NASA astronauts-turned-film-makers will be joined by
Hollywood’s top gun at the Smithsonian’s National Air and
Space Museum in Washington tonight to help launch the first
3D cinematic journey to the International Space Station.
The new IMAX 3D movie “SPACE STATION 3D,” photographed by
NASA astronauts, Russian cosmonauts and narrated by Academy
Award nominee Tom Cruise, premieres Wednesday night at a
special event at the museum’s newly renovated theater.
Cruise, along with NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe and a host
of dignitaries and aerospace executives, is expected to be on
hand for the movie’s debut. Lockheed Martin sponsors the film
in cooperation with NASA.
Transported by the visually stunning effects of IMAX 3D
technology, moviegoers blast off into space with the
astronauts and cosmonauts who are hard at work building the
most complicated research project ever attempted.
“The 3D imagery captured by the IMAX cameras allows those of
us on the ground to experience life in the weightlessness of
space,” said NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe. “It’s an
amazing piece of work that we hope may help inspire a new
generation of explorers. You see what it’s really like to
live in orbit, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, traveling
around the world at more than 17,000 miles per hour.”
Between December 1998 and August 2000, more than 13 miles of
film flew into space for use in two IMAX 3D cameras. Working
closely with IMAX, 25 astronauts and cosmonauts were trained
to use the high-tech equipment. They had to learn how to be
directors, cinematographers, and lighting and sound experts.
“We at Lockheed Martin are proud to have helped in educating
millions around the world on both the importance of space to
our planet’s future and the joy of working and living in
orbit,” said Dennis Boxx, Lockheed Martin’s Senior Vice
President, Corporate Communications. “Through these films,
the corporation has helped foster international understanding
of space, build stronger relations with our NASA customer,
and aided the National Air and Space Museum by providing a
series of films that have generated visitors to our country’s
most import and popular museum.”
The successful team of NASA, IMAX and Lockheed Martin has
produced five challenging and inspiring space films,
including “The Dream Is Alive” (1985), “Blue Planet” (1990),
“Destiny in Space” (1994) and “Mission to Mir” (1997),
exposing people around the world to the wonders of space
exploration.
This latest achievement details the challenges, setbacks and
ultimately the shared victory of the pioneering men and women
who are making possible the first international space
laboratory. “Space Station” is the story of the unique
partnership of 16 nations to build a permanent science
outpost in low Earth orbit.
“We are very excited by the enthusiasm “SPACE STATION 3D” is
generating in the IMAX theatre network,” said IMAX co-CEOs
Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. “Only a handful
of highly skilled individuals will ever actually travel to
space but the astronauts and cosmonauts involved in this
project have told us that only IMAX captures their experience
and recreates the excitement and awe that they have felt in
this unique environment. We believe that this ground-
breaking film will inspire generations of students to focus
on the next frontier and enable millions of people to
experience space.”
Additional details about the film are available on a special
interactive Web site, filled with in-depth information, a
photo gallery, astronaut interviews and a complete guide to
showings. The Web site is at:
http://www.imax.com/spacestation
More information about the International Space Station and
the four expedition crews is available on the Web at:
