Where They Went
Space
Random

Journeys beyond Earth

The planets are where they really were (or will be) on the story's dates, seen from above the plane of the solar system.

Apollo 13 (1995)

April 1970, following the real mission's timeline. 895,431 km in all on the map.

Moon, 11 Apr 1970Moon, 17 Apr 1970Moon, 15 Apr 1970Earth1432To scale, seen from above.Coasting orbits that fit the times.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
14
  1. 1

    Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A Earth · 11 Apr 1970, 19:13 UTC

    Saturn V lift-off with Lovell, Swigert and Haise.

    Odyssey and Aquarius · 325,312 km · 2 days

  2. 2

    Oxygen tank explodes in space · 14 Apr 1970, 03:08 UTC

    “Houston, we have a problem.” The crew moves into the lunar module Aquarius.

    Odyssey and Aquarius · 123,434 km · 21 hours

  3. 3

    Around the far side of the Moon Moon, orbit · 15 Apr 1970, 00:21 UTC

    No landing: a free-return loop around the Moon swings them back towards Earth.

    Aquarius, then Odyssey for re-entry · 446,685 km · 3 days

  4. 4

    Splashdown, South Pacific Earth · 17 Apr 1970, 18:07 UTC

    Odyssey comes down near Samoa and the crew is picked up by USS Iwo Jima.

The Martian (2015)

The film counts sols; the year comes from the novel, so the dates are approximate. 393.3 million km in all on the map.

Mars, ≈ Jun 2037Earth, ≈ Dec 2037MercuryVenus56Distances to scale.The ship coasts on the orbit that fits the dates.
6
Valles Marineris1324
On Mars
  1. 1

    Ares III Hab, Acidalia Planitia Mars · ≈ Nov 2035

    A dust storm ends the mission; Watney is left behind, presumed dead.

    Rover · 757 km

  2. 2

    Pathfinder lander, Ares Vallis Mars · ≈ Jan 2036

    He digs up the 1997 lander to talk to Earth again.

    Rover · 757 km

  3. 3

    Back at the Hab Mars · ≈ Feb 2036

    Contact with NASA, potatoes, and the airlock blow-out.

    Rover · 3,237 km

  4. 4

    Ares IV MAV, Schiaparelli crater Mars · ≈ May 2037

    A long rover drive to the ascent vehicle left for the next mission.

    Mars Ascent Vehicle · 11 days

  5. 5

    Rendezvous with Hermes Mars, orbit · ≈ Jun 2037

    The stripped-down MAV launches and Lewis catches him in space.

    Hermes · 393.3 million km · 6 months

  6. 6

    NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston Earth · ≈ Dec 2037

    Back on Earth, teaching new astronaut candidates.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Only the year is known (from the title); the Moon visit comes “18 months” before the Jupiter mission. 1,271.7 million km in all on the map.

EarthJupiter, 200146Distances from the Sun on a log scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.A planet known only by the year is placed mid-year; the thick arc is its path through that year.
MoonEarth12To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.
Mare TranquillitatisCopernicusMare Nubium23
On the Moon
  1. 1

    Space Station V Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Dr Heywood Floyd changes ships at the wheel-shaped station on his way to the Moon.

    Aries 1B · 418,979 km

  2. 2

    Clavius Base Moon · date unknown

    The Aries 1B lander sinks into the base; Floyd briefs the staff behind closed doors.

    Moonbus · 462 km

  3. 3

    TMA-1, Tycho crater Moon · date unknown

    The buried monolith, dug up and photographed, screams a signal towards Jupiter.

    18 months later

  4. 4

    Discovery One sets out from Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Not shown: the film joins Bowman and Poole on the way to Jupiter.

    Discovery One

  5. 5

    HAL turns on the crew in space · date unknown

    Poole is killed outside the ship; Bowman gets back in and shuts HAL down.

    Discovery One

  6. 6

    Jupiter Jupiter, orbit · 2001

    Bowman leaves Discovery in a pod to meet the monolith in orbit.

    EVA pod

  7. 7

    Beyond the infinite outside the solar system · date unknown

    The Star Gate, the hotel room and the Star Child are outside our map.

Interstellar (2014)

No date is given. The crew is told the trip to Saturn takes about two years. 1,999.4 million km in all on the map.

EarthMarsSaturn234Distances from the Sun on a log scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
  1. 1

    NASA's hidden base Earth · date unknown

    Cooper leaves the farm and lifts off in the Ranger.

    Ranger

  2. 2

    Endurance, Earth orbit Earth, orbit · date unknown

    The Ranger docks with Endurance.

    Endurance · 590.2 million km

  3. 3

    Mars Mars, orbit · date unknown

    A gravity assist on the way out.

    Endurance · 1,409.1 million km · 15 months

  4. 4

    The wormhole, near Saturn Saturn, orbit · date unknown

    About two years after leaving Earth they reach the wormhole.

    Endurance

  5. 5

    Through the wormhole outside the solar system · date unknown

    Miller's and Mann's planets and Gargantua are in another galaxy, outside our map.

    Out of the tesseract

  6. 6

    Cooper Station, near Saturn Saturn, orbit · date unknown

    Cooper is found drifting near Saturn and wakes on the station.

First Man (2018)

March 1966 (Gemini 8) and July 1969 (Apollo 11), following the real missions' timelines. 850,737 km in all on the map.

Moon, 16 Jul 1969Moon, 24 Jul 1969Moon, 19 Jul 1969Earth5867To scale, seen from above.Coasting orbits that fit the times.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
1348Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.
Mare ImbriumMare TranquillitatisCopernicusMare Nubium7
On the Moon
  1. 1

    Cape Kennedy, Launch Complex 19 Earth · 16 Mar 1966, 16:41 UTC

    Neil Armstrong and David Scott launch on Gemini 8.

