Showing posts with label Science Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science Fiction. Show all posts

Sunday, January 14, 2024

How to steal an asteroid .. "For All Mankind" season 4

It's possible our judgement is biased towards Mars-related content, but season 4 of For All Mankind alternate history sci-fi TV series is show's most exciting season yet. In season 4, depicting the alternate 2003, the international Happy Valley Base, founded in 1995 during season 3, has been significantly expanded and there are around 200 people living in it. We made a separate article with a large collection of high resolution shots depicting the exterior and interior of Happy Valley Base:

Mars base for 200 people in For All Mankind season 4

The main theme in season 4 is increasingly diverging visions for the purpose of human presence on Mars. For some it's only another contract job, but for others Mars is a new place to call "home". Add to the mix a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get hold on a large lithium-rich asteroid and increasingly strained relationships between the "upper class" (astronauts / cosmonauts, scientists and top executives) and contract workers literally living underground, and you have a recipe for a "Martian rebellion".

How to steal an asteroid - 'For All Mankind' season 4

For All Mankind is exploring the idea of never ending space race if Soviets would have beaten US in the race for the Moon and the intention of the show is each season to jump about a decade further into the increasingly diverging reality of the show: in season 1, depicting alternate 1969 to 1974, both Soviets and US start building their separate bases near the lunar South pole; in season 2 (1983) both bases have been expanded and the superpowers compete for resources on the Lunar surface; in season 3 (1992 to 1995), Soviets and US are joined by a private company Helios and North Korea for a four way race to be first on Mars; in season 4 (2003) there is a sprawling international human base on Mars and an unexpected side enters the race to get hold on a large, lithium-rich asteroid for mining. You can watch the show on Apple TV+

Ahead there is a VISUAL RECAP OF SEASON 4, consisting of high resolution shots, downscaled from 4K UHD screens for better image quality. Be aware of heavy spoilers, revealing major story plots:

During season 4 interplanetary ships don't land directly on Mars; instead they dock to Phoenix, orbiting Mars, and the rest of the trip is made via small shuttles heading down to the surface:
Mars orbital station Phoenix in 'For All Mankind' season 4
Ed and Svetlana flying the asteroid capture ship Ranger:
Ed and Svetlana flying asteroid capture ship Ranger in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Mars orbital station Phoenix in 'For All Mankind' season 4
Season 4 starts with an unsuccessful asteroid capture mission:
Asteroid capture ship Ranger leaving Mars orbital station Phoenix in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Mars base for 200 people in "For All Mankind" season 4

Season 4 of For All Mankind alternate history sci-fi TV series, depicting alternate 2003, "is really about the building of a new civilization on Mars" by the words of the co-creator of the series Ben Nedivi. The international Happy Valley Base, founded in 1995 during season 3 and located in Melas Chasma in the Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars, has been significantly expanded and there are around 200 people living in the base during season 4. The base is financed and operated by Mars-7 Alliance (consisting of US, USSR, ESA, North Korea, India, Japan, and the Coalition of Communist Countries for Spaceflight (CCCS)) and maintained by a private company Helios Aerospace.

Ground level of the base features several separate facilities for power generation, communications, fuel refinement, regolith processing, algae production, storage etc. and a central interconnected cluster of modules consisting of the Entrance hall for new arrivals with airlocks for the rovers, control rooms, laboratories, hydroponic farms, meeting rooms, warehouses / garages, a cafeteria, as well as the quarters for higher level personnel and astronauts / cosmonauts. The base has 5 underground sublevels, of which level 4 & 5 are still under construction in 2003 and not accessible. The sublevels house maintenance and storage rooms and additional quarters for workers. There is also a separate North Korean sector accessible only to North Koreans. The base also operates six landing pads for their orbital Hopper shuttles.

The design of the Happy Valley Base in For All Mankind is the most plausible design of a mid-sized human base on Mars that we have ever seen in a TV series or film.

