's got some kind of space scooter.

And now they're on the icy surface.

I wonder what's gonna happen next.

- [whimpers]

- Come on, paper airplane comics delivery.

♪ ♪

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

[all grunting]

♪ <span> ♪

- Yay, this one made it all the way to my yard.

And here comes another one!

It's like a bird.

I bet Sydney made it.

[giggles]

[mechanical music]

Whee! [giggles]

- Hey, we all mostly made it to Mindy's yard.

The scientific method works!

- Yes! Now it's time for step five.

Draw conclusions about the things we saw.

- Well, Sean's design with wider wings flew pretty far,

and when he took the flaps off, it flew even farther.

- Your bird design worked better

when you made it more dart-shaped

with bigger wings.

And, Jet,

your, uh, flying Sunspot and Saucer...

- [giggles] Pretty much defied explanation,

so they're hard to repeat,

but good job using your excellent imagination.

- [laughs] Yeah, I, uh, added

some Bortronian technology.

A hover-ometer.

[victorious tones]

[whooshing]

[quirky tones]

- Look, Sydney! Now I've got five pages!

Want me to read it to you? [together] Yes!

- First, Commander Cressida and her squad

all fly to Saturn.

Then they stop at the ice moon Enceladus!

It snows there.

Then they're out exploring the icy surface

on their space scooters,

and now they stop to have a snowball fight.

Wow, and then they drill down under the ice.

What're they looking for, Sydney?

- Maybe there's life in the warm oceans

under the icy surface.

That's what they're gonna find out.

- Yay, I can't wait!

- Uh, but you're still missing a page,

and it has some pretty important story points.

- Where'd that page go?

- Oh, are you looking for this?

I finished my recipe, so I'm done with it.

It came through my window.

I had no idea that folded paper could fly.

- Thanks, Mr. Propulsion.

It goes right here. See?

Here Cressida argues with her spunky Ensign Praxideke

about whether there could be life under the ice.

- I think Ensign Praxideke's right.

Hey, you drew her so she looks like me!

Thanks, Sydney!

- [laughs] You're welcome, Mindy.

- Wow, who knew?

I thought that page was about adding more garlic.

- See? This is step six.

Share your findings, and get the word to others.

all: ♪ The scientific method ♪

- That's what I said. all: ♪ The scientific method ♪

- You were paying attention.

all: ♪ The scientific method ♪ - Oh, yes.

all: ♪ The scientific method ♪

[car horn honks]

- Hey, my abuelita's <span> here!

I'm gonna show her how I look like Ensign Praxideke.

Bye!

all: Bye!

[upbeat music]

- I bet the last time

you went on a road trip with your parents,

you probably asked, "Are we there yet?"

Well, just imagine being stuck in a space this small

for a road trip that lasts days and days.

I'm astronomer Amy Mainzer,

and today we're talking about space capsules

at the California Science Center.

A capsule launched on top of a rocket

was the very first way we got humans into space.

This capsule is Gemini ,

and it flew in space for about three days

starting in September of ,

about four years after the Mercury capsules launched,

this was America's second step

toward sending people to the moon.

This Gemini capsule's big enough

to hold two astronauts,

unlike the Mercury capsule,

which could only fly one person.

That's why they called it "Gemini,"

after the constellation Gemini, which is the "twins."

Gemini carried Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon into space.

They circled the entire Earth times

and set a new record for highest human orbit

at miles above the Earth.

You can see here that it's a lot bigger than Mercury.

Although, it's still really small.

It's still so small,

they can't even unbend their knees.

The astronauts would have had

to put on a spacesuit and open the hatch

if they wanted to stand up.

And they did.

But only one time each.

But what a view.

♪ ♪

So the next time you go on a road trip,

just be glad that you can actually get out

and take a break.

♪ ♪

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

- Jet Propulsion! - Jet Propulsion!

- Jet Propulsion!

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!