A hidden gem in the multitude of science fiction TV shows
And some real science behind it
A
TV show
aired between 2002 and 2004, Odyssey 5 is about the
adventures of the five surviving Odyssey crew members who, after
witnessing the explosion of Earth during their mission which left them
stranded in space, are unexpectedly rescued by a friendly alien entity
who sends them five years into the past to find a way to change the
future. The script is full of action, drama, and even comedy but the
tour de force of this storyline is really the characters slowly
realizing that by changing some facts in the past with the purpose to
help somebody or to achieve the ultimate goal of saving Earth (whose
demise they already know of), they're also touching on many other
variables therefore leading to surprising and unwanted consequences that
would not have taken place five years later. The show unfortunately
ended on a cliffhanger and avid fans are still waiting anxiously to
learn about the fates of those beloved characters while resigned to
watching other excellent sci-fi shows.
Curiously, there is a real
Odyssey
mission and is thankfully doing very well. Mars Odyssey was launched on
April 7, 2001 (soon before Odyssey 5 aired) and has been in orbit around
planet Mars since October 24, 2001, holding the record for the longest
continually active spacecraft in orbit around a planet other than Earth.
During its many years in Martian orbit, Mars Odyssey globally mapped the
amount and distribution of the numerous chemical elements and minerals
in the Martian surface and also tracked the radiation environment in low
Mars orbit, both necessary before humans can effectively explore the
Martian surface (source: NASA). Here is a picture of Mars Odyssey in
action:
Speaking of real missions, are you following the news on Perseverance,
the rover currently exploring Mars? Would you like to take a quiz about
it?
Quiz
Agility?
Ingenuity?
Velocity?
Rochette?
Pochette?
Raquette?
If you're interested in other shows or movies based on real space
missions, we periodically publish a newsletter on the topic and you are
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the button below. Happy sci-fi show watching!🎞