Chronicling trends in entertainment, pop culture, politics, the arts, and the uncategorized et cetera.

Shallow Nation

May 31st, 2009 at 8:45 pm

National Geographic: World’s Toughest Fixes Satellite Launch (Video, Photos)

Here are National Geographic: World’s Toughest Fixes Satellite Launch video and photos. The highly anticipated series returned with a season premiere that airs on June 4, 2009 at 9 p.m. PT/ET on National Geographic channel.

The premiere episode of World’s Toughest Fixes is Satellite Launch. Handily abbreviated, WTF, World’s Toughest Fixes follows the adventures of the program’s host, professional rigger Sean Riley as he works on various assignments with top mechanics and engineers all over the world in a variety of tasks.

Each time, he proves to the crew that he is equal to the task. In no time, he is able to persuade them with his engineering skills and set to work helping them solve complex and daunting projects. Riley is noted for his wit and down to earth approach to complex problems which has made the series entertaining and popular among viewers.

In an interview, Riley explains the concept: “You have to be incredibly aware of where you are,” says Riley, “so you know from where the next heavy object is gonna come flying.”

For more background on the series see: Sean Riley’s Amazing New Show

Sean Riley, known as Riley, is the founder and principal rigging designer for the San Francisco based company Gravity Design Inc., providing innovative rigging and force management solutions worldwide, with a roster of large-scale industry clients, from circus acts to industrial installations that may involve wind turbines, underwater welding or commercial solar energy fields.

Satellite Launch

(photo credit © Molly Tait/National Geographic Television)

The season premiere of World’s Toughest, Fixes Satellite Launch is, as the title implies the launch of a satellite. Satellites are a part of our everyday life, providing the signals for our mobile phones and Internet. Yet someone has to put them into orbit. How does it happen? Riley tales pm tje task which leads him and a team of engineers and rocket scientists who travel to a jungle region where they launch a new million dollar two-ton satellite into orbit. The team is under pressure to launch within the launch window time frame.

Top Photo: KOUROU, FRENCH GUIANA: Aerial view of the engineers installing the A/C unit onto the rocket to keep the satellites at a cool temperature. (photo credit © Molly Tait/National Geographic Television)

Check out some National Geographic: World’s Toughest Fixes Satellite Launch videos below.

Video “Satellite Repair” – Some things aren’t rocket science. This is. Video Link

Photos and video courtesy of National Geographic Channel