Supreme Skills!

Miracle Tops! Part 1: Aerospace Engineers vs. Master Craftsmen (2015x1)

Air date: Apr 02, 2015

Tops aren't just toys. Spinning tops (gyroscopes) help position satellites in space; in machine tools, top-like elements help in the manufacture of precision components. So "Supreme Skills!" tries to advance both fields by pitting the aerospace engineers who developed the control system for the ALOS-2 satellite against master machinists capable of milling and grinding to within 1/10,000 of a millimeter. The challenge: to create a top that will spin the longest on a 2-centimeter-diameter platform.