When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions

Narrated by award-winning actor Gary Sinise (who also portrayed Ken Mattingly in Apollo 13) When We Left Earth is a 2008 mini-series that tells the story of the NASA space age, starting with Project Mercury and continuing through Bruce McCandless’ untethered–and unprecedented–space walk. With commentary from astronauts and other NASA employees, this mini-series provides the audience with a detailed account of those missions from the people who were there.

SEE: Photos: The computer programmers behind NASA’s Apollo missions (TechRepublic)

For All Mankind

Al Reinert’s documentary For All Mankind exclusively uses original NASA footage from the Apollo program along with interviews with the astronauts who manned the missions to convey what it was really like for these space explorers. During the painstaking filmmaking process, Reinert sifted through over 6 million feet of film and over 80 hours of interviews to put the film together–a feat that ultimately took him 10 years. But the effort was worth it, as the film captures the incomparable beauty of Earth as seen from space.

SEE: Photos: 60 years of NASA’s technological accomplishments (TechRepublic)

Apollo 11

Originally released for IMAX, this documentary provides a first-hand look at the Apollo 11 mission. Beginning with the launch and continuing through to those famous first steps on the Moon, Apollo 11 uses photographs, audio from newsreels and NASA transmissions, illustrations, and original footage from NASA to show the historic mission in great detail.

The documentary conveys the event using facts and footage versus explanations of what’s happening at any given moment. Watching the original footage of the crew orbiting and finally landing on the Moon gives the viewer a newfound respect of what the Apollo astronauts went through on their journey.

SEE: NASA commemorates 50th anniversary of the moon landing with audio series (CNET)

The Saturn V Story

The Saturn V rocket was responsible for launching 24 astronauts to the Moon between 1967 and 1973, and is considered by many to be one of mankind’s greatest technological achievements. Conceived by German-American aerospace engineer Werner von Braun and his team, the Saturn V is still the only vehicle to propel humans beyond Earth’s low orbit. Through interviews with Apollo scientists, visual effects, and NASA footage, The Saturn V Story tells the story of “the most powerful machine ever built” and the people behind its development.

SEE: NASA spacecraft and aircraft in flight (TechRepublic)

In the Shadow of the Moon

Presented by Ron Howard, this award-winning British documentary about NASA’s Apollo missions features interviews with eight of the 12 astronauts who actually set foot on the moon. Archival media and NASA footage–the latter of which had not been opened for over 30 years at the time of filming–shows the missions as the astronauts provide narration through interviews. Among those interviewed are Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, John Young, Charles Duke, et al., who explain in their own words what they experienced on their journeys. 

SEE: NASA and Tech in Space: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo

While it’s natural to be fascinated by the brave men and women who have traveled into space, it can be easy to overlook those who stayed on Earth to command the Mission Control centers. Getting into space requires a huge team effort from those on the ground and in the sky. Mission Control focuses on the team that stayed Earth-bound, from their sometimes humble beginnings to how they blossomed into a remarkable team, capable of accomplishing things many only dreamed of. Through the use of interviews with Mission Control workers and astronauts, archived footage, and visual effects, this documentary offers a different perspective of the Apollo 8, Apollo 11, and Apollo 13 missions.

SEE: NASA’s unsung heroes: The Apollo coders who put men on the moon (TechRepublic cover story) | Download the PDF (free registration required)

From the Earth to the Moon

Co-produced by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and Tom Hanks (who also hosts the show and directs one of the episodes), this award-winning HBO miniseries tells the story of NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs from the 1960s through the early 1970s. Comprised of 12 episodes, From the Earth to the Moon uses a docudrama style of storytelling to convey several aspects of the NASA missions, including what the astronauts and their families went through in their personal lives. 

One thing that makes the miniseries unique is that the episodes were directed by different people, so there are a variety of viewpoints and different techniques used in each episode. The miniseries also features an excellent cast, which includes familiar faces, including Bryan Cranston, Rita Wilson, Tim Daly, Cary Elwes, and Sally Field–who plays Trudy Cooper in “The Original Wives Club” episode, which she also directs. 

SEE: Moon landing 50th anniversary: How Apollo 11 fired up the space race (CNET)

One Strange Rock

Produced by Darren Aronofsky and narrated by Will Smith, this National Geographic series incorporates the history of how our planet was formed, against all odds, with the perspective of eight astronauts who have collectively lived over 1,000 days in space. One Strange Rock includes commentary from Chris Hadfield (the first Canadian to walk in space), Nicole Stott, Mae Jamison (the first African-American woman to travel to space), Leland Melvin, and others, who tell the story of the miraculous conditions that allow life to not only survive, but thrive here, against the unpredictable backdrop of space. This eye-opening, educational series provides a whole new appreciation for not just our wondrous planet, but also our amazing solar system and the space beyond. 

