Impossible Engineering - Episode Guide

Explore how engineers conquered the deep water and hurricane force winds of the Gulf of Corinth in Greece to build the Rion-Antirion Bridge, a structure that must hold up in one of the most active earthquake zones on our planet. When completed in May 2004, it was the world's longest multi-span, cable-stayed bridge with a continuous fully suspended deck.

A look at how the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier works: it has a surface area larger than two soccer fields and is full of cutting-edge F35 fighter jets.

Soaring over 2,000 feet into the sky, the Shanghai Tower is the second tallest building in the world and a futuristic engineering marvel. Discover how cutting-edge technology means that the building's occupants will never feel it sway.

The Kansai International Airport in Osaka Bay, Japan is built on the largest man-made island in the world. Discover how engineers built an artificial island on top of a soft clay seabed 65 feet below the bay's surface with 180 million cubic meters of rock and soil. When opened, the one-mile-long terminal was the longest building in the world. The island and terminal must deal with land subsidence and withstand typhoons and earthquakes.

The Shanghai Magleve is the fastest passenger train in operation in the world; uncover how engineers are able to design a train that could levitate, and reach a remarkable top speed of 268 mph.

Examine the Airbus A380 inside and out, and uncover how its engineers redefined the limits of modern aviation.

For NASA to send a person Mars, they will need to build the most powerful rocket ever built. Discover inside story behind the Orion Space Craft, an engineering feat designed to sustain astronauts for years in one of the universe's harshest environments.

How did engineers build the tallest bridge on the planet? As tall as a skyscraper, the Millau Viaduct in southern France braves deadly wind speeds over an immense abyss, and we go inside the story behind this modern wonder.

The AT&T Stadium in Texas is home to the Dallas Cowboys and the world's largest retractable roof. This $1.2 billion stadium can house over 100,000 fans, and we'll go inside how this engineering feat was built.

China's Three Gorges Dam is the largest and heaviest concrete structure on earth, and it produces more power than any hydroelectric dam ever built. Discover how engineers reshaped a river to accomplish this incredible engineering feat.

How did engineers move mountains to build the longest and deepest rail tunnel on the planet? Discover how 25 million tons of rock were moved to build this modern wonder. The Gotthard Base Tunnel has a length of 35.47 miles through the Alps in Switzerland. It opened on 1 June 2016.

Go inside the largest cruise ship on the planet: MS Harmony of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship; a massive ship that's 1,181 feet long and a staggering 227,000 tons.

The Virginia Class is one of the most advanced nuclear-powered, fast attack submarines ever produced for the U.S. Navy. These technological titans are almost 400 feet long and weigh a staggering 7,800 tons. USS Colorado is featured.

The Shard, a 73-story glass skyscraper in London, is an engineering marvel. 11,000 exterior glass panels form this mega tower's façade. Its colossal concrete core supports luxury apartments, a hotel, and nearly 600,000 square feet of office space.

Discover what it took to build the largest filled-in, single-dish and most sophisticated radio telescope on the planet. Completed in 2016, the Five-hundred-meter (1640 feet) Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) is now ready to scan the skies from Guizhou Province, southwest China. This engineering colossus will help astronomers explore galaxies and planets billions of light years away, and might help discover extraterrestrial life.

The Panama Canal Expansion Project was one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the world. It doubled the capacity of the canal adding a new lane of traffic with a third set of locks. It cost over $5 billion moving millions of cubic tons of earth and rock to ultimately accommodate the biggest ships in the world. Commercial operation began of June 26, 2016.

The Pioneering Spirit is the earth's biggest heavy-lift construction vessel, installing oil pipelines in the world's deepest waters and featuring state-of-the-art thrusters and mammoth lifting beams. It is the world's largest vessel ever constructed, in terms of its gross tonnage (403,342 gt), breadth (123.75 m / 406 ft.), and displacement (900,000 t). The twin-hulled ship performs single-lift installation and decommissioning of large offshore oil and gas platforms up to 48,000 tons, plus installation of subsea, record-weight oil and gas pipelines. The vessel commenced offshore operations in August of 2016.

