posted 09-20-2022 08:39 AM               

Hollywood Taps Blue Origin to Depict the Future of Life in Space

The Orbital Reef team, led by partners Blue Origin and Sierra Space, today (Sept. 20) announced at the 73rd International Astronautical Congress a cross-promotional deal with Centerboro Productions to portray the mixed-use space station in the HELIOS feature film.

Set in 2030, the film will tell the story of a spaceship, the HELIOS, and its crew during their urgent mission to the International Space Station (ISS). When a massive solar flare hits the station, it is up to astronomer and former NASA astronaut Jess Denver and Air Force Colonel Sam Adler to team up and save humanity. HELIOS is written by Patricia A. Beninati (Hubble: 20 Years of Discovery), Michael K. Anderson (The Wonder Show), and Bernard Moore (HELIOS).

The HELIOS movie is produced by Centerboro's president, producer & writer Patricia A. Beninati, John Lewis, Todd Slater (King of Killers), Michael K. Anderson, Marilyn G. Haft (Grace is Gone), and Robert Feierbach, who will serve as an executive producer.

"We teamed up with Blue Origin to give moviegoers a thrilling, but realistic depiction of the future of living and working in space and a coordinated response to a space weather emergency," said Patricia A. Beninati.

Throughout the movie, Orbital Reef is featured as the latest-generation space station used as a critical resource by the HELIOS crew.

HELIOS producer John Lewis, Vice President and partner of Andrea Iervolino's Space 11 Corp Aerospace said, "In an era where science fiction films are abundant, we decided early on that we wanted to make a film that was authentic in technology and demonstrates true solutions available to humanity in such a time of crisis."

Orbital Reef is a commercially developed, owned, and operated space station to be built in low Earth orbit. This unique destination will provide the essential infrastructure needed to scale economic activity and open new markets in space, including tourism, entertainment, research, and manufacturing.

"We are thrilled the HELIOS movie team chose Orbital Reef to represent a real space destination in this production," said Brent Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Advanced Development Programs, Blue Origin. "Our mission is to benefit Earth by opening the solar system. Together with our partners, we're building Orbital Reef as the basis of a vibrant human space ecosystem."

The Orbital Reef team continues to achieve critical milestones as it prepares to operate as a mixed-use business park in the second half of this decade. Orbital Reef recently passed its System Requirements Review (SRR) and System Definition Review (SDR) with NASA.

"Orbital Reef bridged the gap we needed between science fiction and reality. I'm proud HELIOS will showcase what is realistically feasible and possible with technology that our industry is developing in space, providing continued benefits for all humankind," said executive producer Robert Feierbach.

Principal photography on the HELIOS movie is slated to begin in 2023.