Happy Valley Mars base in 'For All Mankind' season 4

For All Mankind is exploring the idea of never ending space race if Soviets would have beaten US in the race for the Moon and the intention of the show is each season to jump about a decade further into the increasingly diverging reality of the show: in season 1, depicting alternate 1969 to 1974, both Soviets and US start building their separate bases near the lunar South pole; in season 2 (1983) both bases have been expanded and the superpowers compete for resources on the Lunar surface; in season 3 (1992 to 1995), Soviets and US are joined by a private company Helios and North Korea for a four way race to be first on Mars; in season 4 (2003) there is a sprawling international human base on Mars and an unexpected side enters the race to get hold on a large, lithium-rich asteroid for mining.

Here we collected high resolution shots from season 4 (downscaled from 4K UHD screens for better image quality) depicting the exterior and interior of Happy Valley Base on Mars. No images revealing major story plots are included. We will make a separate article with season 4 story spoilers after the last episode will be released on January 12. [UPDATED:]

How to steal an asteroid .. "For All Mankind" season 4

Happy Valley Mars base in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Happy Valley Mars base (warehouses) in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Happy Valley Mars base in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Happy Valley Mars base in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Ganymede, the breadbasket of the Belt, in "The Expanse" TV series

Ganymede is one of the "Galilean moons" of Jupiter and the largest moon in the Solar System. It's only slightly smaller than Mars, but with only half the density, its gravity is actually weaker than the Moon's. Ganymede is the only moon with any magnetosphere thus having the ability to deflect charged ionizing radiation. In the universe of The Expanse TV series (a political sci-fi drama set in mid-24th century when humans have colonized the entire Solar system) Ganymede acts as the breadbasket of the Belt - one of the three competing powers in The Expanse, along with the United Nations (based on Earth) and Mars.

Agricultural dome on Ganymede in 'The Expanse' TV series

In the universe of The Expanse Ganymede has millions of residents and Ganymede Station was one of the first permanent human settlements in the outer planets, built as a long term colony with large domes filled with food crops. Large mirrors were placed around the moon to supply the Sun's light to the surface for crop growth. It was known as the safest station in the Jovian system, and many humans from other colonies traveled to Ganymede to deliver their babies, as the magnetosphere helps claim the Jovian moon the lowest amount of birth defects and stillbirths. Initially, at the start of the series, Ganymede is divided between the United Nations and Mars.

The life on Ganymede is depicted in season 2 of The Expanse. Here you can view some of the best shots from Ganymede (downscaled from 4K UHD screens for better image quality) as well as some concept art for it.
Inside an agricultural dome on Ganymede:
Inside an agricultural dome on Ganymede in 'The Expanse' TV series
Magnetosphere protects Ganymede from Jupiter's harsh radiation belt:
Ganymede in 'The Expanse' TV series
A ship landing at a human colony on Ganymede:
A ship landing at a human colony on Ganymede in 'The Expanse' TV series
Concept art for a Ganymede greenhouse by Romain Jouandeau:
Concept art for a Ganymede greenhouse by Romain Jouandeau for 'The Expanse' TV series

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Building a new civilization on Mars in "For All Mankind" season 4

Yesterday Apple TV+ released yet another video revealing more details about the upcoming season 4 of For All Mankind alternate history sci-fi TV series. As the co-creator of the series Ben Nedivi states in this featurette: "This season is really about the building of a new civilization on Mars. Last year in season 3 you saw the first explorers arrive on Mars. This season you're actually seeing hundreds of people up there and you're seeing, how civilization becomes civilization".

Judging from the reviews by journalists who were given early access to the first 7 episodes of season 4, this season might be the show's most exciting season yet. We look forward to judging it for ourselves. Season 4 premieres November 10 on Apple TV+, with episodes releasing weekly.



Some of the details for season 4 were previously revealed in a teaser and a trailer.

For All Mankind is exploring the idea of never ending space race if Soviets would have beaten US in the race for the Moon and the intention of the show is each season to jump about a decade further into the increasingly diverging reality of the show: in season 1, depicting alternate 1969 to 1974, both Soviets and US start building their separate bases near the lunar South pole; in season 2 (1983) both bases have been expanded and the superpowers compete for resources on the Lunar surface; in season 3 (1992 to 1995), Soviets and US are joined by a private company Helios and North Korea for a four way race to establish the first human base on Mars.

