BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

Stu · 2004-10-16 07:41:01

Earlier this year, when all the hoo-hah about the Butler Report (about the BBCs coverage of the Iraq war) and its attack on the journalism of the BBC was in the news, I heard the new boss of the BBC talking on a 5 Live phone-in show, insisting why the licence fee (note to US members: over here in the UK we HAVE to pay an annual fee to watch our TVs. A "TV licence" costs over £100, and if you're found watching TV without a licence you can be fined £1000!) was such good value etc etc. Stressing that the days of filling the schedules with makeover, reality TV and DIY shows were over, he gave previews of some of the BBC's new shows, and one of them was "a space documentary series which will use the same technology and effects featured in WALKING WITH DINOSAURS..." Hmmm, interesting, I thought, but with no name and no more details to go on I couldn't find out anything more, and until today I'd pretty much forgotten about it to be honest...

...then this morning I was looking in the science section of Kendal's Ottakars, trying to track down "The Real Mars", the new - and, to my knowledge, first post-Spirit and Opportunity Mars title - book by Michael Hanlon, the Daily Mail's science correspondent. I found it, and a quick browse thru showed it was okay but not an essential buy (there are LOTS of friend-to-New Mars Kees Veenenbos's Mars renders in, which was good to see!) - then, on the shelf next to it, I saw a big glossy book called "Space Odyssey". Hadn't heard of it before, so obviously I pulled it out for a look - and saw the BBC logo there, and, beneath the book title, "The book of the BBC Series"...

Aha! Gotcha! Opened it... and five minutes later I was handing over £20 at the till.

Let me tell you, SPACE ODYSSEY is one of the most stunning "space" books I've seen, and if the TV series is a tenth as good as the book - and if WALKING WITH DINOSAURS is anything to go by, it will be - then boy, are we in for a treat when the show airs. So, this is a heads-up for British New Mars members to keep an eye on the TV schedules - and advance warning for US and international members to check their schedules too, because I'm sure this show will be broadcast worldwide.

What's the book like? Well, a mix of fact and fiction, written in the style of a crew flight diary or journal, "SPACE ODYSSEY" tells the story of an ambitious manned space journey of the future - a six year long mission during which the 6 man crew of the spaceship Pegasus travels to just about every planet in the Solar System, experiencing triumph and tragedy, adventure and danger...

Yes, I know, "yawn", it's been done before, several times, but this time is different. In this book - and in the TV series - the journey is illustrated with photo-realistic images, not artwork or unconvincing photo-mosaics. And because the writers and illustrators have strained to be as accurate as possible, basing the whole thing on hard science, these pictures are probably snapshots stolen from the future. There are the inevitable pictures of astronauts walking on Mars, and looking out over Valles Marineris etc, but these are by far the best I've seen anywhere - superbly colour balanced, genuinely photo-realistic, they're just incredible. Cindy will particularly enjoy the very realistic depiction of an astronaut coming face to face with a dust devil...

There are also images of the crew walking on Venus, Io and Pluto; spacewalking amongst the rings of Saturn; exploring a comet; etc etc...

As a read, the book is good value too. Okay, so some of the diary entries are cheesier than a catering size box of cheddar slices, but it's not just a science book, or series, you have to remember it's entertainment too, and each of the six crewmembers has their own well-drawn character.

Anyway, just wanted to give you all a heads-up about this. The book is stunning, it really is, and bodes well for the TV series. Although I enjoyed it, the BBC's last hi-profile space series - "SPACE", narrated by Sam Neil - was criticised in some quarters for "dumbing down" astronomy and space science into sound-bites and special effects. SPACE ODYSSEY could be a classic. It's guaranteed world-wide sales, and lots of media attention too. I personally can't wait.

Stu

( The book details for those who want to buy it:

"SPACE ODYSSEY", ("A voyage to the Planets"), by Tim Haines and Christopher Riley. £20, BBC Books, ISBN 0-563-52154-6 )

Palomar · 2004-10-16 07:55:47

Let me tell you, SPACE ODYSSEY is one of the most stunning "space" books I've seen, and if the TV series is a tenth as good as the book - and if WALKING WITH DINOSAURS is anything to go by, it will be - then boy, are we in for a treat when the show airs. So, this is a heads-up for British New Mars members to keep an eye on the TV schedules - and advance warning for US and international members to check their schedules too, because I'm sure this show will be broadcast worldwide.
What's the book like? Well, a mix of fact and fiction, written in the style of a crew flight diary or journal, "SPACE ODYSSEY" tells the story of an ambitious manned space journey of the future - a six year long mission during which the 6 man crew of the spaceship Pegasus travels to just about every planet in the Solar System, experiencing triumph and tragedy, adventure and danger...
Yes, I know, "yawn", it's been done before, several times, but this time is different. In this book - and in the TV series - the journey is illustrated with photo-realistic images, not artwork or unconvincing photo-mosaics. And because the writers and illustrators have strained to be as accurate as possible, basing the whole thing on hard science, these pictures are probably snapshots stolen from the future.
( The book details for those who want to buy it:
"SPACE ODYSSEY", ("A voyage to the Planets"), by Tim Haines and Christopher Riley. £20, BBC Books, ISBN 0-563-52154-6 )

*Thanks for the heads-up on this. Sounds fantastic; I'll definitely read it.

Wouldn't it be -beyond- great if this book becomes a smashing international bestseller? Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins' "Left Behind" fearmongering/superstition pandering series of books has had enough of the limelight; I hope Space Odyssey knocks "LB" right OFF the shelves. Keep 'em coming, science writers!

