#fightforspace

Fight for Space Trailer

Interstellar was one of the best movies I saw last year.

Point a finger, giggle a bit, drag out your digs and derision, there is just something about the exploration of the vast enormity of space, and the postulations of possibilities inherent in that, which sinks its theoretical hooks into my psyche. To that end, director Paul Hildebrandt just ran a successful campaign on Kickstarter that raised over a $100,000 for a documentary that explores this notion of how we’re going to get from where we are to where we want to go. 

This trailer manages to cut through the noise of SpaceX, rocket launches, and the general bickering occurring around our current situation as it pertains to the exploration of the solar system. This feels like a step back, with regard to perspective, and we’re able to take it from the top in going over how this all began and why we’re in our current predicament of wondering what’s really next. Where should be go, what should we do, these are all inherently interesting questions that deserve answers and a great trailer should tease and stir you, emotionally, as it makes those connections. This one, without question, connects and now I’d like to hear the rest of the story.

Today is the day, everyone. 

With 89 minutes left and counting, the 'Fight for Space' Kickstarter campaign is finally coming to a close. 

We want to thank all 2,000+ backers for directly donating to our final funding effort, along with all of you who have contributed to the #FightforSpace by sharing across your social media, contacting your universities, teachers, organizations, and generally just being incredibly supportive with your comments and encouragement.

Nearly 5 days ago, we were $40,000 away from achieving our goal. Thanks to our friends at Universe Today, AmericaSpace, SpaceFlightInsider, Space.com, The Daily Cosmos, The Inspiration Journey, From Quarks to Quasars, Joe Hanson of "It's Okay To Be Smart", all of you on Tumblr, and Kickstarter highlighting us on their newsletter as a staff-selected feature project, this campaign has drawn global attention, saturated the space community, and successfully surpassed the $80K goal we set forth for ourselves to finish this film, provide it the professionalism it deserves, and deliver it to the public.

At the time of this writing, I just watched us breach $100K. We are thoroughly impressed with how visible public support for this film has been. We're still less than 2 hours away and finishing strong. 

Support Your Nation’s Spacefaring Team This Weekend in a “Fight for Space”

“We are making this film to help push the people of the world and the decision makers that govern them to look up at the stars instead of at our feet.”

This weekend, millions of people across the U.S. will sit in front of their TVs to eagerly watch two professional football teams fight over the title of Super Bowl XLIX champions. But how many people will be thinking about another fight that’s going on – the fight for funding to take our nation’s space program – and the future of humanity – boldly into the “final frontier?”

Most definitely not nearly as many, and that’s sad.

Fight for Space, a project by documentary filmmaker Paul Hildebrandt, is attempting to change that by bringing awareness of the challenges faced by NASA – both past and present – to our representatives in Congress, citizens of our country, and people around the world. In the works since 2012, the film is nearing completion – but it still needs help.

Today, NASA is promoting a “Journey to Mars”. They have nice graphics, and their PR team is doing a great job telling everyone how Orion is going to get to Mars in the 2030s. The reality is, there’s no money for any of this. The Space Launch System is under funded, and cannot fly at any safe or continuous rate with the current NASA budget.

What is the solution? Does NASA need a budget increase? Or is there a different way to get into space? We explore these issues in Fight for Space.

Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan was the last human to walk on the Moon, and that was in December 1972. (NASA image)

“Our film asks, why in over 40 years haven’t we returned to the Moon, or sent humans onto Mars?,” says Hildebrandt. “We explore issues and we bring problems to light that always are not the most positive things to talk about. But it’s important to remember that NASA has been the only organization to send humans to the Moon, or a rover to Mars, or do many of the exciting things that make up our space program today. We love NASA, what it stands for, and all that it has done.”

This isn’t a cheerleading promotion for NASA nor is it intended to bash the agency for its shortcomings. What Fight for Space attempts to do is create a wake-up call to U.S. citizens and policymakers and remind them what NASA’s ultimate goals are… and why it can’t achieve them without direction, support, and funding.

You can help, but there’s not much time left.* The campaign to back Fight for Space ends on Feb. 1 – show your support with a pledge on Kickstarter here.

*Note: the campaign will be funded as it has currently achieved its goal of $80,000! So any support you give will be above and beyond that amount – this is now a win-win situation for the film and for space.

Weekly Space Hangout – Jan. 30, 2015: Paul Hildebrandt Fights for Space!