Alex needs a Superconducting Gyroscopic Hypercam to get the ship working. Talk to him and he will give you the blueprint for it.
This is the low-spoiler guide for "Superconducting Gyroscopic Hypercam" puzzle in Broken Age. Unlike in normal walkthrough, you get gradual hints on how to solve the puzzle. Click the big button below to see your first hint. If the hint contains a spoiler, you will be warned about it before clicking.