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Forum:Free Space
Topic:Embedding Star Trek in space history
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In the same spirit as the opening credits for Enterprise, the teaser places this version of Star Trek in the same canon as real space history with audio clips by President Kennedy, Scott Carpenter and Neil Armstrong.

Robert PearlmanDiamond Sky Productions Media release
Lead Planetary Scientist Carolyn Porco to Advise on New Star Trek Movie

The woman who guides the team of scientists and engineers responsible for all those out-of-this-world images from Saturn that are popping up everywhere lately will soon be guiding the folks at Paramount Pictures in creating planetary scenes for its much anticipated new movie "Star Trek".

Carolyn Porco, the leader of the Imaging Science team on NASA'S Cassini mission at Saturn, has accepted an invitation from Star Trek director/producer, J.J. Abrams, to join the Star Trek production crew as a consultant on planetary science and imagery.

Abrams, who co-created, produced, and directed the TV series "Lost", created, produced and directed the TV series "Alias", and directed the film "Mission: Impossible III", was present at the 2007 TED conference in Monterey, California where Porco spoke of the recent findings from the Cassini mission.

"Carolyn and her team have produced images that are simply stunning", said Abrams. "I'm thrilled that she will help guide our production in creating an authentic vision of space, one that immerses our audience in a visual experience as awe-inspiring as what Carolyn's cameras have captured."

Porco also directs the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations (CICLOPS) at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado. CICLOPS is the center of uplink and downlink flight operations for the Cassini imaging experiment, and the place where Cassini images are processed for release to the public. (Cassini images of Saturn and its rings and moons can be found at the official imaging team website.)

Porco has made it her personal mission to produce, and release for public consumption, images that are scientifically accurate, artfully presented and as true to life as possible.

"Ever since we departed Earth 10 years ago", said Porco, "I wanted the world to see and enjoy what the planetary bodies and phenomena imaged by our cameras would look like if one were there, going along for the ride."

Now she will be taking that same attention to scientific accuracy and artful presentation to the silver screen.

"This is a fabulous opportunity to bring to a wider audience the discoveries we've made at Saturn, and the spectacular sights we have seen there", she said. "And what better way to do that than to make use of those discoveries in the crafting of imagery for one of the most popular movie franchises of all time."

Porco will be working directly with Roger Guyett, the film's supervisor for visual effects. Guyett has been a creative leader at George Lucas' visual effects firm, Industrial Light and Magic, since 1994, and has been visual effects director for such classics as "Star Wars: Episode III", "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", "Mission: Impossible III", "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", and more.

"Everybody is very excited about Carolyn's involvement in the film", said Guyett. "Her incredible knowledge and expertise is obviously something we're going to tap into. And the breathtaking imagery that she brings to the collaboration will inspire us all to create some awesome images for our movie!"

The original 1966-1969 television series "Star Trek" was created by Gene Roddenberry, and has encompassed 726 total episodes for television in six different series. The first 10 "Star Trek" films have grossed in excess of $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

"Star Trek" is scheduled for release in December 2008.

Porco, a frequent commentator on science, astronomy, and space exploration for television, radio, and print media, is not new to film production. She served as a consultant on the Warner Bros. movie "Contact" starring Jodie Foster, and as scientific advisor and an animation director for the A&E television special on the 25th anniversary of the Voyager mission, "Cosmic Journey", produced by Cosmos Studios and Norman Star Media.

Alongside a distinguished teaching and research career, Porco played a prominent role in the Voyager mission to the outer planets in the 1980s, and is also an imaging scientist on NASA's New Horizons mission, currently on its way to Pluto.

Her contributions to the exploration of the outer solar system were recognized in 1998 with the naming of Asteroid (7231) Porco. In late 1999, she was selected by the London Sunday Times as one of 18 scientific leaders of the 21st century.

Porco is also the recipient of the 2008 Isaac Asimov Science Award given by the American Humanist Association, the oldest and largest humanist organization in the United States.

Diamond Sky Productions, LLC is a company devoted to the scientific, as well as artful, use of planetary imagery and computer graphics, across all visual media, for the presentation of science and its findings to the public.

Rick MulheirnA friend sent me this very interesting link this evening. It would appear Neil Armstrong was a bit of a "Trekkie."

The clip shows a levity and humour that was well known to his close friends but rarely seen if at all publicly.

Neil clearly enjoyed the event judging by the twinkle in his eye.

Tesla619Watching "Star Trek Into Darkness" and noticed the model collection in a scene. The V-2 stuck out first, then Vostok, Gemini and many more.

I like the V-2 but I wouldn't think they would display it as it was a Nazi weapon. Granted it has an evil past with a bright future and the creator was stuck meaning good but had to do bad.

Robert PearlmanThe 14 models, referred to as the "History of Starflight," were produced for the film by QMx FX Cinema Arts. You can see them here.
For Star Trek Into Darkness, Quantum Mechanix's Artisan prop and model shop, QMx FX Cinema Arts, was asked to illustrate the history of starflight in the new Star Trek time line with models. The 14 filming miniatures we created can be seen stretching across the credenza in Admiral Marcus' office starting with the Wright Flyer and ending with the U.S.S. Vengeance.
DavidHThe Ares V amuses me because I like to imagine that something Nero did in creating the new timeline also prevented the cancellation of Constellation. Since that would have happened before he created the new timeline, it would require that one of the Enterprise crew's trips back in time was different in a way that made the change. I want to see that story.
Hart SastrowardoyoThe markings on the hatch of the shuttle Enterprise model are also slightly different than how she appears in real life.
p51
quote:
Originally posted by Tesla619:
I like the V-2 but I wouldn't think they would display it as it was a Nazi weapon.
It takes place centuries from now. So many people consider WW2 having taken place a billion years ago as it is and people generally care less and less about that conflict every day. It would be expected that within 300 years, people wouldn't be bothered by something like that at all.
Robert PearlmanA V-2 missile stands today in the National Air and Space Museum, a replica is on display at the Kansas Cosmosphere, and portions of a spent missile are at the New Mexico Museum of Space History (to name just three exhibits).

Displaying these missiles neither ignores the role they had as a weapon or the place they had in early space history. The same can be said for the fictional display in the movie.

After all, another model in the series is The Phoenix, Star Trek's first warp-capable ship, built out of a nuclear missile.

sev8nI was under the impression the V2 at the Cosmosphere was a restoration, not a replica.
Robert PearlmanYou're correct, I read a recent release too quickly. The Cosmosphere is currently hosting a temporary exhibit devoted to the V-2 as a weapon, which they describe:
Highlighted artifacts include a V-2 model, rocket head "igniter" and metal skin restored by SpaceWorks.
I missed the phrase from the previous sentence, "...highlights artifacts from the Cosmosphere's collection that are not on display in the Hall of Space Museum."

The restored V-2 display in the Cosmosphere's Hall of Space can be seen here.

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