ROT54: Armenia’s Forgotten Space Giant

An Armenian scientist attempts to revive a groundbreaking Soviet-era telescope, amid personal and political turmoil.

Armenian radio-engineer Arevik Sargsyan has struggled throughout her life to preserve ROT54, a giant telescope built by her uncle in the 1980s.

But the collapse of the Soviet Union meant that ROT54 was left abandoned for 30 years.

Now Arevik is attempting to take control of the telescope and prove it still works.

In the face of personal and political difficulties, Arevik must overcome her biggest challenge yet.

A film by Marta Miskaryan