With the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program in 2011, the question of “what’s next?” has been on everyone’s mind.
As astronaut Chris Ferguson so famously put it, “we're not ending the journey today, we're completing a chapter of a journey that will never end.” Journey to Space — a fine new documentary premiering Friday (11 a.m. and 3 p.m. most days) at MOSI’s Florida Hospital IMAX DOME theatre – offers a look at the next generation of star trekking, appropriately narrated by none other than Patrick Stewart himself.
Journey to Space is a must-see for space lovers, and those interested in the future of space exploration. For 45-minutes, the film takes you on a journey to the past and immeasurable future of space travel and leaves you wanting more from the stars, because as Patrick Stewart noted on the insatiable wanderlust of humankind, “it is not enough.”
With the future of space exploration focused on Mars and deep space exploration, Journey to Space shows just how busy NASA has been in developing new technology such as the “Orion” spacecraft for deep space exploration, and “Olympus,” a spacious, inflatable habitat for astronauts to work and live in while on long-duration missions. The film also takes a look at the technology and trials that goes into the development of new, less constricting space suits. And despite the slight lull in the film and somewhat obviously scripted dialogue, the content tried to push for an interesting and informational delivery.
The film also provides highlights of some of the important moments in space exploration, including the Hubble Telescope and the International Space Station (ISS). The breathtaking photos of beautiful planets, star clusters, and far-off galaxies taken by the Hubble telescope that are projected on the impressive 10,500-square-foot IMAX DOME screen is truly a sight to be seen, and watching a group of adult astronauts working (and playing) in zero-gravity gives interesting insight as to the daily lives of astronauts.
The film also features clips of the last launch sequence to the ISS that makes you feel like you’re watching it live — you can feel the vibrations from the powerful IMAX speakers as the shuttle takes off that gives the illusion that you’re watching it launch in person. The effect is truly out of this world.