posted 04-18-2002 04:21 AM               

I very briefly worked with the movie's PR company when the project was first announced, so I was given an opportunity to assist with the press handling for the premiere. My job, in a nutshell, was to spot astronauts and other space celebrities (I don't think anybody needed help spotting Tom Cruise ) and then run up and down the press line whispering whom it was they were photographing.

Spotted strolling down the red carpet were: SPACE STATION Producer Toni Myers, IMAX Co-CEOs Rich Gelfond and Brad Wechsler, Lockheed Martin CEO Dr. Vance Coffman, IMAX Co-Founder Graeme Ferguson, and astronauts/cosmonauts Dan Brandenstein, Brian Duffy, Bill Shepherd, Scott Altman, Robert Curbeam, Nancy Currie, Rick Hieb, Marsha Ivins, Brent Jett, Tom Jones, Mike Massimino, Koichi Wakata, Susan Helms, Yuri Lonchakov, James Newman, Yuri Usachev, and James Voss.

Oh, and Tom Cruise, with girlfriend Penelope Cruz (!), and his parents.

Inside the Air and Space Museum, guests were given "boarding passes" for one of two screenings and then were invited to partake in a very elegant reception. As the invite list was mostly aerospace execs, Congressmen, members of the Executive Branch, NASA directors, and friends of the industry, the tone of the evening was very relaxed -- astronauts mingled with the guests throughout the evening.

Tom Cruise on the other hand, arrived in a press frenzy and then disappeared into the museum, not be seen again all evening (at least, not by me).

Regarding autographs, while all the astronauts seemed to be open to signing -- and I had brought my "Who's Who" with me -- I decided to leave it tucked into my bag. As it happened, there were only a couple of flyers in attendance I needed and I figured I would likely bump into them at a later date.

Cameras, or at least taking pictures, were prohibited inside the museum (for security reasons) but I was able to grab some nice group shots outside of Cruise with the stars of the movie (the astronauts and cosmonauts). I've posted two to the site -- one inside the aforementioned review and one under "Recent Sightings".

posted 04-18-2002 04:50 AM               

As I said, I was suffering (for that matter, still am) from some type of bug and as such, was very tired when I left the event last night around 9pm.

On the way out, they handed each attendee a bag -- a quick look inside revealed a SPACE STATION baseball cap, a reprint of Aviation Week & Space Technology special IMAX 3D issue and a patch from Lockheed Martin.

Relatively standard "swag" from a corporate event (though the hat is very nice).

Having emptied its contents last night, I was just getting ready to throw away the bag but when I went to fold it, it wouldn't bend...

Inside, much to my surprise, I found the following (reprinted from the label adorning the back): "Attached is a prototype solar cell identical to those used on the Lockheed Martin-built solar array wings that power the International Space Station."

Cool!

posted 04-24-2002 01:00 PM               

I'll being seeing that sucker again!

posted 04-28-2002 03:38 AM               

Well, I've just (30 mins) got home from my week in Florida and had to tell you all about the ISS IMAX movie. GO SEE IT !.

I have never seen a 3D movie as realistic as this in my life, at the start your looking at the ISS from the veiwpoint of an astronaut during EVA from inside the helmet. Your hands clamber up the outside of one of the modules and when you get to the end, you look over and see a shuttle docked forther down on the station. And it incredible, there is so much depth of field.

There are funny scenes with the astronauts onboard the shuttle and ISS, and one bit where an astronaut (I think its Susan Helms !) throws an orange at the camera, just watch the people in the cinema duck back.

Also had the chance to do the NASA Up close tour which was cool, the NASA Then and Now tour is still not running at the moment.

The Astronaut Hall of Fame is great value for money, (Ken Havekotte beware ! next time I'll take some glass cutting equipment to get at some of your goodies in the case), I had a great go of a small centrifuge which took me up to 4 1/2 G's. It may not sound alot, but when your in there grinning like a cheshire cat because your cheeks are being pulled back and your having to work at breathing its quite hard !

Well thats about all I can say for space related things as I didnt get time to go to Cocoa or Titusville.

posted 04-28-2002 08:46 AM               

The film is wow!, fantastic, amazing and other superlatives that havn't been invented yet. For 40 minutes, I was an astronaut. It will not be the last time I see this.

My advice, drop whatever else you are doing and go and see it.

Best wishes

posted 04-28-2002 08:54 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Robonaut:
I have just seen the ISS IMAX movie (yesterday, in London, England).

Rob W

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Rob - could you advise the location in London where the ISS IMAX film is being shown?
Thanks
Joe

posted 04-28-2002 12:25 PM               

I saw the film at The Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London.
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/imax/spacestation3d/

Best wishes

Rob W

quote:

---

Originally posted by Joe Davies:

Rob - could you advise the location in London where the ISS IMAX film is being shown?
Thanks
Joe

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posted 04-28-2002 04:05 PM               

(Think I'll see it again at the Science Museum and pay Snoopy a visit while I'm there !)