A short, clear update of the progress of ESA's astrometrical mission, Hipparcos (High Precision Parallax-Collecting Satellite ), launched on the 8th August 1989. Images include the launch sequence, and numerous graphics; interviews throughout with Dr. Michael Perryman, Hipparcos project scientist.

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00:02:34:00 opening titles
00:02:47:00 ms Hipparcos satellite on trolley, workers around base; pan r as it is rolled
00:02:57:00 var s' Hipparcos launch
00:03:25:00 animation - Hipparcos deployment
00:03:46:00 mls Dr. Michael Perryman [Hipparcos Project Scientist]
00:04:27:00 animation Hipparcos
00:04:35:00 night sky
00:05:07:00 mls analysts [seated] with computer banks
00:05:13:00 screen outputs star motions
00:05:34:00 mcs analysts
00:05:37:00 screen outputs star image
00:05:42:00 gvs' observatory
00:06:11:00 mls Dr. Michael Perryman
00:06:57:00 animation sequence - the mechanism of Hipparcos
00:08:24:00 mls Dr. Michael Perryman
00:09:29:00 animations - Hipparcos in space, origin correction graphs
00:10:13:00 cs zo Hipparcos scientists sit at table
00:10:26:00 graphs - Inca correction, sphere solution
00:11:16:00 animation sequence - Hipparcos, parallax calculation, star distance graphs
00:13:06:00 mcs Dr. Michael Perryman
00:13:46:00 mcs rear view computer operator seated at desk