By: Russ Burlingame on May 31, 2012
How weird would it to watch an alien invasion movie while in space? A select few will find out soon, when Marvel’s The Avengers is screened for the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. NASA’s Mission Control in Houston, which will uplink the film to the ISS, currently orbiting 220 miles above Earth.
Louis D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President and Executive Producer of “Marvel’s The Avengers,” said in a press release just made available by Walt Disney Studios (Marvel’s parent company), “The studio is privileged to share Marvel’s The Avengers with those up in space exploring the universe. A special thanks goes to NASA for utilizing their incredible technology to make this special screening miles above us in space happen. It is a screening that would make Tony Stark envious.”
The fact that the film can be streamed through space without a special delivery to drop off film reels or a DVD probably shouldn’t surprise anyone; after all, it was recently revealed that some theaters download the movies directly from Disney’s servers when a projectionist inadvertently deleted The Avengers at a press screening, necessitating a significant delay while the film was reacquired via satellite.
“These are the types of things that help to keep the crew connected to home, which is a huge morale boost while being away for long periods of time,“ said Dan Cook, Psychological Support Coordinator with Wyle, a contractor at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The ISS also allows the astronauts to enjoy books, TV shows and playing or listening to music, among other recreational activities while aboard.