    Gemini 8 · 7 hours

  2. 2

    Docking with the Agena, Earth orbit Earth, orbit · 16 Mar 1966, 23:14 UTC

    The first docking in space, then a stuck thruster sends the joined craft into a violent spin.

    Gemini 8 · 4 hours

  3. 3

    Emergency splashdown, western Pacific Earth · 17 Mar 1966, 03:22 UTC

    Armstrong regains control and the mission is cut short with a landing south of Japan.

    Three years later

  4. 4

    Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A Earth · 16 Jul 1969, 13:32 UTC

    Three years later Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins ride the Saturn V towards the Moon.

    Saturn V · 12 minutes

  5. 5

    Earth parking orbit Earth, orbit · 16 Jul 1969, 13:43 UTC

    One and a half turns around the Earth before the S-IVB fires them towards the Moon.

    Columbia and Eagle · 439,021 km · 3 days

  6. 6

    Lunar orbit Moon, orbit · 19 Jul 1969, 17:21 UTC

    Lunar orbit insertion behind the Moon; Collins stays in Columbia while Eagle goes down.

    Eagle · 27 hours

  7. 7

    Tranquility Base, Mare Tranquillitatis Moon · 20 Jul 1969, 20:17 UTC

    Armstrong lands Eagle and walks on the Moon, and at Little West crater nearby drops his late daughter's bracelet.

    Eagle, then Columbia · 411,717 km · 4 days

  8. 8

    Splashdown, North Pacific Earth · 24 Jul 1969, 16:50 UTC

    Columbia comes home; Armstrong meets his wife through the quarantine window.

The Right Stuff (1983)

May 1961 to May 1963, following the real Mercury flights. 963 km in all on the map.

132458710Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.
  1. 1

    Cape Canaveral, Launch Complex 5 Earth · 5 May 1961, 14:34 UTC

    Alan Shepard, told to wait on the pad for hours, finally goes up in Freedom 7.

    Freedom 7 · 480 km · 15 minutes

  2. 2

    Freedom 7 splashdown, Atlantic Earth · 5 May 1961, 14:49 UTC

    After a 15-minute suborbital hop he is fished out by USS Lake Champlain.

    Two months later

  3. 3

    Cape Canaveral, Launch Complex 5 Earth · 21 Jul 1961, 12:20 UTC

    Gus Grissom flies the second suborbital mission in Liberty Bell 7.

    Liberty Bell 7 · 483 km · 16 minutes

  4. 4

    Liberty Bell 7 splashdown, Atlantic Earth · 21 Jul 1961, 12:36 UTC

    The hatch blows, Grissom nearly drowns and the capsule sinks.

    Seven months later

  5. 5

    Cape Canaveral, Launch Complex 14 Earth · 20 Feb 1962, 14:47 UTC

    John Glenn goes up in Friendship 7, with Annie at home refusing to see the Vice President.

    Friendship 7

  6. 6

    Three orbits of the Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    The first American in orbit; a warning light suggests the heat shield may be loose.

    Friendship 7

  7. 7

    Splashdown, North Atlantic Earth · 20 Feb 1962, 19:43 UTC

    Glenn comes through re-entry with the retro-pack left on and is picked up by USS Noa.

    Fifteen months later

  8. 8

    Cape Canaveral, Launch Complex 14 Earth · 15 May 1963, 13:04 UTC

    Gordon Cooper, the last Mercury astronaut, lifts off in Faith 7.

    Faith 7

  9. 9

    22 orbits of the Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Cooper famously falls asleep on the pad and flies a day and a half in orbit.

    Faith 7

  10. 10

    Faith 7 splashdown, near Midway Earth · 16 May 1963, 23:24 UTC

    With his systems failing he flies re-entry by hand and lands next to USS Kearsarge.

Hidden Figures (2016)

20 February 1962, John Glenn's real Friendship 7 flight.

13Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.
  1. 1

    Cape Canaveral, Launch Complex 14 Earth · 20 Feb 1962, 14:47 UTC

    Glenn launches after asking for Katherine Johnson to check the numbers.

    Friendship 7

  2. 2

    Three orbits of the Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    The first American in orbit; a warning light suggests the heat shield may be loose.

    Friendship 7

  3. 3

    Splashdown, North Atlantic Earth · 20 Feb 1962, 19:43 UTC

    Katherine's landing coordinates bring him down near the recovery ship, USS Noa.

Gagarin: First in Space (2013)

12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin's real 108-minute flight (earlier life in flashbacks).

13Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.
  1. 1

    Baikonur, Gagarin's Start (Site 1/5) Earth · 12 Apr 1961, 06:07 UTC

    “Poyekhali!” Gagarin lifts off in Vostok 1.

    Vostok 1

  2. 2

    One orbit of the Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    The first human in space circles the planet once.

    Vostok 1

  3. 3

    Landing near Smelovka, Saratov region Earth · 12 Apr 1961, 07:55 UTC

    He ejects and parachutes into a field, surprising a farmer and her granddaughter.

Spacewalker (Vremya pervykh) (2017)

18–19 March 1965, following the real Voskhod 2 mission.

13Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.
  1. 1

    Baikonur, Gagarin's Start (Site 1/5) Earth · 18 Mar 1965, 07:00 UTC

    Alexei Leonov and Pavel Belyayev launch in Voskhod 2.

    Voskhod 2 · 2 hours

  2. 2

    First spacewalk, Earth orbit Earth, orbit · 18 Mar 1965, 08:34 UTC

    Leonov steps out, his suit balloons and he has to bleed off air to squeeze back in.

    Voskhod 2 · 24 hours

  3. 3

    Landing in the taiga, Perm region Earth · 19 Mar 1965, 09:02 UTC

    The automatic system fails; they re-enter by hand and land far off course in deep forest, waiting two nights for rescue.

Salyut-7 (2017)

June 1985, the real Soyuz T-13 rescue of the dead station; the film's ending is invented, so its dates are unknown.

1Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.
  1. 1

    Baikonur, Gagarin's Start (Site 1/5) Earth · 6 Jun 1985, 06:39 UTC

    Fyodorov and Alyokhin (modelled on Dzhanibekov and Savinykh) launch to the silent station.

    Soyuz T-13 · 2 days

  2. 2

    Docking with Salyut 7 Earth, orbit · 8 Jun 1985, 08:50 UTC

    A hand-flown docking with the tumbling, frozen station, then the long work to thaw it out.

    Salyut 7

  3. 3

    Fire and emergency spacewalk Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Invented for the film: a fire breaks out and the cosmonauts go outside to fix the solar sensor, watched by a passing Space Shuttle.

    Soyuz T-13

  4. 4

    Return to Earth Earth · date unknown

    The crew comes home in Soyuz T-13 (the English dub hints at an Indian Ocean splashdown; really Dzhanibekov landed in Kazakhstan in September).

The Challenge (Vyzov) (2023)

The story gives no date; it was filmed aboard the ISS in October 2021.

1Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.Where the film doesn't say how long, one orbit is drawn.
  1. 1

    Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 31 Earth · date unknown

    Surgeon Zhenya Belyaeva launches in a Soyuz with Anton Shkaplerov after a crash course in spaceflight.

    Soyuz

  2. 2

    International Space Station Earth, orbit · date unknown

    She operates on the injured cosmonaut Bogdanov for seven hours, then takes a secret spacewalk before going home.

    Soyuz

  3. 3

    Landing in the Kazakh steppe Earth · date unknown

    Belyaeva and the recovered Bogdanov come back to Earth safely.

Fly Me to the Moon (2024)

July 1969, the real Apollo 11 mission (with a back-up fake landing staged on Earth). 850,737 km in all on the map.

Moon, 16 Jul 1969Moon, 24 Jul 1969Moon, 19 Jul 1969Earth2534To scale, seen from above.Coasting orbits that fit the times.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
15Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.
Mare ImbriumMare TranquillitatisCopernicusMare Nubium4
On the Moon
  1. 1

    Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A Earth · 16 Jul 1969, 13:32 UTC

    Cole Davis's crew sends Apollo 11 off while Kelly Jones's fake landing set waits in a hangar.

    Saturn V · 12 minutes

  2. 2

    Earth parking orbit Earth, orbit · 16 Jul 1969, 13:43 UTC

    One and a half turns around the Earth before the S-IVB fires them towards the Moon.

    Columbia and Eagle · 439,021 km · 3 days

  3. 3

    Lunar orbit Moon, orbit · 19 Jul 1969, 17:21 UTC

    Lunar orbit insertion behind the Moon; Collins stays in Columbia while Eagle goes down.

    Eagle · 27 hours

  4. 4

    Tranquility Base, Mare Tranquillitatis Moon · 20 Jul 1969, 20:17 UTC

    The real landing goes out live after Kelly swaps the staged broadcast for the true feed.

    Eagle, then Columbia · 411,717 km · 4 days

  5. 5

    Splashdown, North Pacific Earth · 24 Jul 1969, 16:50 UTC

    Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins come home.

Men in Black 3 (2012)

16 July 1969, the real Apollo 11 launch.

1
  1. 1

    Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A Earth · 16 Jul 1969, 13:32 UTC

    Agents J and K fight Boris on the launch tower and fix the ArcNet to the rocket seconds before lift-off.

    Saturn V (Apollo 11)

  2. 2

    ArcNet deploys around the Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Carried up by Apollo 11, the ArcNet opens in orbit and shields the planet from the Boglodite invasion.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

The Apollo 11 scenes follow the real July 1969 mission; the Ark's crash year differs between sources and the present-day trips are undated. 1.3 million km in all on the map.

Moon, 16 Jul 1969Moon, 24 Jul 1969Moon, 19 Jul 1969Earth257346To scale, seen from above.Coasting orbits that fit the times.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
285
164
On the Moon
  1. 1

    The Ark crash site, far side of the Moon Moon · date unknown

    Sentinel Prime's ship, fleeing Cybertron with the space-bridge pillars, crash-lands; NASA picks it up.

    Eight years later

  2. 2

    Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A Earth · 16 Jul 1969, 13:32 UTC

    Kennedy's Moon race is a cover story: Apollo 11 lifts off to investigate the wreck.

    Saturn V · 439,057 km · 3 days

  3. 3

    Lunar orbit Moon, orbit · 19 Jul 1969, 17:21 UTC

    Lunar orbit insertion behind the Moon; Collins stays in Columbia while Eagle goes down.

    Eagle · 27 hours

  4. 4

    Tranquility Base, Mare Tranquillitatis Moon · 20 Jul 1969, 20:17 UTC

    Eagle lands; during a few minutes of radio silence Armstrong and Aldrin secretly explore the Ark (the film does not say how far away it lies).

    Eagle, then Columbia · 411,717 km · 4 days

  5. 5

    Splashdown, North Pacific Earth · 24 Jul 1969, 16:50 UTC

    The crew comes home and the secret is kept for 40 years.

    Present day

  6. 6

    The Ark, present day Moon · date unknown

    Optimus Prime and Ratchet fly up and bring back the comatose Sentinel Prime and five pillars.

    Xantium · 418,700 km

  7. 7

    Back on Earth Earth · date unknown

    Optimus revives Sentinel with the Matrix of Leadership, who soon betrays the Autobots.

    Later

  8. 8

    Kennedy Space Center Earth · date unknown

    Exiled from Earth, the Autobots leave on the Xantium, kept at the space center.

    Xantium

  9. 9

    Xantium destroyed in Earth orbit Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Starscream blows the ship apart; the Autobots, hidden in a booster stage, secretly stay behind.

Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood (2022)

Summer 1969, just before Apollo 11; the secret mission is a boy's daydream and the film never says where it flies from. 837,680 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth132To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.
  1. 1

    Secret launch Earth · 1969

    Fourth-grader Stan from El Lago, near Houston, is launched in a lunar module NASA built too small for adults.

