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Space and Astronomy

Before Artemis II, NASA Astronauts Share the Space Movies That Capture Reality

Alexis Thornton

2 hours ago
A full Moon is seen shining over NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft, atop the mobile launcher in the early hours of February 1, 2026. The rocket is currently at Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as teams are preparing for a wet dress rehearsal to practice timelines and procedures for the launch of Artemis II.
As NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the moon for the first time in over 50 years, 11 retired space veterans share which Hollywood films actually capture the reality, danger, and wonder of spaceflight. (NASA/Sam Lott)

NASA's upcoming Artemis II mission has renewed public fascination with space exploration. In honor of the February 8 launch, 11 retired astronauts with years of spaceflight experience revealed which movies best capture the thrill, danger, and wonder of leaving Earth behind.

NASA’s Artemis II crew members (front to back) NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen descend the well deck of the USS San Diego as NASA’s Exploration Ground System’s Landing and Recovery team and partners from the Department of Defense aboard the ship practice recovery procedures using the Crew Module Test Article, during Underway Recovery Test 11 (URT-11) off the coast of San Diego, California on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. URT-11 is the eleventh in a series of Artemis recovery tests, and the first time NASA and its partners put their Artemis II recovery procedures to the test with the astronauts.
NASA's Artemis II mission will mark humanity's first crewed journey beyond low Earth orbit in over five decades, reigniting public fascination with space exploration. (NASA)

Reality isn't always about technical accuracy. For astronauts who've lived it, the best space films capture different truths: the science, the camaraderie, the emotional stakes, and the sheer wonder of traveling through the stars. Their picks span from laugh-out-loud comedies to painstaking historical recreations, each offering something authentic about the spaceflight experience.

Garrett Reisman on "Galaxy Quest"

Garrett Reisman, who flew three Space Shuttle missions, champions "Galaxy Quest" despite its comedic take on sci-fi tropes.

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artemis ii missionnasa astronautsspace moviesapollo 13the martianhidden figuresspace exploration filmsiss astronautsspace film accuracygalaxy quest

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