"Hubble's wide support among the general public, to say nothing of the space and astronomy communities, is obviously a testament to the success of the mission," said director David Gaynes, according to a press release from SavingHubble.com in New York, "but the achievement of Hubble is even greater than the sum of all the science and wonder the mission has generated - so great it's hard to articulate the feeling, though so many of us recognize it and attempt to describe it.
"Hubble's story writ large, from the original idea of a telescope in space through its execution, utilization, and the subsequent transformation of our understanding of the universe is, simply put, the essence of the human story," Gaynes continued. "This is why thousands of people have profound feelings for the machine. Hubble is, in fact, not only a mirror on the cosmos but a mirror for ourselves, and that's the unique angle of the Hubble story I sought to tell. I'm proud to have had a role contextualizing this very simple but powerful idea and to have helped create a film that explores the significance of the Hubble endeavor on a deeper level than ever before."
Watch the documentary below. For more on the wonders of the Hubble Space Telescope, check out HNGN's exclusive interview with former NASA astronaut, Mike Massimino, who was part of two missions to update and repair the telescope (including the final mission).
The movie can also be seen by clicking here and visiting SavingHubble.com's website.
From the press release:
"Until now 'Saving Hubble' has remained unreleased. It was first presented in January 2012 to a standing-room-only audience at the 219th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Austin, TX. Since then it has been screened mainly at conferences, before industry groups, and by invitation at colleges and universities around the country. Notable examples include the 28th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union in Beijing, China; a tour of the Hawaiian Islands sponsored by the University of Hawaii and Imiloa Planetarium; and special presentations at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, and Stellafane telescope-makers convention in Vermont. Public audiences have viewed the film periodically since its completion through a series of unique community events known as 'Hubble Roadshows,' where screenings are paired with sidewalk astronomy, live music, and companion programs about astronomy and science. Hubble Roadshows were produced and presented to enthusiastic audiences in Baton Rouge, LA, Westport, CT, and Crestwood, IL."