Enter a state-of-the-art research base located in Antarctica, the coldest continent on Earth. The relocatable Halley VI Research Station is segmented into eight modules, each built atop giant ski-fitted, hydraulic legs, and is located on the floating Brunt Ice Shelf. Operational in 2012, this innovative design helps scientists of the British Antarctic Survey brave the extreme environment.

Uncovering what it took to build one of the most ambitious rail projects in history, London's Crossrail. This staggering feat will span over 73 miles and transport 200 million people a year around one of the world's largest and busiest cities.

Discover what it took to build the world's tallest freestanding tower, the Tokyo Skytree. Completed in 2012, this record-breaking marvel faces some of the most deadly disasters on the planet and must brave earthquakes and extremely high winds. With its broadcast antenna, it stands 2080 feet high and transmits 62 miles.

The International Space Station is the most expensive engineering project ever attempted, and a masterpiece of modern ingenuity. This vessel pushes the boundaries of space exploration and brings us closer to galactic colonization.

The U.S. Navy is the largest sea force on the planet and their new, ground-breaking Littoral Combat Ships are the fastest combat ships in its fleet. Built for speed, these innovative warships can travel at over 40 knots per hour in shallow water (14 feet). The monohull Freedom class and the trimaran Independence class are the first two LCS variants.

The Tesla car factory in Fremont, California is one of the largest, most innovative, vertically integrated factories in the world, containing 5.3 million square feet of manufacturing and office space. This state-of-the-art facility is the home to high-tech robots that work around-the-clock to produce 2000 cutting-edge electric cars each week. With 6000 employees, the first Tesla Model S rolled off the line in June 2012.

The Airlander 10, the world's largest aircraft, combines the latest in technology and engineering to dwarf everything else in the skies at 300 feet long by 140 feet wide. This marvel can stay airborne for five days crewed or up to three weeks unmanned and land anywhere in the world, whether on land or at sea. It's a hybrid aircraft with the best features of normal aircraft, helicopters, and, of course, airships. With no internal structure, the Airlander maintains its shape due to the pressure stabilization of the helium (1.34 million cubic feet) inside the hull, and the smart and strong Vectran material of which it's made. With a payload capacity up to 11 tons, it can cruise up to 100 miles per hour. On 17 August 2016, the first test flight took place at the aircraft's home base, Cardington Airfield in Bedfordshire, England, and lasted 30 minutes.

Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey is the tallest roller coaster in the world and fastest in the U.S., redefining the design of all thrill rides. A catapult accelerates it to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds and a height of 456 feet with a 90-degree vertical track. This engineering colossus is one of the most innovative on the planet and features Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, the fastest and tallest drop ride ever built at 90 mph from 415 feet. It opened to the public on May 21, 2005.

The Perdido Oil Platform was the world's deepest production and drilling facility when production started in March 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico (second deepest now). It's one of the most advanced feats in modern engineering, producing 100,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of gas each day. As a production hub for three fields, it's the first to separate oil and gas on the seafloor. This structure is as tall as the Eiffel tower and floats in some of the deepest waters in the world currently functioning in 7,800 feet of water. The three-deck topside sits atop the world's largest spar moored by nine two-mile long tethers to the seafloor. Cost to build: $3 billion.

The world's toughest trains conquer deadly jungles, deserts, and mountains thanks to expert engineering and cutting-edge technology.

The world's fastest trains, built with expert engineering and cutting-edge technology, push the speed of railroad travel to new limits.

The world's busiest cities are kept running by innovative train systems built with expert engineering and cutting-edge technology. Includes a specialized London train built in the late 1800's for a single use.

The world's most incredible trains cross deadly canyons and chasms of terrifying heights thanks to expert engineering and cutting-edge technology.

