Just got back from seeing Gravity.

I'm not going to go into the accuracy of the science or the script.

I'm just going to say to the effects and cinematography.

See it if you like space porn.

The VFX, sound, and cinematography are top-notch. Top fucking notch.* See it on the best screen you can get access to. The story and technical accuracy on the other hand are a bit shit. I'm a space nerd, a pilot, a nitpicker, and a lover of classic sci-fi, so I was squirming uncomfortably at times. On a few occasions the script, particularly the back-story and psychological make-up of Sandra Bullock's character broke my immersion badly and I was muttering obscenities at the screenwriter.

Story-wise on a scale of Armageddon (stupid) to Moon (genius), I'd give it .65 Moons.
Spectacle-wise on a scale of Moon (slow and thinky) to Armageddon (holy shit everything is exploding), I'd give it .95 Armageddons.

I don't regret seeing it.






(* I cannot emphasize this strongly enough. The opening scene is like something out of an ultra-high-def seven-story-tall IMAX NASA space documentary, only better. It will be a long time before I see its equal.)


Edit: Oh, without going into spoilers, I'd like to say that if you're an actively critical thinky atheist-type, there is a scene that will set your teeth on edge. Suck it up and go see it anyway.

Last edited by Nova (10-04-2013 03:05:06 AM)

Ashnod wrote:

Just got back from seeing Gravity.

I'm not going to go into the accuracy of the science or the script.

I'm just going to say to the effects and cinematography.

See it if you like space porn.

It is easily one of the best science fiction movies of all time. Easily.

It is also the best horror film I've ever seen. Yes, I know it's not catalogued as a horror film, but whatever. Just as how other movies make you go "OOOH" and "AAAH", as how it always starts, this movie has you tense the entire time (well: almost the entire time). No need for monsters, killers or blood when it's the sheer terror of burning up or simply die a slow, systematic death of lack of O2.

Cuaron nailed it and should make more like this.

I went out to see the ISS last night, which I don't do enough.  Something new happened this time.  It flew almost directly overhead as promised, and then over a period of just a few seconds, it dimmed and disappeared.  It took me a moment to put together the pieces: passing overhead, northwest to southeast, 8:00 local time.  The station disappeared because the sun had just set up there.  No sun, no reflected light for me to look at.  So if I had been on board the ISS at that moment, I would have been watching one of the fifteen sunsets the astronauts get every day.

I'm a nerd, so I did some math.  If I have the geometry of the situation right, the sun was setting for them behind rural Mexico, about a hundred miles southeast of rural Chihuahua.  But I'm not sure about that, because I'm not actually sure what direction the sun sets in on the ISS.  The station was traveling southeast last night with respect to me.  The equinox was only a month ago, so the sun wasn't setting much south of west.  Would the astronauts have seen the sun set in the west, in the northwest, or somewhere in between?

Ashnod wrote:

This is old news, but sometimes it helps to see it again. Or to see it from a different perspective.

This was delicious.  I didn't know who Joe Kittinger was.  His role here is poetic. 

On a lighter note...

1983:


1993:

Seriously...

satyreyes wrote:

Ashnod, why did you post the Rose of Versailles opening sequence in the Space Exploration thread?

Because flowers without names blooming in the field can only sway in the wind. But I was born with a destiny of roses, born to live in passion and glory.

Giovanna wrote:

I went to the Canadian Nurses Trauma Symposium last Friday. You don't usually think you'll run into space orgasms at such a place, though for someone aspiring to be a trauma nurse, it's as sexy.

BUT BUT. The last presenter was this adorable little lady: Julielynn Wong, MD.

Her presentation was on breakthrough technologies in trauma care, which included badass stuff like Gundam suits for paraplegics. But the highlight for me? Uses of 3D printing in medicine, specifically, she's worked with NASA to develop 3D printable medical/surgical implements for use on long term (MARS) manned expeditions. It's an idea that has huge implications, combined with a good library of resources, you basically have your own mini trauma center accessible with no added weight or space consumption.

IS THAT FUCKING COOL OR WHAT It's literally god damn Star Trek. I asked for a copy of the study she wrote for the project, and she's gonna hook me up when it's published.

AWESOME!!

satyreyes wrote:

REPLICATORS.  That is one-third of the hat trick of Star Trek technologies that I want YESTERDAY, the other two-thirds being holodecks and transporters.  And I'm not even sure about the transporters, which are a little spooky if you think about them for too long.  But 3D printers as replicators for actual astronauts.  Fuck yes forever.

It says something about how deeply smartphones have integrated into our culture that nobody thinks it would be cool if we had communicators and tricorders.

More Chris Hadfield goodness.

Shots of the Curiosity rover on Mars after 2 years

Use the sliders on the images to see the before and after for the two-year duration. The wheels certainly have taken a beating.

Just a quick note that there will be live video from Mars today as the Curiosity rover tracks a comet's close approach. You can see it all here: http://www.ustream.tv/NASAJPL

EDIT: Oops. That's going to be happening on Oct 19. Should be fun.

Last edited by Flah (10-09-2014 12:01:36 PM)

This is great news.  There had been technical issues with the probe over the last couple days, including one where -- I shit you not -- the European Space Agency fixed the problem by turning it off and then back on.  You only think the ESA has more computer expertise than your mother.

Next: Bruce Willis blows it up.

Last edited by satyreyes (11-12-2014 11:03:44 AM)