Here are some HD images from the featurette above.
Happy Valley base on Mars:
Happy Valley Mars base in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Happy Valley Mars base interior in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Mars Lander in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Friday, November 3, 2023

Ceres, the capital of the Belt, in "The Expanse" TV series

Ceres, located in the Main Asteroid Belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, is the largest known asteroid (~940km in diameter) and the only dwarf planet in the Inner Solar system. In the universe of The Expanse TV series (a political sci-fi drama set in mid-24th century when humans have colonized the entire Solar system) Ceres acts as the de facto capital for the Belt - one of the three competing powers in The Expanse, along with the United Nations (based on Earth) and Mars.

Ceres naturally has a gravity of 0.029g (2,9% of the gravity force on Earth), but in the universe of The Expanse it has been artificially spun up to 0.3g of centrifugal force (so the "gravity" points in the opposite direction, not towards the center of the planet). There is a population of around 6 million in Ceres Station which consists of tens of thousands of kilometers of tunnels bored deep into Ceres. Ceres Station is the most important spaceport in the Belt, 800 to 1'000 ships are docked on Ceres every day, so along with the 6 million permanent residents there are an extra one million transiting through at any given time. Ceres Station was initially governed by the United Nations, but during season 1 of the show Outer Planets Alliance (OPA, a fractured sociopolitical movement trying to unite the Belt) takes control.

The life on Ceres is depicted in season 1 and season 6 of The Expanse. Here you can view some of the best shots from locations on Ceres Station (part of them downscaled from 4K UHD screens for better image quality) as well as some concept art for Ceres:

Ceres in 'The Expanse' TV series
Mid-town Ceres Station:
Mid-town Ceres Station in 'The Expanse' TV series
Ceres Station docks on the surface of Ceres:
Ceres Station docks on the surface of Ceres in 'The Expanse' TV series
Administrative Plaza of Ceres:
Administrative Plaza of Ceres in 'The Expanse' TV series
Concept art for The Medina level on Ceres by North Front Studio:
Concept art for The Medina level on Ceres by North Front Studio for 'The Expanse' TV series

Friday, October 13, 2023

Asteroid mining will play a major role in "For All Mankind" season 4

Yesterday Apple TV+ published a yet unlisted trailer for season 4 of For All Mankind alternate history sci-fi TV series, revealing asteroid mining will play a major role in season 4, set in 2003. The trailer also revealed more details about the soon-to-be "self-sustaining" international Happy Valley base on Mars, first depicted in the first teaser for season 4 a month ago.

For All Mankind is exploring the idea of never ending space race if Soviets would have beaten US in the race for the Moon and the intention of the show is each season to jump about a decade further into the increasingly diverging reality of the show: in season 1, depicting alternate 1969 to 1974, both Soviets and US start building their separate bases near the lunar South pole; in season 2 (1983) both bases have been expanded and the superpowers compete for resources on the Lunar surface; in season 3 (1992 to 1995), Soviets and US are joined by a private company Helios and North Korea for a four way race to establish the first human base on Mars. Season 4 will start airing on November 10 on Apple TV+ and will depict the alternate 2003.

Here you can watch the trailer and see some HD images from it:

Happy Valley base on Mars:
Happy Valley Mars base in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Rover returning to Happy Valley Mars base in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Friday, September 15, 2023

"For All Mankind" season 4 reveals a sprawling first human base on Mars

On September 13 Apple TV+ released the first teaser for season 4 of For All Mankind alternate history sci-fi TV series. The teaser is made in the form of a recruitment ad for Helios Aerospace and reveals in season 4 of the show the company acts as a private operator and transport provider for the international Happy Valley base on Mars. Quite a resemblance to SpaceX in our reality 😉

For All Mankind is exploring the idea of never ending space race if Soviets would have beaten US in the race for the Moon and the intention of the show is each season to jump about a decade further into the increasingly diverging reality of the show: in season 1, depicting alternate 1969 to 1974, both Soviets and US start building their separate bases near the lunar South pole; in season 2 (1983) both bases have been expanded and the superpowers compete for resources on the Lunar surface; in season 3 (1992 to 1995), Soviets and US are joined by a private company Helios and North Korea for a four way race to establish the first human base on Mars. Season 4 will start airing on November 10 on Apple TV+ and will depict the alternate 2003 or so.