    Apollo 10½ · 418,979 km

  2. 2

    The Moon Moon · 1969

    Stan secretly becomes the first person to walk on the Moon, ahead of Apollo 11.

    Apollo 10½ · 418,700 km

  3. 3

    Back on Earth Earth · 1969

    He returns without a hitch and goes back to an ordinary suburban summer.

2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)

Only the year is known (from the title), nine years after Discovery's mission in 2001. 2,544.5 million km in all on the map.

EarthJupiterEarth1267Distances from the Sun on a log scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
  1. 1

    Leonov leaves Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Not shown: Floyd, Curnow and Chandra fly out with the Soviet crew, asleep for most of the way.

    Alexei Leonov · 1,272.2 million km

  2. 2

    Europa (Jupiter system) Jupiter, orbit · date unknown

    Leonov picks up chlorophyll on Europa; the probe sent down is destroyed by a burst of energy.

    Alexei Leonov

  3. 3

    Aerobraking in Jupiter's atmosphere Jupiter, orbit · date unknown

    Leonov skims through Jupiter's clouds to slow down.

    Alexei Leonov

  4. 4

    Discovery, orbiting Io (Jupiter system) Jupiter, orbit · 2010

    Curnow and Brailovsky board the derelict Discovery and Chandra wakes HAL.

    EVA pod

  5. 5

    The monolith at the Jupiter–Io Lagrange point Jupiter, orbit · date unknown

    Brailovsky flies an EVA pod to the giant monolith and is killed.

    Leonov docked to Discovery

  6. 6

    Leaving Jupiter as it ignites Jupiter, orbit · date unknown

    Discovery is burned as a booster; Leonov rides out the shock wave as Jupiter becomes a star.

    Alexei Leonov · 1,272.2 million km

  7. 7

    Home to Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Not shown: Leonov returns home while Floyd narrates the message to Earth.

Sunshine (2007)

Set in 2057 according to the film's background material; no date is shown on screen. 372.4 million km in all on the map.

EarthMercurySun124Distances to scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
5
  1. 1

    Icarus II leaves Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Not shown: eight astronauts set out with a stellar bomb to restart the dying Sun.

    Icarus II · 298 million km

  2. 2

    Passing Mercury Mercury, orbit · 2057

    They pick up Icarus I's distress beacon; Kaneda dies repairing the heat shield in Mercury's shadow.

    Icarus II

  3. 3

    Icarus I in space · date unknown

    The lost first ship, between Mercury and the Sun: its crew is dead and Pinbacker slips aboard.

    Icarus II and its payload

  4. 4

    Into the Sun Sun · 2057

    Capa rides the payload down and sets off the bomb as the Sun reignites.

    Epilogue on Earth

  5. 5

    Sydney Harbour Earth · date unknown

    Capa's sister and her children on the frozen harbour see the Sun grow brighter.

Event Horizon (1997)

The film opens in 2047; the rescue ship takes 56 days to reach Neptune. 4,324.8 million km in all on the map.

EarthNeptune, 204712Distances from the Sun on a log scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.A planet known only by the year is placed mid-year; the thick arc is its path through that year.
  1. 1

    Lewis and Clark sets out Earth, orbit · 2047

    The rescue crew, just back from a mission, is sent out with Dr Weir and goes into stasis.

    Lewis and Clark · 4,324.8 million km · 56 days

  2. 2

    Event Horizon, orbiting Neptune Neptune, orbit · 2047

    The lost gravity-drive ship has reappeared; the crew finds what it brought back.

    Event Horizon (stern)

  3. 3

    The stern goes back through the gateway outside the solar system · date unknown

    Miller blows the ship in two and the gravity drive takes the stern, with Weir, back to Hell.

    72 days later

  4. 4

    Forward section, still at Neptune Neptune, orbit · date unknown

    72 days later a rescue party finds Starck, Cooper and Justin in stasis.

Mission to Mars (2000)

The film opens in 2020 at the party before Mars I leaves; the rest is dated only in months. 1,180.4 million km in all on the map.

EarthMars1324Distances to scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
Valles Marineris25
On Mars
  1. 1

    Mars I leaves Earth Earth, orbit · 2020

    Luke Graham's crew sets off for the first crewed Mars landing.

    Mars I · 590.2 million km

  2. 2

    The Face, Cydonia Mars · date unknown

    The crew scans a strange formation; a vortex kills all but Luke.

    Back to the station

  3. 3

    World Space Station Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Luke's distress call arrives and Mars II is turned into a rescue mission.

    Mars II (Mars Rescue) · 590.2 million km

  4. 4

    Mars orbit Mars, orbit · date unknown

    Micrometeoroids wreck the ship; Woody dies saving Terri and the rest cross to the resupply module.

    Resupply module (REMO)

  5. 5

    The Face, Cydonia Mars · date unknown

    They find Luke alive, answer the signal and step inside the Face.

    Martian ship

  6. 6

    With the Martians outside the solar system · date unknown

    Jim takes the Martians' invitation and is launched in a capsule towards their new home.

    Back to the others

  7. 7

    Leaving Mars Mars, orbit · date unknown

    Terri, Luke and Phil escape the dust storm in the Earth Return Vehicle as Jim's ship passes them.

Red Planet (2000)

Set in the 2050s; one detailed plot summary dates the arrival at Mars to 5 February 2057, unconfirmed. The trip home takes about six months. 1,016.7 million km in all on the map.

EarthMarsEarth1267Distances to scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
Valles Marineris4
On Mars
  1. 1

    Mars-1 leaves Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Bowman's crew is sent to find out why the oxygen from the algae on Mars is falling.

    Mars-1 · 590.2 million km

  2. 2

    Mars orbit Mars, orbit · 2057

    A solar flare's gamma burst cripples Mars-1; Bowman stays aboard and the others go down.

