National Geographic will debut its six-part miniseries MARS on Nov. 14, and the fascinating docudram
a has a CU Boulder connection.
Incoming engineering dean and aerospace professor Bobby Braun served as a technical consultant for the show over the past year, working with the writers, producers, director, set designers and actors to make the show as factual as possible.
The production, directed by Ron Howard, depicts the first human landing on Mars in 2033 through a mix of scripted drama and documentary footage from real-world space pioneers about the hurdles and challenges of the journey. Part one airs at 7 p.m. MT Monday, Nov. 14 on National Geographic and is also available now for free online streaming. The series will continue each Monday for six weeks.
Striving for scientific accuracy, National Geographic tapped numerous scientists to advise on the production, including Braun, an aerospace engineer whose research has focused on proving the technologies and capabilities to land robotic and human systems on Mars. Braun spent the first 16 years of his career at the NASA Langley Research Center and has also worked at the Georgia Institute of Technology and NASA headquarters. He was a core member of the team that put the first rover on Mars and has led the design, development and flight operation of numerous spaceflight systems.
"I really enjoyed being a part of this team," Braun said. "Everyone involved really cared about getting it right. From development of the scripts to the sets themselves, it was a highly interactive process built upon work being performed in labs around the world today."
MARS also features interviews with SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Neil deGrasse Tyson, astronaut Scott Kelly and other leaders in the field.
The premiere is accompanied by a National Geographic magazine cover story and website devoted to Mars, a companion book, educational materials for teachers, and a special edition of USA Today.
CU Boulder plans to host an event on campus featuring Braun and celebrating National Geographic’s MARS series in late November or early December. More details will be released soon.