# Most realistic depiction of spaceflight in film **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 1, 2026, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752 "2026-09-01T23:14:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![spacecadet86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@spacecadet86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spacecadet86)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/1 "2026-09-01T23:14:22Z")
Which movies and shows ace their depiction of crewed spaceflight? Also, which science fiction spacecraft are the most realistic? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/2 "2026-09-01T23:54:15Z")
If you can accept the existence of an engine and fuel source efficient enough to accelerate a ship to .92 of c, _Project Hail Mary_ does a pretty good job of sticking to hard science. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/3 "2026-09-01T23:57:02Z")
_Apollo 13_ used real weightlessness! ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/4 "2026-09-02T01:56:24Z")
I posted this five years ago in another thread. According to our good friend “Harpo,” the reason it’s so accurate is that Fritz Lang got his info from Hermann Oberth. _More from ‘Die Frau im Mond:’_ _They said they would need to accelerate to 11,200 meters/second, which is escape velocity. (OK, that’s just math, but it was still impressive to have that detail in a movie of that time.)_ _They used a multi-stage rocket._ _They wanted to limit the rocket to 4Gs of acceleration, which is pretty much what the Saturn V astronauts endured._ _Weightlessness in space (although I think they missed the reason as to ‘why’ they were weightless)._ _They used a figure-8 trajectory, which is what the Saturn V rockets used. (Yeah, technically it’s not actually a ‘figure 8,’ but that’s the easiest way to show in on a chalkboard.)_ _Retro rockets to slow down the rocket for landing._ _Although they did miss some factual stuff like the Moon having a breathable atmosphere, and hills full of gold._ ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/5 "2026-09-02T02:12:29Z")
The Vomit Comet! 🤮 **2001** was pretty good with it. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/6 "2026-09-02T02:44:19Z")
_ **Apollo 13** _ was really good, especially the launch sequence. I can watch that over and over. _[**Gravity**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_(2013_film))_ was pretty realistic too. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/7 "2026-09-02T03:50:37Z")
It is not a movie, but the anime series “PLANETES” has pretty good orbital mechanics, realistic ships, and a compelling storyline. What’s not to love? Highly recommended, really. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/8 "2026-09-02T04:45:30Z")
Moved to Cafe society, since this is about movies and shows. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/9 "2026-09-02T05:27:08Z")
> [@robby](#): > > _**[Gravity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_(2013_film))**_ was pretty realistic too It did indeed seem pretty good in that respect (and just a good film all round), but there was one bit that (with my lay person knowledge of physics) was a bit silly (minor spoiler): - A character is ‘hanging on’ to some rope/lengthy debris (I forget exactly what). They have essentially halted their relative motion compared to everything else and yet if they let go they will ‘fall’ off into the distance. I never understood that bit and I don’t know if it’s just a goof or I am missing something obvious) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/10 "2026-09-02T07:01:07Z")
While definitely dated, _ **Destination Moon** _ and _ **Forbidden Planet** _ are still quite good. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/11 "2026-09-02T12:19:46Z")
They were being dragged down by the weight of the plot. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/12 "2026-09-02T12:29:52Z")
My vote is for, “Gravity”, with Sandra Bullock. The one scene I thought was really off was when she herself was tethered, and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) was tethered to her. He exhorted her to cut the tethering rope connecting the two of them because there was no hope of saving him. Since she herself was being held in a stabile tether, all she had to do was give him a good tug to get him moving towards her. That makes 2 votes for “Gravity”. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/13 "2026-09-02T12:42:52Z")
_Marooned_ (1969) was fairly accurate, especially for its time. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/14 "2026-09-02T12:56:21Z")
You mean **Space Travelers**? 😁 ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/15 "2026-09-02T13:30:22Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > > [@robby](#): > > > > _**[Gravity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_(2013_film))**_ was pretty realistic too > > It did indeed seem pretty good in that respect (and just a good film all round), but there was one bit that (with my lay person knowledge of physics) was a bit silly (minor spoiler): - > > A character is ‘hanging on’ to some rope/lengthy debris (I forget exactly what). They have essentially halted their relative motion compared to everything else and yet if they let go they will ‘fall’ off into the distance. I never understood that bit and I don’t know if it’s just a goof or I am missing something obvious) I don’t remember the scene in question (nor do I think your description is a spoiler), but I think I would have noticed something like this. I suspect that the character in question had _not_ halted their relative motion to the object in question, or that the object itself was accelerating (or decelerating). As I recall, they were all in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and could have been experiencing differential atmospheric friction. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/16 "2026-09-02T13:43:43Z")