    Lander

  3. 3

    Landing site and HAB 1 ruins Mars · date unknown

    The lander comes down in the wrong place; Chantilas dies and the habitat is found destroyed.

    On foot

  4. 4

    Mars Pathfinder, Ares Vallis Mars · date unknown

    The survivors find the old Pathfinder rover and later build a radio from it.

    On foot

  5. 5

    Kosmos, the Russian probe Mars · date unknown

    About 100 km away; Gallagher powers it with AMEE's core and launches in the sample capsule.

    Kosmos sample capsule

  6. 6

    Rendezvous with Mars-1 Mars, orbit · date unknown

    Bowman tethers out to catch Gallagher and revives him.

    Mars-1 · 426.5 million km · 6 months

  7. 7

    Home to Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Not shown: the end of the six-month trip home with the nematode sample.

Deep Impact (1998)

The comet is found on 10 May 1998; the President announces it in 1999 and impact is due about a year later.

4
  1. 1

    Messiah leaves Earth orbit Earth, orbit · 1999

    The ship built in orbit by the US and Russia sets out with five astronauts and a cosmonaut.

    Messiah

  2. 2

    Landing on comet Wolf–Biederman in space · date unknown

    A comet, not a body on our map: they drill in nuclear bombs, but the blast only splits it in two.

    Messiah

  3. 3

    Into the Wolf fragment in space · 2000

    Messiah flies into the larger fragment and blows it apart before it can hit western Canada.

    Meanwhile, the smaller fragment

  4. 4

    Biederman hits the Atlantic off Cape Hatteras Earth · 2000

    The smaller fragment, which Messiah could not stop, raises a megatsunami over the East Coast.

Apollo 18 (2011)

December 1974, two years after Apollo 17; the landing is said to be on 25 December. 444,328 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth12To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
1
Mare Nubium3
On the Moon
  1. 1

    Kennedy Space Center Earth · 1974

    The cancelled mission flies in secret for the Department of Defense.

    Saturn V, Apollo 18 · 444,328 km

  2. 2

    Freedom in lunar orbit Moon, orbit · date unknown

    Grey stays in the command module while Walker and Anderson go down.

    Lunar module Liberty

  3. 3

    Liberty's landing site, near the south pole Moon · date unknown

    They set up the detector, find an abandoned Soviet LK and a dead cosmonaut, and something in the rocks.

    Soviet LK lander

  4. 4

    Collision with Freedom Moon, orbit · date unknown

    Anderson launches in the Soviet lander and, infected, crashes into the command module.

Iron Sky (2012)

Set in 2018. 863,029 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth213To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
2
14
On the Moon
  1. 1

    Nazi Moon base, far side Moon · 2018

    An American landing stumbles on the base; Washington is captured and his phone is taken.

    Nazi flying saucer · 418,700 km

  2. 2

    New York Earth · date unknown

    Adler, Renate and Washington land on Earth and get caught up in the President's campaign.

    USS George W. Bush and Götterdämmerung · 444,328 km

  3. 3

    Battle over the Moon Moon, orbit · date unknown

    The UN fleet fights Götterdämmerung; Renate kills Adler and the battleship crashes into the Moon.

    Götterdämmerung

  4. 4

    Nazi Moon base, far side Moon · date unknown

    Renate and Washington meet again in the damaged base while Earth burns.

Moonfall (2022)

The prologue is in 2011; the main story is about ten years later. 837,680 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth354To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.
3
  1. 1

    Shuttle in Earth orbit Earth, orbit · 2011

    A satellite repair goes wrong when a swarm attacks; Alan is killed and Jo knocked out.

    Space Shuttle

  2. 2

    Back on Earth Earth · 2011

    Harper brings the damaged shuttle home; nobody believes him and he is fired.

    Ten years later

  3. 3

    Vandenberg Earth · 2021

    Jo, Harper and K.C. launch the museum shuttle Endeavour as a tsunami hits the base.

    Endeavour · 418,979 km

  4. 4

    Inside the Moon Moon · date unknown

    The hollow Moon is a megastructure; K.C. sets off the EMP against the swarm.

    Endeavour · 418,700 km

  5. 5

    Home to Earth Earth · date unknown

    Jo and Harper return to their families as the Moon settles into a normal orbit.

The Wandering Earth (2019)

The Earth itself is the ship. Liu Peiqiang leaves for the station when his son is four; the Jupiter crisis is 17 years later (2075 per fan sources). 1,283.9 million km in all on the map.

EarthJupiter, 207523Distances from the Sun on a log scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.A planet known only by the year is placed mid-year; the thick arc is its path through that year.
  1. 1

    Leaving the underground city Earth · 2058

    As the Earth Engines start, Peiqiang says goodbye to his son Liu Qi and goes up to the station.

    Shuttle to the station

  2. 2

    Navigation Platform International Space Station Earth, orbit · date unknown

    The station flies ahead of the Earth to guide it out of the solar system.

    The Earth, pushed by the Earth Engines · 1,283.9 million km

  3. 3

    Gravity assist at Jupiter Jupiter, orbit · 2075

    Jupiter's pull drags the Earth towards it; Peiqiang flies the station into the plasma jet that ignites Jupiter's atmosphere and pushes the Earth free.

    The Earth, pushed by the Earth Engines

  4. 4

    On to Alpha Centauri outside the solar system · date unknown

    Three years later the Earth is still on its 2,500-year way to a new star.

The Wandering Earth 2 (2023)

The Space Elevator Crisis is in 2044 and the Lunar Crisis in 2058 (years from reviews). 418,700 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth43To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.
1
  1. 1

    Space elevator, Libreville Earth · 2044

    Trainee astronaut Liu Peiqiang rides the elevator as Digital Life fighters attack it.

    Space elevator

  2. 2

    Ark Space Station Earth, orbit · 2044

    The fight reaches the top; the elevator, the Ark station and the lunar base are destroyed.

