NASA Invites Media to Explore Mars Science Fiction and Fact in Cinema
“Media are invited to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on Tuesday, Sept. 15 for a fresh perspective on the journey to Mars. Cast members from the soon-to-be-released 20th Century Fox movie “The Martian” will meet with NASA scientists and engineers to see the real technology and spacecraft being developed for future Mars exploration. … Media must be at Johnson to participate. The day will conclude with a full-length screening of “The Martian” at a nearby theater.”
Keith’s note: NASA has been pretty creative when it comes to tie-ins with “The Martian” so as to try and link public interest in the movie with what the agency does. Until now. if you are news media and you live in Houston NASA will give you a briefing and then an advanced screening of “The Martian”. But only if you are in Houston. As for the remaining NASA centers and the other 49 states, if you are media you have to wait until 2 October. Funny thing: in the movie JPL is where all the smart people work. Oddly, for this media briefing, JSC can’t even figure out how to do a webcast on NASA TV or a dial-in – then again that figures into what happens at JSC in movie’s plot too …
Keith’s update: NASA PAO Tells me that there will be other Martian-themed events at other field centers. But only JSC has the advanced screening. Again, the ability to put any of this newsworthy and (one would hope informative) event on NASA TV or on a webcast is either beyond JSC’s capability or (more likely) interest. Why tell people outside of 77058 what you are doing, eh? Again lots of behavior themes from the book happening in real life.
Keith’s additional update: NASA TV added a webcast of part of the event at the last minute ….
Stop the hatred…The HUMAN flight controllers are STILL at JSC. Why wouldn’t they get advanced screening…MCC flight controllers are the ones who made the history and set the standard.
DUH Read the post. Its JSC news media who gets the advanced screening.
oh. We’re supposed to actually *read* your posts, Keith, before commenting? Where’s the fun in that? 🙂
The employee screening was today and it was awesome. Some select employees got to go last night as well.
Well, it is the closest anyone over 40 at JSC will ever get to Mars in their professional lifetimes so I wouldn’t give them too hard a time. 😉
OK, that was a little mean! But the truth is that in order to maintain morale for such a far horizon event, I don’t see a problem with setting aside something special for those involved. I mean you can only Tweet #JourneyToMars so many times over the next 20+ years.
As for webcasting the part that isn’t the screening, I have no idea why they can’t broadcast that. That seems like a great idea.
There are people at JSC under 40?
Actually there are and they are all very sharp. NASA needs more of them.
The only problem with the NASA/Martian tie in is that the US taxpayer is not going to pay for the $400B+ trip to Mars, People love the idea of a Mars mission, but they hate taxes more.
I wonder about that, Steve- I mean the ‘hating taxes’ part. It’s possible that politicians hate taxes more than people do and have latched on to taxes as a way to scare people. As a result roads fall apart and space missions are under-funded.
It’s possible that politicians hate taxes more than people do
Riiiiight!
A few of the movie people came to KSC to take pictures of some of us to show in the movie (presumably during the closing credits). I hope they make it into the final cut!
Well I’m guessing that this book/movie is the authors idea of how “we” are going to Mars.
Just what is the NASA PLAN to get to Mars anyway???
Is there really one or not????
Um it depends on the day of the week, who you ask, and how you ask.
Sure there’s one. Actually, a number of them, but choosing which one wins depends on the size of the dollar pile NASA gets.
Solve that puzzle, and the rest, as they say, is details.
Mars plan
Step 1
Land on a barge to reduce the cost of space flight to LEO
Step 2……….
Since the 80s, NASA has developed at least 15 plans for a trip to Mars. So really, you can take your pick.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wi…
The trick is getting funding…
RIght … and where is the remaining 99.999999% of the population that is going to view the movie?
The
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