Not the most realistic, but the spaceship in **Red Planet** had counter rotating rings(?) which is a nice touch – artificial gravity and torque balacing. Brian ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/17 "2026-09-02T14:02:30Z")
For my money, **2001: A Space Odyssey** is overall the best. It was the first mob=vie that made a point of showing spacecraft moving the way they ought to in space, rather than swooping and gliding in arcs like atmospheric ships. (the Shuttle gives the impression of swooping – but that’s the camera moving around it. If you watch the way the ship moves, it’s following Newton’s laws). The pods move in short straight paths, and rotate about their centers of mass, starting and stopping abruptly. It looks fake, until you watch footage of actual spacecraft in motion, which do the same things. Watch the 1989 documentary **For All Mankind** to see what I mean. It’s the most realistic depiction of spacecraft in flight because it really IS footage of spacecraft in flight. I give **2010: The Year we Make Contact** credit, too, although they insisted on putting too much noise into space – In Space No One Can Hear Your Engines. The "braking maneuver around Jupiter was credible. And I like the way they find the abandoned _Discovery_ flipping end over end. If the bearings in the artificial gravity section had seized up, it would make sense that it’d transmit the angular momentum to the craft as a whole and have that result. As for 1950s movies, it’s hard to tell. Heinlein acted as technical advisor for both **Destination Moon** and **Operation Moonbase** , which did some interestin g things with spacecraft (I especially like the gravity-free meeting aboard the space station). **Conquest of Space** was made by George Pal without Heinlein, but my main recollection was how bad the ships looked. Arthur C. Clarke is on record as criticizing the launch track used in **When Worlds Collide**. I think **It! The Terror from Beyond Space** was OK as far as spacev travel goes, except that there was too much gravity in the ship. I could buy it if they were accelerating, but they weren’t. Disney made three TV shows about space travel in the 1950s, with technical guidance from Werner von Braun, Willy Ley, and that crowd, and their depictions appear very plausible – “Man in Space”, “Man and the Moon”, and “Mars and Beyond”. They’re available on DVD (and, although originally broadcast in black and white, were filmed in color) Mor recent movies have tried to be more accurate as regards trajectories of craft and the absence of gravity, so things like **Gravity** , **Interstellar** , **The Martian** , and **Project Hail Mary** tend to be pretty good. I liked the accuracy of **The Expanse** series. But there are plenty of more popular things (the whole “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” franchises, for instance) that don’t even try to be accurate. I really would like to see someone do a movie or TV show set on the Moon that actually tried to depict the low gravity. I don’t think anyone’s ever done this, except for a few seconds of levity (afte which they ignore the whole thing). Not even Stanley Kubrick’s **2001** tried to show this accurately in the scenes set on the moon. Yeah, I know it’s difficult. But with appropriate staging and acting, some wrire work, and computer-aided effects it ought now to be possible to do so. I wanna see **The Moon is a Harsh Mistress** done right. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/18 "2026-09-02T15:42:45Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Watch the 1989 documentary **For All Mankind** to see what I mean. Not to be confused with the modern streaming series _For All Mankind_, where the spaceflight is pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/19 "2026-09-02T18:16:15Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > …I really would like to see someone do a movie or TV show set on the Moon that actually tried to depict the low gravity. I don’t think anyone’s ever done this, except for a few seconds of levity (afte which they ignore the whole thing). Not even Stanley Kubrick’s **2001** tried to show this accurately in the scenes set on the moon. > > Yeah, I know it’s difficult. But with appropriate staging and acting, some wrire work, and computer-aided effects it ought now to be possible to do so. I wanna see **The Moon is a Harsh Mistress** done right. Me, too! It’s also bugged me for awhile that Bowman and Poole, when they’re not in the artificial-gravity habitat ring of _Discovery_, still seem to be under gravity and not in zero-G, particularly in the pod bay scenes. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752/20 "2026-09-02T20:10:20Z")
> [@robby](#): > > _**[Gravity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_(2013_film))**_ was pretty realistic too. Politely, did we watch the same film? They use a MMU to transfer between the Hubble orbit and the ISS. It doesn’t have anywhere enough fuel and they couldn’t do it by instinct. They’d need navigation help. It’s the equivalent of them using a trolling motor on their boat off the coast of the US to rendezvous with a ocean liner in the Azores. It’s completely ridiculous. You couldn’t even do it with the Shuttle. Space is big, even in low earth orbit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-realistic-depiction-of-spaceflight-in-film/1032752.md?page=2)