The world's toughest trains conquer the deadly heights of Earth's tallest mountains thanks to cutting-edge railroads engineered to make impossible climbs and brave extreme weather.

The world's most incredible trains conquer dangerous oceans and seas thanks to expert engineering and cutting-edge technology. Includes 5 villages along the Mediterranean Sea that connects 5 remote villages and runs through 51 tunnels to protect the line.

The Chernobyl disaster created one of the world's deadliest places, and as the temporary fix around the damaged reactor begins to fail, engineers race to build a cutting-edge structure to contain the contamination that could threaten the world.

New York City's biggest construction project ever features several brand-new buildings in Manhattan's Hudson Yards, where an army of ambitious engineers and builders are tasked with developing seven city blocks over 24-hour subway trains.

The U.S. Army's M1 Abrams tank is a 70-ton war machine capable of reaching speeds of 45 miles per hour on the most extreme terrains on earth, but before it enters the battlefield, it must face a set of brutal challenges to put its engineering to the test.

To build the world's biggest offshore wind farm, the London Array, engineers and builders braved the deadly waters of the North Sea. Using the latest science and tech, these innovators constructed 175 towering turbines that can withstand the most hellish conditions.

An ambitious team of engineers has created an Iron Man-like jet suit that can propel the user over 30 miles per hour, and using cutting-edge technology, these visionaries have made dreams of the distant future a reality.

One of the most cutting-edge buildings in the world is a 16-story hotel, the InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland, built on the cliffs of an abandoned quarry in China, and using the latest science and tech, engineers race to build this innovative mega-structure with two underwater floors.

The U.S. Navy's brand-new Ford-class aircraft carrier is the world's largest warship, and using the latest naval and aeronautic technology, engineers and military personnel race to build and test this cutting-edge vessel.

An ambitious team of engineers is building the Aussie Invader 5R, the world's fastest car, and using cutting-edge rocket technology, this record-breaking vehicle will be able to accelerate from zero to 1,000 mph in just 20 seconds to break the Land Speed Record.

To build the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest railway, engineers braved a deadly Himalayan environment and its -40-degree temperatures. The cutting-edge $4 billion train system they built connects Lhasa, one of the planet's most inaccessible cities, to a world beyond the ice.

The Black Pearl is one of the largest and fastest sailing yachts in the world, and using cutting-edge innovations in shipbuilding and engineering, its crew puts this brand-new $200 million vessel through the gauntlet to test its unique capabilities.

When engineers built railroads across the swamps of New Orleans, they used cutting-edge technology and methods to get it done, and these extreme trains attest to the innovative engineering required to conquer the most challenging water environments.

The first railroads in the United States were engineering marvels built to conquer America's deadliest places. Using cutting-edge science, engineers and builders changed the nation by connecting the California frontier with the rest of the country.

When engineers built a cutting-edge railroad to navigate the South American Andes, they used cutting-edge tech and engineering to conquer its deadly heights. This trailblazing train sets new records on one of the most dangerous routes in the world.

Experts use cutting-edge tech and bold engineering to build a record-breaking bridge that spans a deadly chasm in a remote section of the Himalayas. When completed, it will be the world's tallest railway bridge, towering almost 1,200 feet high.

New York City is building an 11 billion dollar construction project to extend the busy Long Island Railroad, and using brand-new technology, engineers and builders blast bedrock to create a vast tunnel below Grand Central Terminal.

Engineers at Virgin are building the world's first hyperloop train system, an innovative high-speed technology that uses magnetic levitation to travel over 600 miles per hour and transform transportation as we know it.

The man-made islands of Dubai are modern-day engineering marvels that turn the Persian Gulf into high-priced real estate, and today, a team of expert engineers uses cutting-edge technology to build a brand-new city district where there was once only water. This is Bluewaters Island, a lifestyle destination featuring distinctive residential, retail, hospitality, and entertainment options. It includes the Ain Dubai, or Dubai Eye, the world's largest observation wheel at 689 feet tall. 