    14 years later

  3. 3

    The Moon Moon · 2058

    The Moon is falling towards Earth; Peiqiang's nuke shuttle crashes and 300 veteran astronauts set off the bombs by hand.

    Escape capsule · 418,700 km

  4. 4

    Navigator space station Earth, orbit · 2058

    Peiqiang escapes in a capsule as the Moon is blown apart.

Elysium (2013)

Set in 2154.

13
  1. 1

    Los Angeles Earth · 2154

    Max, dying of radiation, trades Carlyle's stolen data for a flight with Kruger.

    Kruger's ship

  2. 2

    Elysium Earth, orbit · 2154

    Kruger's ship crash-lands on the habitat; Max reaches the computer core and dies rebooting it.

    Med-Bay shuttles

  3. 3

    Los Angeles Earth · date unknown

    Everyone on Earth is now a citizen, and Med-Bay ships come down to the city.

First Men in the Moon (1964)

A UN landing in 1964 frames Bedford's story of the 1899 voyage. 837,680 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth243To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.
24
  1. 1

    UN landing on the Moon Moon · 1964

    The first “first” crew finds a Union Jack and a note claiming the Moon for Queen Victoria.

    Flashback to 1899

  2. 2

    Cherry Cottage, Dymchurch Earth · 1899

    Bedford and Kate are swept into Cavor's sphere as it takes off.

    Cavor's sphere · 418,979 km

  3. 3

    Selenite caverns Moon · 1899

    The sphere lands; they find the insect-like Selenites underground, and Cavor stays behind.

    Cavor's sphere · 418,700 km

  4. 4

    Sea off Zanzibar Earth · date unknown

    Bedford says they came down in the sea here and swam ashore as the sphere sank.

    Back to 1964

  5. 5

    The Selenite city, 1964 Moon · 1964

    The UN crew finds the city dead: Cavor's cold wiped out the Selenites.

Ad Astra (2019)

Set in the “near future” with no year given; the film states only that the Mars-to-Neptune run takes 79 days. 10,075.5 million km in all on the map.

EarthMarsNeptuneEarth3567Distances from the Sun on a log scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
MoonEarth12To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.
  1. 1

    Leaving Earth Earth · date unknown

    After a power surge from Neptune wrecks the International Space Antenna, Roy McBride takes a commercial flight to the Moon.

    Commercial lunar flight · 418,979 km

  2. 2

    Lunar base Moon · date unknown

    A commercialised Moon; Roy and his escort set off by rover across the lawless zone.

    Lunar rover convoy

  3. 3

    Far-side launch site Moon · date unknown

    Pirates attack the rover convoy on the way; Roy reaches the far side and boards the Cepheus for Mars.

    Cepheus

  4. 4

    Norwegian research station in space · date unknown

    The Cepheus answers a distress call; escaped test baboons kill the captain.

    Cepheus

  5. 5

    Underground SpaceCom base, Mars Mars · date unknown

    Roy records messages to his father and learns the truth about the Lima Project from Helen Lantos.

    Cepheus · 4,262 million km · 3 months

  6. 6

    Lima Project station, Neptune Neptune, orbit · date unknown

    Roy stows away on the Cepheus, finds his father alive on the station and sets a nuclear bomb.

    Cepheus · 5,222.9 million km

  7. 7

    Back on Earth Earth · date unknown

    Pushed home by the blast, Roy returns alone and goes through his psych evaluation.

Gravity (2013)

No date is given; the whole story takes a few hours, timed by the 90-minute return of the debris cloud.

123Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.Where the film doesn't say how long, one orbit is drawn.No launch shown: one orbit at its real tilt, from an arbitrary starting point.
  1. 1

    Hubble Space Telescope Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Space Shuttle Explorer is servicing Hubble when debris from a Russian missile strike destroys it.

    Manned Maneuvering Unit

  2. 2

    International Space Station Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Kowalski tows Stone about 1,450 km with his jetpack; he drifts away and she escapes a fire in a Soyuz.

    Soyuz, then a fire extinguisher

  3. 3

    Tiangong station Earth, orbit · date unknown

    With the Soyuz out of fuel, Stone reaches the falling Chinese station with a fire extinguisher and boards its Shenzhou.

    Shenzhou

  4. 4

    Lake landing Earth · date unknown

    The Shenzhou comes down in a lake; Stone swims ashore and stands up on Earth.

Armageddon (1998)

No date is given; the asteroid is found 18 days before it would hit Earth. 888,392 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth253To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
1Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.Where the film doesn't say how long, one orbit is drawn.
  1. 1

    Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39 Earth · date unknown

    The shuttles Freedom and Independence lift off side by side from pads 39A and 39B.

    Freedom and Independence

  2. 2

    Mir Earth, orbit · date unknown

    The shuttles refuel at the Russian station; a fire destroys Mir and Lev Andropov joins the crew.

    Freedom and Independence · 444,328 km

  3. 3

    Slingshot around the Moon Moon, orbit · date unknown

    The shuttles whip around the Moon to come up behind the asteroid.

    Freedom and Independence

  4. 4

    The asteroid in space · date unknown

    An asteroid “the size of Texas” heading for Earth: Independence crashes, Freedom lands 26 miles off target, and Harry Stamper stays behind to detonate the bomb.

    Freedom

  5. 5

    Back on Earth Earth · date unknown

    Freedom lands and the survivors are greeted as heroes.

Europa Report (2013)

No year is given; the film counts months of the mission, about 20 months to reach Europa. 1,011.9 million km in all on the map.

EarthJupiter13Distances from the Sun on a log scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
  1. 1

    Europa One leaves Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Six astronauts set out on a privately funded search for life on Jupiter's moon Europa.

    Europa One · 6 months

  2. 2

    Solar storm and Corrigan's death in space · date unknown

    About six months out a solar storm cuts contact with Earth; on the repair spacewalk Corrigan saves Blok and drifts away.

