Operation Morning Light • Imperative Entertainment and Vespucci

2022 | Sound Designer and Audio Mixer

An 8-part documentary about Soviet spy satellite Cosmos 954 and its disintegration across the vast traditional lands of the Dene.

On a January night in 1978, a white light burned through the sub-Arctic sky. It was Cosmos 954, a nuclear-powered Soviet espionage satellite that had malfunctioned and fallen to earth. As the satellite disintegrated, it scattered dangerously radioactive debris across the vast traditional lands of the Dene, Métis, and Inuit in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Operation Morning Light tells the story of the Cosmos 954 disaster, its impact on the land, and the resilience of the communities in the debris field.

Hosted by Dëneze Nakehk'o, a Denesuline and Dehcho Dene father from Denendeh

Produced by Aliya Pabani

Written by Michael LaPointe and Dëneze Nakehk'o

Cover art and design by Jeana Sullivan

Story editor is Matt Willis

Production management by Thomas Curry

Scoring and sound-design by Alice Boyd

For Imperative Entertainment, the executive producer is Jason Hoch, and for Vespucci, the executive producers are Daniel Turcan, Johnny Galvin, and Michael LaPointe.