05.05.2023
Science fiction, as the term implies, is a savvy blend of fact and imagination. Some stories, however, are more realistic than others. Marco, an engineer at ArianeGroup currently working on the SUSIE project, shares his favorite movies and books about space.
What is your favorite movie about space?
A portrait of America’s entry into the space age, it is seen as a challenging human endeavor. Viewers get a better grasp of the technical and personal sacrifices involved. It is extremely interesting.
This movie blew me away. It tells the story of an extraterrestrial life form on Mars that grows unchecked, and overruns the space station and planet Earth. It is an interesting topic because we might very well be faced with a similar situation one day, once we find biological life forms elsewhere.
And then, of course, Interstellar!
What movie or documentary would you recommend?
I read this book on a regular basis. It is not really about space; it is more about engineering. It tells the story of the Breakthrough team of engineers who designed the fastest stealth jet in the United States. Even though it was a Cold War technology, the story is very inspiring. I think we have much to learn from such interesting ways of working. To tell you the truth, there are a few elements that could help with the design and progress on SUSIE. Obviously, the historical and international context are different, but there is such a lot of useful information and knowledge to benefit from. Engineers can easily draw a parallel between the two.
Credits: Skunk Works