NASA Invites Media to Explore Mars Science Fiction and Fact in Cinema

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Sep 11, 2015, 10:53 ET

HOUSTON, Sept. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- News media are invited to visit NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) on Tuesday, Sept. 15, for a fresh perspective on the Journey to Mars as cast members from the soon-to-be-released 20^th Century Fox movie, "The Martian," experience the confluence between science fiction and fact.

At 9:30 a.m. CDT, reporters are invited to sit in on an employee technology roundtable led by JSC Director Ellen Ochoa with "The Martian" cast-members Sebastian Stan, Mackenzie Davis, and NASA scientists, engineers and astronauts who will discuss the real space technology and spacecraft that are being developed to enable future human Mars exploration. NASA Television will provide live coverage.

In the afternoon, participating media may follow along as the actors receive briefings at the International Space Station training facility, planetary rovers and the Orion spacecraft, and visit the Mission Control Center as flight controllers provide support for space station research and operations.

At 2:30 p.m., NASA Television will provide live coverage as the group visits Mission Control and talks with astronauts living on the International Space Station.

Also in the afternoon, Ochoa, NASA experts and "The Martian" cast members will be available to answer media questions about the movie and how the space station, Orion and technology development efforts in Houston are paving the way for human space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. News media must be at JSC in person to participate. The day will conclude with a full-length screening of "The Martian" at a nearby theater.

NASA innovation is fueling the Journey to Mars, and information about the cutting edge technology being developed by NASA is available at:

http://go.nasa.gov/1NqheRR

Registration is limited to U.S-based media outlets and reporters. Media interested in attending must contact the JSC Newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than noon Monday, Sept. 14, for accreditation and additional details.

For more information about NASA and its programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasas-journey-to-mars

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SOURCE NASA