A team of engineers is overhauling London's underground infrastructure to build a world-class super-sewer system, the Thames Tideway Tunnel. Using cutting-edge tech and the latest construction methods, they work to transform a centuries-old network into a modern-day masterpiece. 

The F-35 is the most advanced fighter jet on the planet, and special access into the most expensive military program ever reveals how engineers use cutting-edge technology to outfit this 1,200 mile-per-hour aircraft with a state-of-the-art stealth system.

The skinniest skyscraper in the world will soon become New York's third tallest, and using an innovative, gravity-defying design, this colossal megastructure is breaking all the rules of engineering. 111 West 57th Street, or the Steinway Tower, is an 84-story, 1,428-foot (435-meter) supertall residential project. 
 

Engineers are racing against the clock to build the world's biggest airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport. Using cutting-edge construction methods, experts put the finishing touches on a modern-day marvel that will move 100 million people in and out of Beijing every year.

A state-of-the-art NATO airplane, the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), is one of the most complex surveillance tools in the world, and special access inside this behemoth reveals how cutting-edge engineering and a hi-tech midair refueling system helps its crew defend against security threats.

The world's highest bridge, China's Beipanjiang First Bridge, impossibly spans an 1,854-foot chasm known as the Crack in the Earth, and to build this engineering marvel, experts use cutting-edge construction technology that can conquer the deadly cliffs of this rugged environment.

Deadly avalanches and catastrophic flooding are ever-present threats at Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, one of the world's busiest ski resorts. New technology and cutting-edge construction methods help engineers conquer the elements to keep this mountain-top getaway safe.

The world's biggest oil tanker, the TI Europe, is longer than four football fields and can haul 15,000 trucks worth of oil. Thanks to cutting-edge maritime engineering, this record-breaking vessel makes its deliveries across rough seas quicker and safer than ever. 

Engineers in Seattle, Washington, are building the world's first floating railway bridge using one of the Interstate 90 floating bridges over Lake Washington. To tackle this complex engineering challenge, they use new, innovative construction technology that enables high-speed trains to go where they've never gone before.

A brand-new skyscraper, The Independent in Austin, Texas, is a gravity-defying engineering marvel with a one-of-a-kind shape. To build it, experts use cutting-edge construction and design that pushes modern-day tower-building to strange and innovative heights.

The world's largest semi-submersible heavy-lift ship, the BOKA Vanguard, can carry entire cruise ships halfway across the globe without stopping, and to do this, experts use cutting-edge maritime engineering and the latest science for herculean strength and first-class maneuverability.

Test pilots and engineers embark on the first flight of the largest airplane ever built: the Stratolaunch, a one-of-a-kind aircraft designed to transport rockets, spacecraft and experimental hypersonic planes into the stratosphere.
 

Engineers in China are constructing the largest and most ambitious water transfer project in human history, defying nature to move vast quantities of water from the south to the dry north in Beijing, all without the use of pumping stations. This is China's South to North Water Diversion Project.
 

To carry infantry troops to the frontlines, military engineers designed three battlefield behemoths that command the land, sea, and air. Special access reveals how cutting-edge tech made these innovations for the U.S. Air Force (C-17 Globemaster III), Army (Stryker), and Marines (ACV/Amphibious Combat Vehicle) possible.

A cutting-edge engineering marvel, the Falkirk Wheel in central Scotland, can lift boats and water to astonishing heights. Its advanced design makes it the first and only rotating boat lift of its kind. Behind-the-scenes access shows how it works. It reconnects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal for the first time since the 1930s, opening in 2002 as part of the Millennium Link project. 

The largest semi-submersible crane vessel in the world, the SSCV Sleipnir, pushes the limits of engineering possibilities; with its two record-breaking cranes, it's one of the most complex ships ever constructed and redefines how we build at sea.

The Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover is a brand-new space mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) to discover hard evidence of extraterrestrial life; special access reveals how engineers and experts are making a new age in exploration possible.

The deepest-diving submersible vessel in the world, the Triton 36000/2 (aka DSV Limiting Factor), is one of the most intricately designed crafts ever engineered for the sea. Having reached the bottom of each of the five oceans and certified "Depth: Unlimited," this submarine's accomplishments are truly monumental. 

The abandoned Battersea Power Station on the banks of the River Thames is being reinvented into a stunning centerpiece of London; now, experts use cutting-edge construction techniques to transform this historic landmark into a pioneering new destination. 

The Global Supertanker is the largest firefighting aircraft in the world and equipped to reach the biggest blazes anywhere; expert engineers reveal how this game-changing machine is a vital tool for supporting heroic firefighters on the ground. 

The Singapore National Stadium is a gigantic multipurpose arena that all sits under the world's largest free-spanning dome; expert engineers reveal how this cutting-edge design marks the dawn of a new age in superstructure construction. 

The largest helicopter in the U.S. military arsenal, CH-53E Super Stallion, has completely redefined the capabilities of heavy-lift aircraft; using the latest in cutting-edge engineering, it can transport vast amounts of cargo and personnel, all while under enemy fire.

The US military's most advanced hovercraft, Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC), represents the next generation of amphibious transport vehicles; using the latest in cutting-edge tech, it's designed to carry the heaviest cargo into locations that were previously impossible to reach.

The Queensferry Crossing in Scotland is the longest triple tower cable-stayed bridge in the world, and with record-breaking underwater foundations, it stretches the limits of engineering possibilities and marks a new age of superstructure construction.

The V-22 Osprey is a revolutionary feat of aviation engineering that combines the speed and range of an airplane with the landing versatility of a helicopter, allowing the US military to transport troops and cargo into seemingly impossible locations. 

MS Harmony of the Seas, an Oasis-class cruise ship, is the world's biggest. (S02E06, "World's Biggest Cruise Ship") Virginia Class submarines, like the USS Colorado, are the most advanced nuclear-powered, fast attack submarines ever produced for the U.S. Navy. (S02E07, "U.S. Navy's Super Submarine")

The breakthrough engineering behind some of the fastest things in the universe: Orion Space Craft & Shanghai Maglev.

How two of the toughest things on Earth are engineered: the Three Gorges Dam and the AT&T Stadium (Dallas Cowboys).

Engineering two of the tallest structures in the world: the Shard and the Millau Viaduct.

Behind every seemingly-impossible marvel of modern engineering is a cast of trailblazers who pioneered new building techniques that made it all possible. Featured are the Panama Canal Expansion Project and building the Rion-Antirion Bridge.

Two engineering giants in China: the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) and the Shanghai Tower.

Behind every seemingly-impossible marvel of modern engineering is a cast of trailblazers who pioneered new building techniques that made it all possible. Featured are the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier and the Pioneering Spirit, the world's biggest heavy lift construction vessel.

Behind every seemingly-impossible marvel of modern engineering is a cast of trailblazers who pioneered new building techniques that made it all possible. Featured are the Tokyo Skytree and the Kansai International Airport.

Behind every seemingly-impossible marvel of modern engineering is a cast of trailblazers who pioneered new building techniques that made it all possible. Featured are the Haley VI Antarctica Ice Base and the International Space Station.

Behind every seemingly-impossible marvel of modern engineering is a cast of trailblazers who pioneered new building techniques that made it all possible. Featured are the Tesla Factory and London's Crossrail.

Behind every seemingly impossible marvel of modern engineering lies a cast of trailblazers who pioneered new building techniques that made it all possible. Featured are U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ships and the Perdido Oil Platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

Cutting-edge engineering and technology helps build the U.S. Navy's formidable and powerful vessels. Featured are the Littoral Combat Ship and the Virginia-class submarine.

