In a first, a Russian film crew has blasted off to space to make the first ever movie shot in space. The crew consists of film director Klim Shipenko and actress Yulia Peresild who have blasted off on a SpaceX developed rocket. The crew also consists of their astronaut guide Anton Shkaplerov, a veteran astronaut. The 3-person crew have blasted off to the International Space Station and are all set to shoot for the film The Challenge.
The news comes just a few months after another milestone in space-travel was made by entrepreneurs Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson who took the first even private space flight.
Details
Before US emerged victorious in space exploration and defeated Russia during the cold war by taking the first humans to moon, Russia was looked as the space superpower. Before the disintegration of the Soviet Union, it was the USSR who put the first satellite in space. It also sent the first human to the orbit Yuri Gagarin.
After the USSR disintegration and NASA’s back-to-back successful missions, Russia was left far behind in the space race.
However, this time it has beaten the US. The Russian space crew is going to be the first one to shoot a film in the space.
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The Facts of the Matter
From the first animal in space (Laika the dog), to first man in the space (Yuri Gagarin), to the first woman in space (Valentina Tereshkova), Russia was once a pioneer when it comes to space exploration. After decades of falling behind US and China, it has added a new feather in its cap – sending a film crew to shoot a movie in space.
On October 5, a crew of 3 persons, actress, director, and astronaut guide, blasted off to space aboard the Space X created capsule. The crew is on a 12-day mission to shoot the space-related scenes of the film The Challenge.
It’s a monumental feat as this is the first time a full-length movie will be shot and directed entirely in space.
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How Was the Launch for ‘The Challenge’ Crew?
On wee hours of October 5, the 3-person crew blasted off to space at 4.55 AM. Their rocket, a Soyuz, blasted off from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome. Before the crew successfully blasted off to space, it posed for iconic pictures.
On Tuesday, Oct. 5, cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov will join actress Yulia Peresild and producer Klim Shipenko on a @Space_Station-bound Soyuz launch, expanding commercial space opportunities in filmmaking.
Our live coverage begins at 4:15 AM ET (8:15 AM UT): https://t.co/FY7OEDbIZN pic.twitter.com/O2yKF7E6Zk
— NASA (@NASA) October 1, 2021
What Do We Know About the Iconic Crew?
The 3-person crew consists of Yulia Persild, Klim Shipenko and Anton Shkaplerov.
Yulia Persild is an actress who has worked in 70 films and is known as one of the most talented Russian actresses. However, it was not just talent that got her the ticket to space. She was part of a selection procedure that involved over 3,000 contestants. While creativity was obviously a parameter for selection, Yulia was selected after rigorous physical and medical screening.
She will be accompanied by Anton Shkaplerov an astronaut who also served as the commander of the International Space Station. The 49-year-old has gone to space thrice.
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What Do We Know About the Movie That Will Be Shot in Space?
So far, the working title of the movie has been announced as ‘The Challenge’. The challenge has been announced as a simple story of a surgeon, played by Yulia, who’s called for an emergency mission to space to save the life of an astronaut.
