Gravity

[Tech_Spec]

Hey guys,

I don't know about you guys but I think this look pretty good:

Seems to have fairly realistic physics, at least relative to how Hollywood normally does things.

Best-case-scenario: KSP the Movie!

[SmallChange]

At first I was going to write something sarcastic about Sandra Bullock, but that trailer did look pretty bad-ass...

[Crown]

I heard about the movie but couldn't find a trailer.

Thanks for the link.

I expect this movie to be very unrealistic in regards of space flight. For a person as me who is very interested in space flight it will be the details that might make me facepalm along the movie. For instance they don't use screws with outside hexagons on the ISS.

Maybe this could have been a disaster movie located on an oil rig. But this one's in space. At least it has quite low costs for actors.

[AlexL]

From that trailer I can't see much content that could make a great story.

Also, unless the shuttle was on a mission to boost the stations orbit to prevent re-entry, I don't think that sort of blast would de-orbit the thing.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'll need to see more to make up my mind

[Brabbit1987]

I swear it wasn't me this time! ... That was my first thought when watching this.

From that trailer I can't see much content that could make a great story.

Also, unless the shuttle was on a mission to boost the stations orbit to prevent re-entry, I don't think that sort of blast would de-orbit the thing.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'll need to see more to make up my mind

I also thought the same exact thing as you.

[Rastaman]

I read somewhere that Bullock's and Clooney's characters are thethered together and that "they first have to go deeper into space in order to return home".

Obviously they have to raise their apoapsis to let something else overtake them and rendezvous with it, where they then board and survive. They have a couple of hours of EV "Activity" to fall for each other. A woman and a man tethered together. They have to skirt the dangerous shoals of their relationship. It's called "Gravity", like people gravitating towards each other. Don't let go. Happy end. It's a parable on relationships, not spaceships.

Still, there is space. And space suits. And the ISS. And Soyuz. And the manned maneuvering unit. And an exploding space shuttle. Why does it all explode so violently anyway. Meteorites?

Edited May 14, 2013 by Rastaman

[Qumefox]

I read somewhere that Bullock's and Clooney's characters are thethered together and that "they first have to go deeper into space in order to return home".

Obviously they have to raise their apoapsis to let something else overtake them and rendezvous with it, where they then board and survive. They have a couple of hours of EV "Activity" to fall for each other. A woman and a man tethered together. They have to skirt the dangerous shoals of their relationship. It's called "Gravity", like people gravitating towards each other. Don't let go. Happy end. It's a parable on relationships, not spaceships.

Still, there is space. And space suits. And the ISS. And Soyuz. And the manned maneuvering unit. And an exploding space shuttle. Why does it all explode so violently anyway. Meteorites?

Thanks. You just killed any interest I had in watching this movie.

[Tech_Spec]

I agree it probably is just another disaster movie, but at the same time, it does seem to be significantly more realistic than many other space films (bar Apollo 13).

And an exploding space shuttle. Why does it all explode so violently anyway. Meteorites?

Dude, two words: ROCKET FUEL

[magnemoe]

From that trailer I can't see much content that could make a great story.

Also, unless the shuttle was on a mission to boost the stations orbit to prevent re-entry, I don't think that sort of blast would de-orbit the thing.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'll need to see more to make up my mind

My thought to, an impact on IIS would not deorbit it, energy requirement would reduce it to small fragments first.

Better do it with a space shuttle during reentry burn, or even better do it with an fail under an aerobraking on an mars return with an spaceship.

Lots of damage and loss of all engines, then it comes back for another aerobrake without control or two before burning up.

Use Mars to get known with characters and set up subplots.

[musicpenguin]

Why does it all explode so violently anyway. Meteorites?

Have you ever played ksp? Have you ever had a space station in ksp? Has that space station ever explode in ksp? Yeah. Probably got hit by meteorite or something. Also maybe there was a spark near some fuel. AND BOOM MOTHA FUYCKERS!

