#Gravity movie movie

Stone and Kowalski head for the ISS after their shuttle is hit, and later in the movie, Dr. The Hubble Telescope, ISS and Tiangong-1 are located close to each otherĭr. There is some chance of the debris hitting their shuttle, but not right away, and certainly not every 90 minutes! The other thing is inclination the Hubble orbits the Earth at 28.5 Degrees, whereas communication satellites orbit at a much higher inclination. So how could the debris of a satellite so high above Earth bump into a shuttle orbiting so low?

Notice the difference in altitudes of the Hubble and TDRSS? To better visualise the scales of the distance between the orbits, take a look at the following image taken from a point above Earth: But, wait! These types of communication satellites, which go by the name TDRSS (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System), stay in the ‘geosynchronous orbit’, which is much higher almost 35,000 kilometers above Earth. Their shuttle, which is running the risk of getting hit by a destroyed Russian satellite, is also at the same height. The Hubble Space Telescope (the telescope they are servicing) orbits at a height of around 560 kilometers above the Earth.

Suddenly, they are informed by Mission Control, Houston that a cloud of debris (caused by the destruction of a defunct Russian satellite) is headed for their location they are advised to abort the mission to avoid a nasty collision. The crew members of the space shuttle Explorer are servicing the Hubble Space telescope. This is a notorious yet immensely pivotal scene that triggered the havoc that doomed the space shuttle Explorer. Scientific verdict: False Satellite debris hitting the space shuttle Explorer Therefore, in a real life space-mission, an astronaut zipping around wisecracking is… Every action during spacewalks is premeditated in order to avoid unnecessary ‘ambling’ and minimize the use of oxygen (whose supply, of course, is limited). Here is an image of both an MMU and SAFER, so you can compare it to the cool jetpack Kowalski is sporting.įurthermore, spacewalks are highly choreographed and practiced several times in simulated conditions before an astronaut actually goes into space. In some other shots, the jetpack looks more like SAFER or ‘Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue’, which looks somewhat similar to an MMU, but with significant structural differences. First off, the ‘jetpack’ (of sorts) that Kowalski is adhered to is quite different from a real MMU, whose usage in space missions was discontinued in the 1990s anyway. There are several problems in this scene. Moreover, Kowalski is roaming all over the place using what’s supposed to be a MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit) as his personal jetpack. Ryan Stone (played by Sandra Bullock) and Lieutenant Matt Kowalski (played by George Clooney), are seen spacewalking and having a nice, informal chat. In the opening scene of the movie, three astronauts, including Dr.

#Gravity movie movie

The movie traces the journey of two astronauts to save themselves after their shuttle gets clobbered by space debris from a destructed satellite.Īs much as we all loved watching Gravity, it’s important that we get you acquainted with various scientific aspects depicted in the movie and see how realistic this film really is. Gravity, a 2013 blockbuster flick, received an overwhelming response and garnered adulation for its realistic depiction of the various conditions and challenges faced by astronauts in space. Also, the Hubble Telescope, International Space Station, and China’s Tiangong-1 are located in different orbits and at different heights. One of the most notable inaccuracies is the depiction of how quickly and easily Dr. ‘Gravity’ is generally considered to be quite accurate from a scientific standpoint, with some minor exceptions.

Using a fire extinguisher as a hand-held jetpack.Earth’s atmosphere relative to Earth’s size.Space debris can cause hazardous accidents.The Hubble Telescope, ISS and Tiangong-1 are located close to each other.Satellite debris hitting the space shuttle Explorer.