Here you can watch the teaser and see some HD images from it:



Happy Valley Base in 'For All Mankind' season 4
Helios recruitment posters:
Helios recruitment posters in 'For All Mankind' season 4
Happy Valley Base overview:
Happy Valley Base overview in 'For All Mankind' season 4

Saturday, March 25, 2023

"For All Mankind" season 4 - concept art for Helios' Mars colony and space transport

In episode 9 of For All Mankind 3rd season Helios' CEO Dev Ayesa presented a vision for company's next generation spaceship, Mars orbital station and colonies on Mars, some of which we will most likely see realized in season 4 of the show which will air this autumn. We obtained high resolution concept images used in Dev's presentation, you can view further ahead.

For All Mankind is an alternate history sci-fi TV series exploring the idea of never ending space race if Soviets would have beaten US in the race for the Moon:
  • In season 1, depicting alternate 1969 to 1974, both Soviets and US start building their separate bases near the lunar South pole;
  • In season 2, depicting the alternate 1983, both bases have been expanded and the superpowers compete for resources on the Lunar surface;
  • In season 3, depicting alternate 1992 to 1995, Soviets and US are joined by a private company Helios and.. North Korea for a four way race to establish the first human base on Mars.
The intention of the show is each season to jump about a decade further into the increasingly diverging reality of the show. The final scene of season 3 hints season 4 will depict alternate 2003 or so.

Concept art for Helios' Mars colony:
'For All Mankind' season 4 - concept art for Helios' Mars colony

'For All Mankind' season 4 - concept art for Helios' Mars colony
Concept art for Helios' spaceship Calypso:
'For All Mankind' season 4 - concept art for Helios' spaceship 'Calypso'
Concept art for Helios' Mars orbital space station Phoenix-T1:
'For All Mankind' season 4 - concept art for Helios' Mars orbital space station 'Phoenix-T1'

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Lunar colony in Ad Astra (2019) movie

Ad Astra is 2019 science fiction thriller set in mid-21st century when humanity has started to settle the inner Solar System. One of the most memorable parts of the movie is human colony on the Moon with space pirates :) chasing military rover convoy going to the spaceport on the far side of the Moon.

In the movie a son (Brad Pitt), serving in the military, is sent on a mission to uncover the truth about his famous father's (Tommy Lee Jones) long lost mission near Neptune which now threatens the survival of Earth. In his lonesome and dangerous mission he visits several places including a dynamic but wild human colony on the Moon and a desolate relay station on Mars. Here is a collection of HD images from the Lunar part of the movie:

Moon colony in Ad Astra movie

Lunar rover on the Moon in Ad Astra movie

Moon colony in Ad Astra movie

Lunar rovers at solar park on the Moon in Ad Astra movie

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Desolate life at a homestead on Mars in Settlers (2021) movie

Settlers (2021) is a British science fiction thriller set in a Martian frontier. A small family of early settlers live alone at a homestead in a valley protected by a force field bubble that keeps breathable air inside, but soon their lonely existence is disturbed by a group of intruders. I won't spoil the plot twists of the thriller, but it has major Wild West vibes there. Here is a collection of HD screens from the movie:

The settler family is not alone in their lonely Martian valley anymore...

Homestead on Mars in Settlers (2021) movie

Greenhouse on Mars in Settlers (2021) movie

Homestead on Mars in Settlers (2021) movie

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

"For All Mankind" season 3 brings space race to Mars

Soviets and US are joined by a private company Helios for a three way race to Mars in the alternate 1990s of For All Mankind season 3. The alternate history sci-fi TV series are exploring the idea of never ending space race if Soviets would have beaten US in the race for the Moon. In first two seasons of the show the focus was the Moon: in season 1, depicting alternate 1969 to 1974, both Soviets and US start building their separate bases near the lunar South pole; in season 2, depicting the alternate 1983, both bases have been expanded and the superpowers compete for resources on the Lunar surface.