[NeoMorph]

Imagine the speed of an old Russian satellite that is in polar orbit. Now you have the ISS in equatorial orbit. Paths cross and KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

I know this story.... Sandra has to get not let herself get below 50m/s or her suit will explode...

[SecondGuessing]

For instance they don't use screws with outside hexagons on the ISS.

This is why we can't have nice things.

[Nexustrimean]

There isnt that much Rocket fuel on the ISS.

[Levelord]

So how the heck does a station exploding cause all the debris to de-orbit?

Unless the explosion was acting in a single direction retrograde, shouldn't the debris just go in a lazy orbit like all debris in KSP after a fatal accident?

[Trux]

So how the heck does a station exploding cause all the debris to de-orbit?

Unless the explosion was acting in a single direction retrograde, shouldn't the debris just go in a lazy orbit like all debris in KSP after a fatal accident?

It's meant to be something visually and aurally pleasing which it does well and science doesn't always have to apply to films. I agree it might be cringe-worthy for people with an interest in Space but maybe this is a good thing for the public to see to bring the issue of Space debris to the masses :L

[Crown]

A realistic movie in space would be boring for the mainstream viewer. Sadly.

But I think it is possible to make realistic movies with suspense and transport a message too. Without major errors. It would take more work but wouldn't offend people who know a little bit about that stuff and doesn't take the piss out of so. who get's in contact with that stuff later.

By the way: The movie's station is 595.2 km high. The ISS is just 320...430 km high. Speed at 595,2 km is 7'565.3m/sec in circular orbit. If I'm right you have to go 7425m/sec at Ap to have a Pe at 100km (the edge of space). Means 140m/sec difference. The ISS weighs 455 (metric) tons. Taking the Space Shuttle's engine as base with 53.4kN thrust, it would make I love maths a deceleration of 0.12m/sec^2. So it would take about 20 minutes full thrust to de-orbit a station of this size. Even with half the mass it's kinda ... well, you know.

I don't think any explosion is able to de-orbit any thing of that. But, we know.. Hollywood.

[Daze]

Imagine the speed of an old Russian satellite that is in polar orbit. Now you have the ISS in equatorial orbit. Paths cross and KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

I know this story.... Sandra has to get not let herself get below 50m/s or her suit will explode...

Seriously rofled.

[Trux]

What about a collision? Could the impact of a piece of debris deorbit the station, or at least part of it in case of a glancing blow?

[sadron]

**** Hollywood, you're the reason why everyone thinks space is like this.

[NeoMorph]

What about a collision? Could the impact of a piece of debris deorbit the station, or at least part of it in case of a glancing blow?

Come on... have you SEEN how much delta V you need just to get your rocket to de-orbit. Now try it with something the size of the ISS... stick a rocket on it and a whole bunch of fuel and then burn baby burn.... and yawn... and wait.... and cry "DAMN YOU HOLLYWOOD... YOU LIED!".

[Tauge]

Guys...guys...stop thinking with logic and start thinking like a movie executive.

How does a computer work? Black Magic

How does an airplane fly? Black Magic

How does my toilet work? Black Magic

How does anything happen? Black Magic

So to answer all you queries, the answer is Black Magic.

[lyndonguitar]

**** Hollywood, you're the reason why everyone thinks space is like this.

If anything, it provides space exploration some exposure, It's not Hollywood's fault stock space is boring for the masses, so they have to mod it. It is entertainment anyway, not a documentary. I love space, I know stuffs about it, But I still enjoy movies like this.

[sadron]

[CalculusWarrior]

How does a computer work? Black Magic Because the plot requires it to

How does an airplane fly? Black Magic Because the plot requires it to

How does my toilet work? Black Magic Because the plot requires it to

How does anything happen? Black Magic Because the plot requires it to

I feel like this is a more accurate representation of movie executives

[ShachonianX]

**** Hollywood, you're the reason why everyone thinks space is like this.

One word: absolutely correct. I think the only good Hollywood space movie is Apollo 13, and I don't even know if that was a Hollywood movie.