    Europa One · 14 months

  3. 3

    Europa orbit (Jupiter system) Jupiter, orbit · date unknown

    After twenty months Europa One reaches orbit around Europa and sends down its lander.

    Europa One lander

  4. 4

    Europa surface, off target (Jupiter system) Jupiter, orbit · date unknown

    The lander misses its target zone; the crew drills through the ice and Petrovna falls through chasing a blue light.

    Europa One lander

  5. 5

    Europa surface, original target (Jupiter system) Jupiter, orbit · date unknown

    A failed take-off crashes the lander at the planned site; it sinks into the ice as the last crew member sees a creature below.

Stowaway (2021)

No date is given; the MTS-42 crew sets out on a two-year mission to Mars and the film ends on the way there. 590.2 million km in all on the map.

EarthMars15Distances to scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
  1. 1

    Launch Earth · date unknown

    Barnett, Kim and Levenson lift off for Mars; the launch site is not named.

    MTS-42

  2. 2

    Stowaway found in space · date unknown

    Shortly after launch the crew finds engineer Michael Adams aboard, and the carbon dioxide scrubber he damaged leaves too little air for four.

    MTS-42

  3. 3

    Climb up the tether in space · date unknown

    Zoe and David climb the 450 m tether to the spent upper stage for liquid oxygen; a solar flare forces them back.

    MTS-42

  4. 4

    Zoe's last climb in space · date unknown

    Zoe fetches the left-behind cylinder through the flare and dies outside the ship, looking at a faint Mars.

    MTS-42

  5. 5

    Mars (not reached in the film) Mars, orbit · date unknown

    Where MTS-42 is headed; the film ends before it arrives.

Approaching the Unknown (2016)

No date is given; Captain Stanaforth's one-way course to Mars is set for 270 days. 612.3 million km in all on the map.

EarthMars23Distances to scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
  1. 1

    Launch Earth · date unknown

    William Stanaforth lifts off alone on a one-way trip to settle Mars.

    Stanaforth's spacecraft

  2. 2

    Leaving Earth Earth, orbit · date unknown

    After the stages separate he sets off on his 270-day course; on the way his water machine fails and he refuses to turn back.

    Stanaforth's spacecraft · 612.3 million km · 9 months

  3. 3

    Mars landing Mars · date unknown

    He lands and walks on Mars: “Nothing has ever lived here.”

Capricorn One (1978)

No date is given; the empty spacecraft flies to Mars and back over several months while its crew fakes the landing on the ground. 1,180.4 million km in all on the map.

EarthMarsEarth123Distances to scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
  1. 1

    Launch pad Earth · date unknown

    Minutes before lift-off the crew is pulled out; the rocket flies with an empty capsule, and the astronauts are taken to a desert base to fake the trip on a Mars set.

    Capricorn One (uncrewed) · 590.2 million km

  2. 2

    Mars (empty craft) Mars, orbit · date unknown

    The unmanned craft reaches Mars while the “landing” is staged for television on a set in the desert.

    Capricorn One (uncrewed) · 590.2 million km

  3. 3

    Re-entry burn-up Earth, orbit · date unknown

    On the way home the faulty heat shield fails and the capsule burns up, so the crew is officially dead.

Marooned (1969)

No date is given; the crew is five months into a seven-month stay when the story begins.

3
  1. 1

    Space station Earth, orbit · date unknown

    After five months aboard a Skylab-like station, the Ironman One crew is sent home early.

    Ironman One

  2. 2

    Stranded in orbit Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Ironman One's engine will not fire for retrofire; with too little fuel to re-enter or redock, the crew is stuck.

    Meanwhile, at the Cape

  3. 3

    Cape Kennedy Earth · date unknown

    The X-RV lifting body goes up on an untested Titan IIIC as the eye of a hurricane passes over the Cape.

    X-RV

  4. 4

    Rescue in orbit Earth, orbit · date unknown

    Pruett is lost on a spacewalk; a Soviet Voskhod brings oxygen and Dougherty takes the two survivors aboard the X-RV.

    X-RV

  5. 5

    Return to Earth Earth · date unknown

    The X-RV and the Soviet ship fire their retrorockets for home; Ironman One is left adrift.

Countdown (1968)

No date is given; the Pilgrim flight is rushed to launch after the Soviets go a week early. 418,979 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth13To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.
  1. 1

    Launch Earth · date unknown

    Lee Stegler lifts off alone in a modified Gemini on a Titan II, on a one-way trip to the Moon.

    Pilgrim (Gemini)

  2. 2

    Power drain in space · date unknown

    An early power drain cuts radio contact with Earth on the way.

    Pilgrim (Gemini)

  3. 3

    Gemini landing site Moon · date unknown

    Lee lands but cannot see the shelter; he finds the Soviet lander on its side and three dead cosmonauts.

    On foot

  4. 4

    The shelter Moon · date unknown

    With an hour of oxygen he follows the red glow of the shelter's beacon and walks towards it.

Space Cowboys (2000)

Set in the present day with no date; IKON has about a month left before its orbit decays. 418,979 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth23To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.
1
  1. 1

    Kennedy Space Center Earth · date unknown

    Team Daedalus, four old test pilots, lift off on the shuttle Daedalus.

    Daedalus

  2. 2

    IKON satellite Earth, orbit · date unknown

    The “communications” satellite turns out to carry six nuclear missiles; a collision speeds up its decay.

    IKON, with Hawk aboard · 418,979 km

  3. 3

    The Moon Moon · date unknown

    Hawk rides IKON's rockets out of orbit; the last shot shows him at rest on the Moon, looking at Earth.

    Back to the shuttle

  4. 4

    Daedalus lands Earth · date unknown

    Frank stalls the damaged shuttle's nose up to bleed off speed and brings it down safely.

Destination Moon (1950)

No date is given; the trip is undated in the film. 444,328 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth13To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
Mare ImbriumMare TranquillitatisCopernicusMare Nubium4
On the Moon
  1. 1

    Desert launch site Earth · date unknown

    The atomic rocket Luna takes off early to beat a court order.

