Journey to Space

“We are the species that explores,” intones Patrick Stewart, part-time narrator of filmmaker Mark Krenzien's IMAX documentary, which combines an overview of NASA's shuttered shuttle program with a look at ongoing preparations for a journey to Mars. Sharing narration duties is Chris Ferguson (commander of the final shuttle mission) and Serena Aunon (a new astronaut who might possibly be part of a future Mars mission). Conceived in the 1970s as “winged delivery trucks” to put equipment into orbit, space shuttles operated from 1981-2011, and were responsible for helping create the International Space Station and MIR. Tragedy struck in 1986 and 2003, with the losses of Challenger and Columbia, respectively, and the global recession of 2008 contributed to belt-tightening at NASA. The space shuttle history served up here is fairly thumbnail, while the space station footage (astronauts playing with food, exercising, and sailing through narrow corridors in zero gravity) is overly familiar. But the film picks up in the second half as it looks at the technical challenges involved in a trip to Mars and talks about the basics of colonization (readers of Kim Stanley Robinson's landmark Mars trilogy—Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars—will find this material interesting). Mars, which has less than 40% of Earth's gravity, will pose unique problems, beginning with the simple physical toll on the body during a projected two-and-a-half year roundtrip to the Red Planet. Viewers will see current work on a wide range of NASA projects—from redesigning space suits to creating an inflatable habitat that will also feature protection from the potential radiation of solar flares. Like most IMAX films, Journey to Space is more about sweeping visuals than narrative, but space buffs should enjoy. Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a photo gallery. Also available in a 4K UHD and 3D Blu-ray edition (which includes a standard Blu-ray disc), this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Pitman)