--Cindy

P.S.: Will watch the TV program too, if it airs here...but I'll still read the book (my preference).

Stu · 2004-10-16 08:00:08

More details here...

http://cgi.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressr … ...e.shtml

Shaun Barrett · 2004-10-16 18:26:51

Yes, indeedy, Stu. Thanks from me too.
I was especially intrigued by the idea of astronauts walking on Venus - the suits must be something to behold! (But don't reveal any details. It'd spoil the anticipation! )

P.S. That "Left Behind" reference had me curious, Cindy, because I'd never heard of the book(s) or the authors. A quick google (at Amazon) left me aghast that bulls*** of that calibre was sucking in an audience - I can only hope it's for the novelty of the storyline and not because they're falling for the less-than-subtle proselytising.
If the series is out here in Australia, I haven't noticed it on the bookstore shelves yet. But then, I don't look for that kind of superstitious stuff anyhow.
I much prefer the sound of the book Stu's telling us about!

Palomar · 2004-10-16 19:51:25

I was especially intrigued by the idea of astronauts walking on Venus - the suits must be something to behold! (But don't reveal any details. It'd spoil the anticipation! )

*Ditto for what kind of gear for walking on Io!

A quick google (at Amazon) left me aghast that bulls*** of that calibre was sucking in an audience -

*Welcome to America. This has been a mega-bestselling series; the authors are multimillionaires by now, easily.

I can only hope it's for the novelty of the storyline and not because they're falling for the less-than-subtle proselytising.

*Unfortunately it's the latter.

If the series is out here in Australia, I haven't noticed it on the bookstore shelves yet. But then, I don't look for that kind of superstitious stuff anyhow.

*Nearly unavoidable here. The latest release is -always- "front and center" in chain stores such as Barnes & Noble, etc. Wal-Mart is a keen advertiser of the series as well -- center aisle. There's a strong following for that series. But I'm all for freedom of the press and etc., of course.

Back on topic...

--Cindy

Stu · 2004-10-21 09:47:13

Good news for all you US guys in an email from Chris Riley, one of the team behind SPACE ODYSSEY.

"The series should air here in the UK on BBC-1 in mid-november (two one hour episodes on the 11th and 18th Nov). In the US it is branded as "Walking with Spacemen" and the Discovery Channel will screen it in the spring as a single event. The US verison (although only 4 x 3 rather than 16 x 9 widescreen as it will be in Europe) is a slightly longer version with approximately 6 minutes more material in it - a kind of "directors cut" if you like!"

So, there you go. You will see it.

GraemeSkinner · 2004-10-29 07:38:43

BBC have the time/date of the first show as 21:00 Tues 9th November '04
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/program … ssey/]LINK

GraemeSkinner · 2004-11-22 03:57:49

Having watched both episodes I have to say the BBC have produced a visually impressive programme but at the expense of the science. This is the second new science related BBC series I've watched and the second series I've had to question why they can't do real science along with the good visuals. Perhaps I'm over critical where space science is concerned, but I wish they'd realize we don't all want TV science dummed down.

Graeme

Palomar · 2004-11-22 08:25:52

I have to say the BBC have produced a visually impressive programme but at the expense of the science. This is the second new science related BBC series I've watched and the second series I've had to question why they can't do real science along with the good visuals.

*Sorry to hear it. Of course I don't know how it goes with British television in general, but if it's anything like American TV they apparently figure more people wish to be merely entertained. Nothing wrong with entertainment per se, but in this sort of programming science shouldn't take a back seat IMO.

Perhaps I'm over critical where space science is concerned

*I doubt it. There's certainly nothing wrong with having higher standards. Most of the entertainment industry is nearly completely geared towards brain taffy anyway. Why not expect better occasionally? That's not asking much.

but I wish they'd realize we don't all want TV science dummed down.

*Write them and let them know. They'll probably cop out to the old "well, we're only giving the audience what they want" excuse though. A convenient excuse for lazy programmers.

In the US we have the Discover Channel (perhaps it's available for viewing elsewhere; I don't know). It used to be primarily geared towards the sciences, etc. Now at least half of its programming focuses on rough potty-mouthed motorcycle mechanics getting into shoving matches, tossing tools about in anger and seeing who can do the fanciest glitter paint job on the new bike. It's pathetic, IMO. Lowered standards, tawdry "entertainment." (And yeah, I'd feel the same exact way if it were a cooking show with females behaving that way). I wish the Discover Channel would raise its standards again, but we've got all this "reality TV" b.s. going on.

--Cindy

SpaceNut · 2004-11-22 10:08:15

I had actually started talking about that same issue under another thread. page 8 Topic: Funding space, How much do Americans pay for sneakers?
http://www.newmars.com/cgi-bin....;st=105

Rxke · 2004-11-22 15:41:06

Stu, why didn't you mention here you http://www.newmars.com/archives/000131.shtml]did an excellent interview awhile ago for New mars?
Not everybody visits the website...

:;):

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#1 2004-10-16 07:41:01

Re: BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

#2 2004-10-16 07:55:47

Re: BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

#3 2004-10-16 08:00:08

Re: BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

#4 2004-10-16 18:26:51

Re: BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

#5 2004-10-16 19:51:25

Re: BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

#6 2004-10-21 09:47:13

Re: BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

#7 2004-10-29 07:38:43

Re: BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

#8 2004-11-22 03:57:49

Re: BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

#9 2004-11-22 08:25:52

Re: BBC's "Space Odyssey" series - Most realitic manned Mars missions yet..

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