    Luna

  2. 2

    Spacewalk to free the radar in space · date unknown

    Fixing a frozen antenna outside, Cargraves floats away and is fetched back with an oxygen bottle as a thruster.

    Luna

  3. 3

    Lunar orbit Moon, orbit · date unknown

    Barnes uses too much fuel on the way down.

    Luna

  4. 4

    Harpalus crater Moon · date unknown

    Cargraves claims the Moon for all mankind; the crew strips the ship to have enough fuel to leave.

    Luna

  5. 5

    Leaving the Moon Moon, orbit · date unknown

    Luna lifts off for Earth with all four aboard: “The End … of the Beginning.”

Rocketship X-M (1950)

No date is given; the crew wakes “days later” about 50,000 miles from Mars. 1,180.9 million km in all on the map.

EarthMarsEarth345Distances to scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
MoonEarth13To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
15
  1. 1

    White Sands Proving Ground Earth · date unknown

    The RX-M lifts off on what should be the first trip to the Moon.

    RX-M

  2. 2

    Meteoroid storm in space · date unknown

    After a meteoroid storm the engines cut out; a new fuel mix restarts them and the ship runs away.

    RX-M

  3. 3

    Past the Moon Moon, orbit · date unknown

    Out of control, the ship overshoots the Moon and the crew blacks out.

    RX-M · 590.2 million km

  4. 4

    Mars Mars · date unknown

    Ruins of an atomic war and hostile survivors: Corrigan and Eckstrom are killed.

    RX-M · 590.2 million km

  5. 5

    Crash towards Nova Scotia Earth · date unknown

    Out of fuel, the three survivors watch the ship fall towards Nova Scotia.

Woman in the Moon (1929)

No date is given in the story. 444,328 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth13To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.The swing around the Moon is drawn wider than it was.
  1. 1

    Launch of the Friede Earth · date unknown

    The rocket is rolled out of its hangar and lifts off from a pool of water.

    Friede

  2. 2

    Gustav found on board in space · date unknown

    The first stage is dropped and the boy stowaway Gustav turns up during the flight.

    Friede

  3. 3

    Round the Moon Moon, orbit · date unknown

    The ship loops around the Moon on a figure-eight course to reach the far side.

    Friede

  4. 4

    Landing on the far side Moon · date unknown

    Breathable air and gold; Manfeldt and Turner die, and Helius and Friede stay behind as Windegger and Gustav fly the ship home.

Total Recall (1990)

Set in 2084 according to summaries; no dates are given for the trip itself. 590.2 million km in all on the map.

EarthMars12Distances to scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
Valles Marineris234
On Mars
  1. 1

    Quaid's home city Earth · 2084

    A trip to Rekall goes wrong and a message from his old self, Hauser, tells Quaid to go to Mars.

    Passenger ship to Mars · 590.2 million km

  2. 2

    Venusville Mars · date unknown

    Quaid meets Melina in the mutants' red-light district and survives the 'you're still at Rekall' trap.

    Benny's taxi · 0.0 km

  3. 3

    Kuato's rebel hideout Mars · date unknown

    Benny's taxi brings them to the rebels; Kuato reveals the alien reactor before Cohaagen's men raid the base.

    Cohaagen's men, then through the mines · 0.0 km

  4. 4

    Alien reactor under the mountain Mars · date unknown

    Quaid starts the reactor, the ice melts into air and the Martian sky turns blue.

Proxima (2019)

No dates are given; the film ends at the launch of a year-long ISS mission.

123Orange lines over the map: the ground under the ship in orbit, from the launch site.Where the film doesn't say how long, one orbit is drawn.
  1. 1

    European Astronaut Centre, Cologne Earth · date unknown

    Sarah, a French astronaut, is picked for the Proxima crew and starts training while caring for her daughter.

    To Russia

  2. 2

    Star City Earth · date unknown

    Months of training with the Russian and American crewmates; Stella visits once.

    To Kazakhstan

  3. 3

    Baikonur Cosmodrome Earth · date unknown

    Quarantine, a meeting through glass, and a night escape to show Stella the rocket.

    Soyuz

  4. 4

    To the International Space Station Earth, orbit · date unknown

    The Soyuz lifts off with Sarah on board; the film ends before it reaches the station.

Moon (2009)

Sam is near the end of a three-year contract; a screen near the end shows 2035. 418,700 km in all on the map.

MoonEarth32To scale, seen from above.Date unknown: the Moon's place on its orbit is arbitrary; the ship takes the most efficient orbit.
12
On the Moon
  1. 1

    Sarang Station Moon · date unknown

    Sam Bell runs the helium-3 mining base alone with GERTY and crashes his rover at a harvester.

    Lunar rover · 0.0 km

  2. 2

    Harvester crash site Moon · date unknown

    A new clone finds the old Sam in the crashed rover; the old Sam later dies there.

    Helium-3 return vehicle · 418,700 km

  3. 3

    Back on Earth Earth · 2035

    The new Sam rides a helium-3 return vehicle to Earth and blows the whistle on Lunar Industries.

Life (2017)

Set in the near future; no dates are given. 582.8 million km in all on the map.

MarsEarth12Distances to scale.Dates unknown: the ship takes the most efficient orbit for the trip; the planets are where it meets them.Which way the map is turned is arbitrary.
  1. 1

    Mars Mars · date unknown

    The Pilgrim 7 probe scoops up the soil sample holding a dormant cell, later named Calvin.

    Pilgrim 7 probe · 582.8 million km

  2. 2

    International Space Station Earth, orbit · date unknown

    The crew catches the battered probe; Calvin grows, breaks loose and kills most of the crew.

    Escape pod

  3. 3

    Escape pod lands at sea Earth · date unknown

    David's pod, with Calvin, comes down in the ocean and Vietnamese fishermen open it; Miranda's pod drifts off into deep space.