SEE: More must-see photo galleries (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

The Right Stuff

Adapted from Tom Wolfe’s 1979 best-selling book, the adventures of the first seven NASA astronauts–also known as the Mercury Seven or Original Seven–are featured in this 1983 biopic with an all-star cast. Events depicted include: Chuck Yeager being the first pilot to break the sound barrier; America competing with Russia in the Space Race; the formation of Project Mercury and subsequent appointment of the Mercury Seven astronauts; Alan Shepard being the first American to reach space; John Glenn being the first American to orbit the Earth; and other important missions. This movie about NASA’s early years is as informative as it is entertaining.

SEE: NASA and Tech in Space: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

Hidden Figures

The biopic Hidden Figures, starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monu00e1e, highlights the contributions of NASA engineers  Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson. The African-American women–along with several others–were instrumental in helping NASA during the Space Race and getting John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, into space and back safely. Though some artistic liberties were taken, this film is certainly worth watching–if only to celebrate the brilliant minds behind the Mercury 6/Friendship 7 mission.

SEE: Gallery: The amazing women behind Hidden Figures who made the US space program possible (TechRepublic)

First Man

In this biopic starring Ryan Gosling as astronaut Neil Armstrong, viewers get an in-depth look at Armstrong’s career trajectory as well as his personal life and struggles. Based on the 2005 book First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, the film First Man chronicles Armstrong’s adult life–starting with his early days as an X-15 test pilot, and then delving into his family issues, how he dealt with the deaths of his friends and fellow astronauts, and ending with his monumental trip to the Moon in 1969. This film shows that there was more to the first man to set foot on the Moon than met the eye and is a must-see for anyone with an interest in Armstrong’s–or NASA’s–history.

SEE: Moon landing 50th anniversary: How Apollo 11 fired up the space race (CNET)

The Dish

Based on true events, The Dish is an Australian film starring Sam Neill about NASA’s use of the Parkes Observatory in the small town of Parkes, New South Wales, and the NASA Honeysuckle Tracking Station near Canberra to relay the signal from the moon during the Apollo 11 mission to the estimated 600 million people watching around the world. Faced with challenges such 68 mph winds, generator issues, differing cultural attitudes (to a comic degree), and sheep, The Dish shows the process behind transmitting one of the world’s most historic moments to TV sets for all to see. 

SEE: WA joins Aussie space efforts with AU$6m investment from Canberra (ZDNet)

Apollo 13

Directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, and many other Hollywood heavyweights, Apollo 13 may be one of the best-known biopics on this list. Not only was the 1970 mission well-known, but the movie was well-received, both by audiences and critics, and has won numerous awards.

One of the movie’s most famous lines, “Houston, we have a problem,” is ranked #50 on the AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movie Quotes (PDF) list.

SEE: NASA and Tech in Space: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

Marooned

The 1969 film Marooned, starring Gregory Peck, Gene Hackman, and Richard Crenna, is a fictional account of three astronauts stranded in space, slowly running out of oxygen. To make matters more complicated, NASA’s plans for rescue are delayed by an impending hurricane near the launch site, making the astronaut’s situation even more tense.

Based on the novel of the same name by Martin Caidin, the film was released less than four months after the Apollo 11 moon landing, attracting enormous public attention. Although fictitious, authenticity was important to the producers, and the attention to detail is just one of the things that make the film so engaging.

SEE: NASA and Tech in Space: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

Gravity

The film Gravity starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney is similar to the basic plot of Marooned, albeit, a more modern, updated (perhaps darker) version. Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a medical engineer on her first mission to space, and Clooney plays the role of Matt Kowalski, a veteran NASA astronaut on the brink of retirement. During a spacewalk, their shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski stranded in space with only a tether holding them together. With very limited resources and time being of the essence, the two must work as a team in order to survive. This film, though a dramatization, shows the real dangers faced in space and how one mistake can have dire consequences for those who dare to explore it.

SEE: NASA and Tech in Space: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

Interstellar

Interstellar is a sci-fi thriller starring Matthew McConaughey, written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, and directed by the latter (of Inception, Batman Begins, Memento, et. al fame). The film offers a dystopian portrayal of Earth in the future–crops won’t grow, the planet is dying, and humans are on the verge of starvation.

McConaughey and a band of brave explorers embark on a mission (organized by the now underground NASA) to save the human race by searching for a new planet to call home. While this may sound like a typical sci-fi movie, what makes it unique is the realism used to tell the story–the Nolan brothers have a way of taking extraordinary ideas and making them seem plausible.

SEE: NASA and Tech in Space: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

The Martian

Based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir, The Martian stars Matt Damon as Mark Watney, a NASA astronaut exploring Mars who inadvertently gets left behind by his crew. The saga that ensues is one of pure survival as Watney attempts to stretch his food rations, grow vegetables in an inhospitable environment, and fight the loneliness of being the only human on the Red Planet, all while trying to figure out a way to get back home to Earth.

Like Interstellar, this movie offers a level of realism that makes the viewer feel as if they are stranded alongside Watney; it’s also punctuated with moments of wry humor that make it entertaining to watch.

SEE: Sci-fi author Andy Weir on how he’d change The Martian and why his latest book is set on the moon (TechRepublic)