Further ReSources
Books
Movies and Documentaries
Space is an incredibly common theme in popular culture, and movies taking place in space have been around for decades. While this list of movies (right) and documentaries (left) covers only a small portion of space-themed films, it's a great place to start learning!
Ad Astra (2019)
Astronaut travels across space to find the cause of electrical events threatening Earth.
Apollo 11 (2019)
Depicts the events of Apollo 11, the first mission that landed humans on the moon, using archival footage from 1969.
Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986)
A commercial space crew investigate a distress call from a distant moon and discover a mysterious life form.
Black Hole Apocalypse (2018)
A NOVA documentary where an astrophysicist explores the science behind black holes.
Apollo 13 (1995)
Movie that follows the events of the trials faced by the Apollo 13 crew and their families in the near-fatal mission.
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (2014)
Hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, this documentary series is a sequel to Carl Sagan’s 1980 Cosmos, with a variety of content.
Arrival (2016)
A renowned linguist is called upon by military to attempt to communicate with aliens when 12 spacecraft land on Earth.
Cosmos: Possible Worlds (2020)
Hosted again by Neil deGrass Tyson, this documentary series explores exoplanets, and their possible habitability.
Avatar (2009)
A science fiction plot, with humans colonizing a habitable moon and threatening the existence of a local species.
Death Dive to Saturn (2017)
A NOVA documentary that covers the extraordinary discoveries of the Cassini space probe, which studied Saturn.
Blade Runner (1982)
A former Blade Runner detective is forced back into work to hunt down violent ‘replicants’, or artificial superhumans.
Earthrise (2018)
Follows the story of the first picture taken of the Earth from space in 1968, and its impact on the world.
Contact (1997)
An astronomer detects radio signals from extraterrestrial intelligence, with instructions to build a complex machine.
Exoplanets: Thousands of New Worlds (2019)
Describes the variety of exoplanets and current technology and methods used to examine them. You can watch it here.
Doctor Who (1963 - Present)
Adventures of a Time Lord travelling through space and time with companions. Highly popular ongoing British TV show.
For All Mankind (1989)
Depicts the Apollo missions using only the voices from the astronauts and mission control at the time.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
A boy becomes friends with an extraterrestrial who is left stranded on Earth. A long-standing classic science fiction film.
Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking (2010)
Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking reveals the physics of the universe, from the Big Bang to the end of the universe.
Gravity (2013)
A couple of astronauts are stranded in space after their space shuttle destruction and work together to return to Earth.
Journey to the Edge of the Universe (2008)
A simulated journey starting at Earth and continuing until the edge of the universe, building on images taken by Hubble.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
A Marvel movie where a group of criminals work together to save the galaxy from a villain with far-reaching power.
Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo (2017)
Follows the incredible stories of the people working in Mission Control during the Apollo space program.
Hidden Figures (2016)
Three African American women at NASA, at the time known as ‘computers’, change the course of the NASA space race.
Roving Mars (2006)
A short IMAX documentary that depicts the launch and journeys of the Spirit and Opportunity Martian rovers.
Interstellar (2014)
A team of astronauts travel across space to search for a new home for humans when Earth is hit by major food shortages.
The Farthest (2017)
Follows the remarkable achievements of the Voyager spacecraft, the first to exit our Solar System.
Moon (2009)
An astronaut minor working for a company the claims to be solving the energy crisis discovers their claims may be false.
The Last Man on the Moon (2014)
The last astronaut to walk on the moon in 1977, Eugene Cernan, shares his remarkable journey.
Passengers (2016)
A mal-function in the sleep chambers causes two passengers to wake up 90 years before arrival at their destination.
The Planets (2019)
Documentary series presented by Brian Cox that describes the science and history behind the planets in the Solar System.
The Martian (2015)
An astronaut is left stranded on Mars after a major dust storm and must find a way to survive on his own.
Through the Wormhole (2010-2017)
Documentary series hosted by Morgan Freeman that explores the deepest questions in space science and human existence.
YouTube Channels
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