Get ready to float alongside astronauts and explore the farthest reaches of the universe
By Jeremy Hsu Posted 01.29.2010 at 10:17 am 7 Comments

Hubble 3D IMAX: Not your average spacewalk  NASA
"It's OK for astronauts to cry, right?" asked Mike Massimino, one of seven NASA astronauts who flew the space shuttle Atlantis on a daring mission to rescue the Hubble Space Telescope in 2009. The New York City native made his jest during a special preview screening of early footage from the upcoming Hubble 3-D IMAX film on Thursday, and all the reporters laughed. No one doubted his sincerity in describing his surge of emotion upon watching himself and his fellow spacewalkers floating on the big screen.

The preview clips were from raw footage that had not been color-corrected, but still gave a taste of what to expect when the IMAX film officially opens on March 19. Moviegoers watching in 3-D will have the chance of accompanying astronauts during almost every step of the Hubble repair mission, including a thunderous shuttle launch sequence that Massimino describes as riding an enormously powerful beast. For most of us who may never get the chance to hop aboard a private spacecraft for a seemingly weightless thrill-ride, the film may represent the best opportunity to experience what astronauts have long struggled to describe.

Perhaps the crowning moments of Hubble 3-D IMAX will come from the eight minutes of film captured by a 700-pound IMAX 3-D camera that flew aboard the space shuttle. We talked previously with IMAX director Toni Myers about the challenges of condensing five marathon spacewalks down to the pivotal highlights, and many of the preview clips reflected her hard work. The space-hardened camera tucked away inside the shuttle cargo bay presents a wide-angle view of 3-D astronauts looming overhead on the shuttle's robotic arm and crawling around inside the cylindrical Hubble, all set against the blue-and-white vista of a slowly rotating Earth.

Moviegoers should also stay alert for views taken from the helmet cameras of the spacewalkers. But there's no confirmation of whether that footage includes a tense spacewalking moment where Massimino had to rip out a stubborn handrail by force. "I hope so," Massimino said.

Related Articles

Hubble 3D IMAX Trailer Released, Looks Amazing
What's It Like to Film IMAX 3D In Outer Space?
Hubble's Deepest Look Into Space, Now Rendered In 3D

Tags

Technology, Jeremy Hsu, 3d, astronauts, hubble, hubble huggers, hubble space telescope, IMAX, nasa, space shuttle, Video
Hubble 3-D IMAX ultimately links the human experience of spaceflight with that larger sense of searching for humanity's place in the infinite void of space. The very end of the film will showcase never-before-seen 3-D tours of the cosmos that come courtesy of the repaired Hubble -- a fly-through of the Orion Nebula, and a truly epic voyage from our Milky Way galaxy all the way out to the edge of the observable universe.

Massimino spent time after the preview talking about his enjoyment of seeing the Hubble 3-D IMAX trailer when he took his kids to see James Cameron's sci-fi blockbuster Avatar. He also listed some home repair misadventures as part of his pre-mission training, and recounted his wife telling him to "Think of Hubble!" during each mishap.

The astronaut did not shy away from more somber subjects, even as he joked about crying again when asked about the Obama administration ending NASA's plans to return to the moon.

"I've always seen great support [for NASA] from the President, Congress and the public," Massamino said. He voiced confidence that the U.S. will continue to move forward on spaceflight -- a sentiment that many more people may hope for after seeing the Hubble rescue in all its IMAX glory.

7 Comments

Link to this comment
pheonix1012
01/29/10 at 6:28 pm

There's no shame in crying when you find out that the nation you put your faith in steps away from the most important endeavor of modern human society (some of us want to do something else a little more vulgar).

It is no laughing matter when a nation discards proactive plans for improving human space flight operations as the rest of the world gets serious about making strides towards those same endeavors. From there they can only go forward as the U.S. moves backwards.

Maybe this film will help give people perspective. Maybe it'll help the policy makers see how wrong they are about the validity of manned space flight.

"Welcome! to the Federation Starship SS Buttcrack!!!"

Link to this comment
Meshca
01/29/10 at 6:56 pm

what he said ^I almost teared at that.

Link to this comment
javor jav
01/30/10 at 12:53 pm

This is great for NASA. Having a movie like this come out when Obama could be scratching the Constellation program could get much more negative attention. or it could inspire more young people to get involved and the private space industry will really take off

Link to this comment
w00zzy

from wichita, ks

01/31/10 at 11:55 am

I agree with you guys. It is a shame the current administration is doing what it's doing. We have only one direction left to go as a species and they have just stopped us from doing it. Our only hope is the next president will see their folly in this and start it back up. If not, America will be left behind.

Link to this comment
Meshca
02/01/10 at 8:46 am

I think I just became a republican.

"NASA's mission to return astronauts to the moon would be grounded with the space agency instead getting an additional $5.9 billion over five years to encourage private companies to build, launch and operate their own spacecraft for the benefit of NASA and others. NASA would pay the private companies to carry U.S. astronauts. "

That's 1.2billion/year from a 3.83TRILLION spending budget for just this year. .031% if u only count 1 year's budget.

per news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_budget

Link to this comment
AVI8TR
02/09/10 at 4:07 pm

well, I hope not like a typical republican, you can suggest what to cut to pay for it. I suggest military. If not, are you suggesting to raise taxes? Where is this money to come? We're laying off teachers and state troopers in my state. I hate the NASA setback as well, but unless you're already a republican, you would wonder where the budget surplus went and who drove this bus off a cliff, which party sold us with Paulson's help TARP? There are alot of things that are being cut due to the stupid greed of the republicans, so now you're suggesting we reward the party that set back NASA in the first place. probably need to lay off so many star trek reruns..And it may be 6 years before we can afford a real NASA again, if ever.

Link to this comment
Maikls
08/05/10 at 8:45 am

Thank You

www.aglik.com/vb/f122.html
www.aglik.com/vb/t15161.html


138 years of Popular Science at your fingertips.

Innovation Challenges

Make your ideas part of the revolution
Learn morePowered by Innocentive



Popular Science+ For iPad

Each issue has been completely reimagined for your iPad. See our amazing new vision for magazines that goes far beyond the printed page



Download Our App

Stay up to date on the latest news of the future of science and technology from your iPhone or Android phone with full articles, images and offline viewing



Follow Us On Twitter

Featuring every article from the magazine and website, plus links from around the Web. Also see our PopSci DIY feed


February 2012: The Future of Fun

Science is reinventing play, from extreme sports to gamification to ridiculous roller coasters to the playgrounds of tomorrow, and this issue is chock full of fun. Also, on a less fun note: Did global warming destroy my hometown?


circ-top-header.gif
circ-cover.gif