The world's biggest and most innovative ships were built by cutting-edge engineering and technology. This episode is a mashup of S03E03, "World's Biggest Ship" (Pioneering Spirit) and S02E06, "World's Biggest Cruise Ship" (MS Harmony of the Seas).

The world's biggest and most innovative aircraft are built by cutting-edge engineering and technology. This is a mashup of S01E06, "World's Largest Plane" (Airbus A380) and S03E010, "World's Biggest Aircraft" (Airlander 10).

Cutting-edge space technology has made exploration of the cosmos possible, and these advanced engineering feats have changed everything we know about space. This is a mashup of S02E01, "NASA's Rocket to Mars" (Orion Space Craft) and S03E07, "International Space Station".

The world's biggest and most innovative engineering marvels are critical to generating energy, and their incredible power is thanks to cutting-edge technology. This is a mashup of S02E04, "World's Most Powerful Dam" (China's Three Gorges Dam) and S03E12, "Monster Oil Rig" (Perdido Oil Platform).

The world's biggest and most innovative trains were built by cutting-edge engineering and technology. This is a mashup of S03E05, "Mega City Railway" (London's Crossrail) and S01E05, "World's Fastest Train" (Shanghai Magleve).

The world's biggest and most innovative towers were built by cutting-edge engineering and technology. This is a mashup of S02E01, "NASA's Rocket to Mars" (Orion Space Craft) and S03E06, "The Invincible Tower" (Tokyo Skytree).

The world's biggest and baddest ships are built with cutting-edge engineering and the latest naval technology, and inside access to these modern marvels reveals how they were built. This is a mashup of S05E07, "U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carrier" (Ford-class) and S03E03, "World's Biggest Ship" (Pioneering Spirit).

The U.S. Navy's most innovative and powerful ships are built using cutting-edge engineering and the latest tech, and inside access to these modern marvels reveals how they were built. This is a mashup of S05E07, "U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carrier" (Ford-class) and S02E07, "U.S. Navy's Super Submarine" (the Virginia-class).

Cutting-edge tech and the latest science are helping engineers build record-breaking bridges that push construction to brand-new heights, and experts reveal the secrets of how these megastructures are being built. This is a mashup of S02E02, "World's Tallest Bridge" (Millau Viaduct) and S05E09, "Himalayan Mega Train" (Qinghai-Tibet Railway).

The world's most advanced military planes were built with cutting-edge aerospace engineering and innovative defense technology, and special access reveals how these guardians of the sky work. This is a mashup of S07E06, "Spy Plane Declassified" (AWACS) and S07E03, "F-35 Fighter Jet."

The U.S. Navy features some of the most cutting-edge ships on the planet, and behind-the-scenes access reveals how hi-tech engineering and the latest science makes such a formidable fleet possible. This is a mashup of S03E08, "U.S. Navy's Super Ship" (Littoral Combat Ship) and S05E07, "U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carrier" (Ford-class).

New York City is home to some of the world's greatest engineering marvels, and behind-the-scenes access reveals how engineers build the city's tallest skyscrapers and its most cutting-edge structures. This is a mashup of S05E02, NYC Mega Build (Manhattan's Hudson Yards) and S07E04, NYC Mega Tower (111 West 57th Street).

The world's tallest and most advanced bridges were built with cutting-edge innovative technology, and behind-the-scenes access reveals how these colossal structures are built. This is a mashup of S02E02, "World's Tallest Bridge" (Millau Viaduct) and S05E09, "Himalayan Mega Train" (Qinghai-Tibet Railway).

The U.S. military is home to some of the world's most cutting-edge engineering projects. Special behind-the-scenes access reveals the advanced technology and innovative design methods required to build and operate them. This is a mashup of S05E07, "U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carrier" (Ford-class) and S07E03, "F-35 Fighter Jet."