After reading many of the other reviews here I felt that I should add my views on this wonderful simulation of a voyage to the planets.
This is a 2 hour film set as an accurate as possible documentary on a Voyage to the Planets. The plot lines to add the humanity into this were well though out and covered most aspects of human frailty (considering that the astronauts had worked together for many years and were all professionals in their own right) People will get sick, people when trying to discover new things will push their own limits - these are the two aspect that I felt were realistic. Not the fake bravado of an action movie but viewing a dedicated professional who has trained for years for a task and then trying to achieve it.
Mentioned in other posts is the time lag of conversations over an extended distance. It was mentioned very early in the movie that these were expected and had been EDITED out for the audiences benefit.
Technology was likewise well though out. A trip to Venus has a suit that had been tested in a blast furnace and has a time limit on use on the planets surface.. plus additional example of how hostile the environment was.
A visit to IO likewise had a suit that used a magnetic field to protect the wearer for a set duration.
All in all the anticipated problems had been well though out and a solution provided - as if it was a real trip we were watching. And yes - even professionals have spats during stress as shown in Apollo 13 and the over monitoring of the astronaut's physical condition.
all in all this is a program that I have watched many times, and will watch again - feeling a welling of hope and pride in my heart that maybe - with work - humanity could undertake this trip and really see the wonders of the solar system. Until then excellent programs like this can give us a realistic glimpse of the "What If's"
This is a 2 hour film set as an accurate as possible documentary on a Voyage to the Planets. The plot lines to add the humanity into this were well though out and covered most aspects of human frailty (considering that the astronauts had worked together for many years and were all professionals in their own right) People will get sick, people when trying to discover new things will push their own limits - these are the two aspect that I felt were realistic. Not the fake bravado of an action movie but viewing a dedicated professional who has trained for years for a task and then trying to achieve it.
Mentioned in other posts is the time lag of conversations over an extended distance. It was mentioned very early in the movie that these were expected and had been EDITED out for the audiences benefit.
Technology was likewise well though out. A trip to Venus has a suit that had been tested in a blast furnace and has a time limit on use on the planets surface.. plus additional example of how hostile the environment was.
A visit to IO likewise had a suit that used a magnetic field to protect the wearer for a set duration.
All in all the anticipated problems had been well though out and a solution provided - as if it was a real trip we were watching. And yes - even professionals have spats during stress as shown in Apollo 13 and the over monitoring of the astronaut's physical condition.
all in all this is a program that I have watched many times, and will watch again - feeling a welling of hope and pride in my heart that maybe - with work - humanity could undertake this trip and really see the wonders of the solar system. Until then excellent programs like this can give us a realistic glimpse of the "What If's"