Of all the planets in the solar system, the one which has always fascinated earthlings is Mars because of its proximity and being considered as the only possible habitable place for humankind. The year 2015-2016 was the tipping point as far as interest in Mars is concerned as several countries including US, Russia, China and India among others committed themselves towards exploration of the planet. Making the idea a part of popular folk lore were Andy Weir’s The Martian and Stephen Petranek’s book “How We’ll Live On Mars”.
Keeping in mind this spurt in public interest, National Geographic will be premiering in 171 countries and 45 languages this November, a six-part series Mars . Set in the future and in the present it will combine feature-film scripted drama and visual effects with documentary sequences to tell the story of mankind’s quest to colonise Mars. According to Ron Howard, renowned director of Apollo 13 and Da Vinci Code who is the Executive Producer of the series, by blending the documentary footage with scripted material into a single narrative the series hopes to satisfy the information needs as well as reinforce the excitement of the adventure.
Drawn to space narratives as they support humankind’s ambition of being a multi-planet species, Howard, in a telephonic conversation from London, says, “I was drawn to the series as it explores the unknown and the mysterious. I am always curious to know what is beyond the next horizon and about people who are committed to the same. The scientists and researchers working to make the Mars journey and its colonisation possible are not part of a fantasy. They are real people and I like telling stories about them.”
Directed by Mexican filmmaker Everardo Gout of Days of Grace fame, the story focuses on Earth’s first crewed mission to Mars aboard the spacecraft Daedalus. Manned by a selected international crew of six qualified astronauts it takes the audience through their journey and how they set up a preliminary base of operations bring to fore all the problems and difficulties they face.
What makes the series interesting is its attempt to make the script and visuals as authentic as possible. The writing team worked with an extensive group of experts to understand how science could serve the story. While Dr. Robert Braun, an aerospace engineer and space technology professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology provided consultation on all scientific aspects of the fictional storyline, Dr. Mae Jemison, a former NASA astronaut worked closely with the cast to hone their portrayals. Besides this, Mars will showcase a collection of interviews with all those currently working to overcome the many obstacles for the journey to the planet and and settling down there.
Stating that the making of Apollo 13 laid the ground work for his interest in space exploration, Howard feels that is an important aspect of human experience going forward. When asked about the debate on the futility of going to Mars, he comments: “I believe that it is a good investment. I believe that it is a fraction of any nation’s GPD and I think that it yields so much in terms growth and technological advancement. Even though from the perspective of short term this money could be applied to other social projects, that I also believe in, but I think holistically we need to be a society that supports both ends of the spectrum and in both kinds of projects.”