The intention of the show is each season to jump about a decade further into the increasingly diverging reality of the show. Season 3 depicts alternate 1992 to 1995 when a race to establish first human base on Mars is facing various dangers for all of the participants. Here is a large collection of HD images from season 3 of the show. First part of the collection contains images with only minor spoilers, not revealing major story plots besides those already known from season 3 trailer.

Helios lander landing at NASA's base on Mars in season 3 of 'For All Mankind' TV series
The actual race starts with Helio's Phoenix launching from low Earth orbit, NASA's Sojourner from the Moon and Soviet Mars-94 directly from Earth:
Helios spaceship Phoenix leaving Earth in season 3 of 'For All Mankind' TV series

NASA's Sojourner spaceship leaving the Moon in season 3 of 'For All Mankind' TV series

Soviet Mars-94 spaceship on the way to Mars in season 3 of 'For All Mankind' TV series

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Mars colony in Moonshot (2022) movie

Moonshot is recently released (March 2022) science fiction teen comedy set in 2049 when trips to Mars has become routine for skilled or wealthy people. A rich, skilled girl (Lana Condor) and a poor, "mediocre" boy (Cole Sprouse) travel together to Mars, each for their own reasons, and after arrival they both discover those reasons were wrong. Although the movie by itself is quite silly with childish dialogues and cheap interior sets, the CGI for Mars colony exteriors is really good. Here are some HD images from the movie:

Spaceship on launch platform at Mars spaceport

Astronauts orbiting Mars

Spaceship launch from Mars colony

Fireworks at Mars colony

Friday, December 10, 2021

Lunar colony in season 5 of The Expanse

After the bombardment of Earth Lovell City on Luna (the Moon) became the de facto capital of United Nations, one of the three competing powers in universe of The Expanse TV series - a political sci-fi drama set a few centuries in the future where humans have colonized the entire Solar system. Luna functions as a way station between Earth and the rest of the Solar system, and its spaceport at Lovell City serves as a natural meeting place between residents of the inner planets and Belters. Due to its lower gravity, Luna is the only body in the inner system that Belters can easily visit. UN citizens living on Luna are generally wealthier than most of their counterparts on Earth.

As Mars was one of the major locations in season 4 of the show, Luna is in season 5, coming into spotlight after the bombardment of Earth. Here is a collection with HD images from the Lunar scenes in season 5 of The Expanse. There are a few more from the trailer of the season.

Lunar colony (Aldrin Docks at Lovell City) in season 5 of The Expanse

Lunar colony (Lovell City) in season 5 of The Expanse
Avasarala looking at Lovell City:
Avasarala looking at Lunar colony (Lovell City) in season 5 of The Expanse
Memorial at Lovell City:
Memorial at Lunar colony (Lovell City) in season 5 of The Expanse

Saturday, October 23, 2021

Martian aesthetics of Dune (2021) movie

The most recent adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel "Dune" – Denis Villeneuve's movie "Dune: Part One" (2021) was one of the most anticipated sci-fi movies of the year. It was released internationally on September 15 and in the US on October 22. The movie is brilliant and without a doubt the best visual adaptation of the famous novel. We are waiting for Part Two.

Dune has always been somewhat Martian. And the most recent movie is not an exception. Granted, planet Dune is a hot desert, not cold as Mars is, has breathable atmosphere, advanced life forms and Earth-like gravity but the scenery is pretty Martian. The landscapes in Villeneuve's movie has even been filmed in the same place where The Martian (2015) has been – Wadi Rum desert in Jordan. And it doesn't stop at landscapes – the Brutalist buildings of Arrakeen has Martian vibes as well.
Arrakeen Palace:
Arrakeen Palace in Dune (2021) movie
Ornithopter flying in Dune's sky:
Ornithopter in Dune (2021) movie
Atreides spaceships and troops arriving on Dune:
Atreides spaceships in Dune (2021) movie
Arrakeen city:
Arrakeen in Dune (2021) movie
Ornithopter leaving research station:
Ornithopter leaving research station in Dune (2021) movie