Happy Star Trek 50th Anniversary

Hey Chasers!

Yesterday marked Star Trek’s 50th birthday! September 8th 1966 saw the first episode of Trek as we know it now with Kirk, Spock…and Bones…though he took that day off.

Star Trek has been an enormous inspiration in my life. Trek was what first brought my heart and mind to the stars. Some of my earliest memories are of watching the Original Series movies. The first movie I remember seeing in a theatre was Star Trek IV. I flew a die cast Klingon Bird of Prey around a paper cut out sun suspended from our apartment ceiling to make it go back in time and save the whales. The show was not only my gateway to the wider universe I perceived out there, but the stories of camaraderie and IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations) became virtues that are foundational to my life. I was raised by Trek. Even when I didn’t go into sciences, my undergrad in international studies was founded upon Trek inspiration. In my mind, the crew of the Enterprise was travelling through the Universe and doing good, so too then would I in the world if I couldn’t in the stars.

To celebrate Trek’s 50th, we’ve put together a tribute video made from interviews with Trek cast, crew, and fans over the years. We’re so humbled by their willingness to be a part of our story especially since I have felt like a part of theirs.

Live Long and Prosper!

We’re on StarTrek.com!

In a stellar surprise today, my friend Jenn called into my office saying “Did you know Chasing Atlantis is on the StarTrek.com website today!?”

It took me a moment to realize what I was seeing. And there we are an article about Chasing and the awesome Trek family members that have been a part of our film including Rod Roddenberry, Wil Wheaton, and Michael Okuda! We have also spoken to Robert Picardo about his work at the Planetary Society. 

The article splash image features our visit to interview Bill Nye at the Planetary Society.

Chasing Atlantis on StarTrek.com

What’s super awesome about the timing is that today marks my Grandfather’s 90th birthday and it was he who got me into space to begin with. He’s also mentioned by name in the article on Trek.com. Happy 90th, Dziadziu!

Check out the article on Star Trek.com here!

Keep Chasing!

-Matthew

 

2015 In Review: Sky’s Calling – and 2016: Chasing’s Completion

Hello Chasers!

2015 was one of the most incredible years for our project. (I have been remiss in updating all of you. I will speak more about my absence at the end.) Each year that we have worked on the film, I look back and think “well…it can’t get any more amazing!” This past year, the film’s themes became clearer, we shot more incredible interviews in awesome settings (like the Enterprise), and I felt the most emotionally connected to the project than I ever have. We found our focus in 2015. When we first began Chasing Atlantis, the film was a story about going to see a space shuttle launch and understanding the shuttle’s technological legacy. Now, four years and change later, I see that the film is really a story about WHY I wanted to see a space shuttle launch. Outside the facility where Atlantis now resides is a quote by Carl Sagan “The Sky Calls to Us.” But how? Why do those shimmering lights in the night captivate us? This is what Chasing Atlantis has become for me; a journey to understand that call and to connect with those that hear it as well.

Carl Sagan’s quote outside of the Atlantis Facility at the Kennedy Space Center

Planetary Resources Launches Campaign to Fund Revolutionary Telescope

Hey Chasers,

We wanted to share an incredible project that has been started by Planetary Resources.

A few months ago, you might recall that we had the amazing opportunity to interview Chris Lewicki and Chris Voorhees of Planetary Resources. 

Both Chris’ discussed the company’s mission to explore space and secure “resource-rich” asteroids that are within our solar system. The goal:  mine those  asteroids for those resources (kinda like in cool space video games…but in real life!!) Both Chris’ have a wealth of engineering experience and have worked directly with NASA. In our interview with Chris Voorhees, he talked about being the last human being to actually touch the Opportunity rover before it landed on the surface of Mars and the profound impact that had on him being a star gazer and knowing that something you helped construct is actually on the surface of another planet. Chris Lewicki actually has an asteroid named after him.  (We are hoping to unlock this achievement ourselves depending on the success of the film 😉 )